Auburn Hangs on Against Arkansas; Protects No. 1 Ranking

Top team survives Razorback scare, who drops second straight SEC game on road

Arkansas Razorbacks guard D.J. Wagner (21) goes up for a layup over Auburn Tigers forward Johni Broome (4) as Auburn Tigers take on Arkansas Razorbacks at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

AUBURN, Ala. — No. 1 Auburn took down Arkansas 67-60 on its home floor behind a double-double from National Player of the Year Candidate Johni Broome. Broome finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Sharp shooter👌 pic.twitter.com/i68FOCBJCP

— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) February 20, 2025

The Razorbacks battled back from trailing most of the night to take a brief lead with three minutes left to go on a layup from Johnell Davis. With the Hogs' tournament chances hanging in the balance, Auburn showed its class and scored the next six points to put the game away and held Arkansas without a field goal for the rest of the game.

It's Johnell Davis! pic.twitter.com/FBbmWx3P9A

— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) February 20, 2025

"We don’t finish people off. That’s what makes them the No. 1 team in the country," coach John Calipari said. "They made the plays and they made their free throws."

Four different players scored double-digits for the Hogs led by Adou Thiero with 16. Davis pitched in with 14 and both Knox and Wagner had 11.

Arkansas trailed by just six at halftime despite a lot of the same issues that plagued the Razorbacks in the early part of SEC play.

The Hogs shot just 1-for-9 in the first half from beyond the arc and was outrebounded 23-15 with 11 offensive rebounds.

Zvonimir Ivisic, who came into the game 15-for-27 from three in his last five games, went 0-9 from deep and failed to score a point in 30 minutes.

Arkansas forced seven first half turnovers for a team that commits the third fewest turnovers in the country at just nine a game. Auburn ended the half on a 16-6 run to take a 33-27 lead at halftime.

The Razorbacks opened the second half on a 10-4 run to tie the game, but an unfortunate own basket from Trevon Brazile on a tip-in gave Auburn the momentum back. Auburn turned the fortuitous moment into a 6-0 run.

Both teams struggled from beyond the arc, going a combined 7-for-43. Arkansas also started the game just 4-for-11 from the free throw line and finished just 50% at the charity stripe.

"We had a chance to win," Calipari said. Did you hear what I just said? 3-for-19 [from beyond the arc]. What if we went 8-for-19? And I’m going to ask you, how many of those were wide open? A bunch of them. We’ve just got to make some shots." 

Arkansas returns home to take on Missouri 7 p.m The game will either be broadcast on ESPN or ESPN2.

HOGS FEED:

• All options on table for Razorbacks' SEC transfer in logjam

• Hogs' 1990 Final Four team to be honored at Saturday's game

• Who Hogs will host for official visits this summer?

• Does Calipari still have what it takes to steal away elite recruit from Duke, Kentucky?

• Razorbacks could face stiffer, more expensive way to playoffs

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