COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Stanley Umude scored 23 points to lead 23rd-ranked Arkansas to a 76-57 victory over Missouri on Tuesday night.
The Razorbacks (20-6, 9-4 Southeastern Conference) made 11 of 21 3-point attempts, with Umude hitting 6 of 9. Jaylin Williams finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Trey Wade added 12 points and 11 rebounds. JD Notae scored 17 points, and Devonte Davis had 11.
Javon Pickett led Missouri (10-15, 4-8 SEC) with 13 points, and DaJuan Gordon added 11.
Arkansas built a 46-27 halftime lead behind the 3-point shooting of Umude and Davis, who combined to make 6 of 9 shots from beyond the arc. Missouri cut the deficit to 11 points twice in the second half but never seriously threatened Arkansas.
BIG PICTURE
Arkansas: The Razorbacks had lost three straight games before crushing Missouri 87-43 on Jan. 12. Since then, they’ve won 10 of 11 games — including an upset of then-No. 1 Auburn — to return to the Top 25. Arkansas now has a nice opportunity to rise in the rankings and improve its NCAA Tournament seeding with two of its next three games at home against ranked opponents Tennessee and Kentucky.
Missouri: The Tigers lack a true point guard, and it continues to be a glaring weakness for a team that ranks next-to-last in the SEC and 293rd in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (.84). Arkansas was the latest opponent to disrupt Missouri’s offense by pressuring its shaky ballhandlers. The Tigers committed eight turnovers in the first half, including three on the first four possessions, to help the Razorbacks build a big lead.
UP NEXT
Arkansas: The Razorbacks return home to face 16th-ranked Tennessee on Saturday.
Missouri: The Tigers face Mississippi State on the road Friday and again at home Sunday in a game that was originally scheduled for Jan. 5 but postponed when Missouri had COVID-19 issues.
