Arkansas reserve Joseph Pinion netted a season-high-tying 13 points to spark the No. 25 Razorbacks to just their second win this month, beating the Ole Miss Rebels 69-57 in Fayetteville, Ark., on Saturday in Southeastern Conference play.
The victory by Arkansas (13-6, 2-5 SEC), which last won on Jan. 4 against Missouri, broke a four-game overall losing skid and stretched its winning streak over Ole Miss (9-10, 1-6) to five games.
Pinion, a freshman guard, provided a boost with eight points in the first half. He finished 5 of 10 shooting, including 3 of 6 from deep, and collected five rebounds.
Anthony Black had 17 points, eight assists, five steals and three rebounds. Davonte Davis had 16 points, five rebounds and four assists and Jordan Walsh notched 13 points and seven rebounds for Arkansas, which shot 45.6 percent from the field.
Despite an 8-0 run in the second half, Ole Miss struggled to find consistent offense. Jayveous McKinnis had 10 points and six rebounds, and Daeshun Ruffin scored 10 in 19 minutes for the Rebels, who shot 44.2 percent.
In an early start, both clubs shot over 50 percent through the first media timeout as the home side held a 10-9 lead. Arkansas’ Davis paced the way with a pair of field goals.
But a steal and vicious dunk by Myles Burns (eight points, seven rebounds) — a transfer from NAIA Loyola New Orleans — helped the Ole Miss offense. The Rebels grew their biggest lead to 15-10 at 13:37, and Burns later drove for another slam.
The Razorbacks found scoring from Pinion, whose layup and two corner treys gave them their largest lead late in the half. They led 32-29 at the break.
Arkansas made 13 of 30 field goals (43.3 percent) and scored eight points on 13 Ole Miss turnovers in the half. The Rebels sank 12 of 23 shots (52.2 percent) and got eight points from McKinnis.
Inside the second-half’s first six minutes, Ole Miss suffered a major blow when leading scorer and assist producer Matthew Murrell went down with a right leg injury on a drive. He did not return.
Behind Black’s three fields goal and long ball by Davis, the Razorbacks went on a 9-0 run to grab a 43-31 lead at 14:16. They eventually led by as many as 21 in the streak-busting victory.
–Field Level Media
