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Hogs Grit Out Comeback Win Against Georgia; Gets Needed SEC Win

Razorbacks top Bulldogs in dramatic fashion, snapping five-game skid in final seconds
Daniel Shi|
Arkansas Razorbacks forwards Trevon Brazile (4) and Adou Thiero (3) celebrate after the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 68-65.
Arkansas Razorbacks forwards Trevon Brazile (4) and Adou Thiero (3) celebrate after the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 68-65. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

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Arkansas RazorbacksGeorgia Bulldogs

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. —  Arkansas staged an epic comeback to break the ice and pick up the elusive first SEC win against Georgia. The Razorbacks beat the Bulldogs, 68-65, in dramatic fashion.

"We needed to get off the snide when Boogie went down," coach John Calipari said. "Everybody was saying, 'They may not win an {SEC] game.' Well, that was wrong. Now let's see what we can do and where we can go from there."

Adou Thiero filled the scoring void with a team-high 17 points. Despite only going 4-for-7 from the floor, he was 6-for-7 at the charity stripe and scored the go-ahead basket with 30.6 seconds left, before sinking the game-winning free throw with 1.8 seconds left.

After being outrebounded and outclassed for the first five and a half games of SEC play, something switched for the Hogs midway through the second half. Elusive rebounds were suddenly landing in Arkansas' hands.

"We had to take pride," Thiero said. "Word around the SEC, you know, we’re soft. They’re going to try to come here and punk us. Nah. We had to fix that and show we have fight in us."

Defensive struggles that had been a hallmark of a 0-5 SEC team, became a strength. Arkansas was +10 in the rebounding department and picked up a season-high 18 offensive rebounds.

Georgia found themselves in foul trouble in the second half and put Arkansas in the bonus with over 12 minutes left in the second half. The Hogs took full advantage, going 29-for-34 from the line (85%), well over the team's season average of 70.6%.

The Razorbacks were always going to struggle without point guard and second-leading scorer Boogie Fland after losing the freshman to season-ending thumb surgery, but the Hogs' struggles to make shots reached epic proportions. It wasn't until the final possession of the first half that Zvonimir Ivisic made the team's first three-pointer.

The Hogs had missed its first 10 attempts from beyond the arc. With the win, Calipari avoids falling to 0-6 in conference play, which would have tied for the worst start in his career, an 0-6 start in the Atlantic 10 with the 1988-89 UMass Minutemen, his first year as a head coach.

Georgia used a quick start from guard Blue Cain, who scored all eight of his points in the first seven minutes of the game to give Georgia an early 12-6 lead. The Bulldogs remained steady and kept the Hogs at arm's length and led 38-26 at halftime.

Freshman phenom Asa Newell led the Bulldogs with 18 points. The Razorbacks finally flipped the script midway through the second half.

After being dominated on the glass throughout the first five games of SEC play, Arkansas finally imposed its will. Trevon Brazile played through foul trouble and gave the Hogs a spark.

Arkansas still shot poorly from the field, but the Hogs went on a 15-4 run through the middle part of the game with eight the points at the line.

With the monkey of its back, Arkansas will look for back-to-back SEC wins at home against Oklahoma. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday and will be broadcast on ESPN2.

HOGS FEED:

• Vice TV documentary will finally let fans, local media see what's been going on

• Can Arkansas keep recruiting momentum going on with 2026 class in Top 10?

• Razorbacks must neutralize Georgia's sensational freshman forward

• Report: Razorback Freshman Guard To Miss Rest of the Season

• Razorbacks hoping another Sorey arrives in transfer portal

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Daniel Shi
DANIEL SHI

Covers baseball, football and basketball for Arkansas Razorback on SI since 2023, previously writing for FanSided. Currently a student at the University of Arkansas. He’s been repeatedly jaded by the Los Angeles Angels since 2014. Probably silently humming along to whatever the band is playing in the press box. Follow me on X: @dsh12

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