Elite Marksman: Hogs Play Epic Duel With Aggies in Wild Finish

Razorbacks avoid collapse after building 20-point first half cushion to pull out win

Author:
Daniel Shi
Updated:
Jan 17, 2024 8:15 AM EST
Original:
Jan 17, 2024

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — What should have been an easy coast to a win spun out of control, but Arkansas found a way in the waning seconds to eke out a 78-77 win over Texas A&M for its first SEC win.

With 14 seconds left and the Razorbacks up two, Aggies guard Wade Taylor IV scored the final three of his 41 points to give the Aggies their first lead of the night with 7.6 seconds left. That left just enough time for the Hogs' star for the night to drive straight to the basket to seal the game.

"Coach drew it up and I just went out and executed," guard Tramon Mark said. "I saw how they were playing me. I thought they were going to play me tighter, but they just kind of let me get a full head of steam, so I just went and I got a good look."

Mark, who led the Razorbacks with 35 points, drove the length of the floor and hit a running jumper with 1.1 seconds left to answer Taylor's heroics and give Arkansas the win.

Arkansas led by as much as 20, but after a fresh change of clothes by head coach Buzz Williams, Texas A&M came out a new team and chipped away at the lead while Arkansas only hit a single basket from the floor in over 10 minutes. Davonte "Devo" Davis made just his second field goal of the night to stretch the lead back to 10 with 6:03 left. The Razorbacks looked to be on track to get their first conference win before Davis was subsequently ejected for kicking a player in the groin and getting charged with a flagrant 2.

Taylor, who carried the Aggies the entire second half, refused to give in with 1:39 left. The Aggies were down seven when he made a three falling down with a defender in his face to cut the lead back to four. After a pair of free throws on a foul called on Jeremiah Davenport going for a rebound, Taylor drove straight to the basket to tie the game at 74, erasing what had seemed an insurmountable first-half lead.

Arkansas fans had become accustomed to slow starts, but the Razorbacks were able to flip the script without doing anything particularly spectacular. The Hogs were able to hold the Aggies scoreless for the first four minutes and without a field goal for the first 5:30 as Arkansas raced out to a 15-3 lead after a Keyon Menifield three forcedWilliams to burn a quick timeout.

"Where has this been?" Arkansas coach Eric Musselman asked. "We led the whole game. Again, give them credit, they led for six seconds. But for us, forget Texas A&M. We needed to lead from start to finish in a game. When you lose like we have of late, your confidence can get shaken."