Moser’s Pipe-Dream Request to Arkansas Took a Bit of Nightmare Turn Early on vs Hogs
Whether it was intentional or not, the SEC Tournament saved one of the best for final by slating Arkansas into the Friday late-night slot.
After battling via a lingering ankle damage over the previous few video games, star level guard Darius Acuff Jr. was in a position to relaxation for the common season finale in opposition to Missouri.
With 9 days left, the SEC Player of the Year was uncommon to go in opposition to Oklahoma. Likewise, the Sooners entered the quarterfinal conflict red-hot amidst a six-game win streak that has them on the precipice of an NCAA Tournament bid. The Hogs narrowly escaped Norman with a victory in late January, and OU is a significantly better group now.
After a stunning blowout win over six-seed Texas A&M, Oklahoma basketball coach Porter Moser appeared on the SEC Network broadcast for some postgame remarks.
As he was getting his mic eliminated by the digicam crew after the section, one Arkansas fan requested Moser to tone it down in opposition to his Hogs: “Hey Porter, take it easier on us than you did last time!”
The 57-year-old, with the adrenaline of victory nonetheless coursing via his veins, humored the Hog fan with a plea for mercy of his personal: “Rest Acuff for the tournament, please!”
The freshman phenom had 21 factors, 10 assists and nil turnovers in opposition to the Sooners within the common season.
“He’s amazing. We saw that firsthand. He really took over down the stretch,” Moser mentioned. “He just has that Derrick Rose and Allen Iverson speed with power. He makes the right passes. For a young guy, he doesn’t get sped up much.”
“He can score at all three levels,” Moser continued. “He can get to the rim at ease, he can hit you and get some separation on a pull-up and he’s got deep range. He’s phenomenal, and I love that he plays the right way. He plays within everything and gets other guys better.”
Acuff got here out firing in Nashville, rattling off a game-high 21 factors within the first half in opposition to OU. The Detroit native shot 7 of 10 from the sector and 4 of 7 behind the arc, including 3 steals and a pair of assists and rebounds. But the Sooners dominated the glass and restricted the remaining of the Razorbacks to take a 39-37 lead into the break.
“Darius is the real deal,” Moser mentioned in his halftime interview, hardly in a position to include a smile. “He’s just so fast and it’s hard to deny him the ball. We have to do a better job on Acuff and make him work a little harder.”
The often stoic freshman was visibly feeling himself after nailing a three within the last seconds to get the Hogs inside one possession. Acuff chest-bumped Nick Pringle earlier than skipping into the locker room with a smirk on his face.
Arkansas vs Oklahoma Game Recap
Scroll beneath for the highlights, lowlights and different key performs from Arkansas’ conflict with Oklahoma.
15:44 1H – Arkansas 10, Oklahoma 11
The Razorbacks received off to a perfect begin with a three from Darius Acuff Jr. adopted by an OU turnover and a layup from Trevon Brazile. The freshman additionally buried a mid-range jumper and a fastbreak dunk to cap off a sizzling begin. Nijel Pack’s lengthy, contested two-pointer gave the Sooners a slender lead on the first break in play.
11:15 1H – Arkansas 16, Oklahoma 15
Billy Richmond III was on the unlucky receiving finish of a highly effective poster dunk by Tae Davis. Acuff’s coast-to-coast layup a few moments later nudged the Hogs again in entrance.
6:27 1H – Arkansas 24, Oklahoma 27
Nick Pringle discovered Acuff for an additional three, and the freshman returned the favor with a candy lob to the large man. Acuff buried a warmth examine, size-up three on the left wing that despatched the Arkansas half of the stadium into a frenzy, however Pack answered it with a triple of his personal on the opposite finish.
3:55 1H – Arkansas 27, Oklahoma 32
A 3-point play from Derrion Reid pushed the Sooners’ lead up to six factors earlier than a Richmond layup received the Hogs again on the board. The two groups traded a quantity of defensive stops heading into the ultimate half timeout of the primary half.
HALFTIME – Arkansas 37, Oklahoma 39
The Sooners led by as many as eight factors, however the Razorbacks had been in a position to minimize the deficit down to one possession thanks to consecutive threes by DJ Wagner and Acuff to shut out the half.
Oklahoma is dominating the boards with a 22-14 benefit — with the identical margin on factors within the paint. Acuff had a game-high 21 factors with 2 assists and three steals, however the supporting solid shot simply 6 of 27 from the sector.
15:40 2H – Arkansas 44, Oklahoma 46
Neither group scored within the first two minutes of an unpleasant sequence to begin the half. Meleek Thomas finally broke the ice and received Arkansas on the board with a three — his first factors of the sport. Pringle adopted that up with a thunderous putback jam to put the Hogs again in entrance, however Reid responded with a dunk and a triple of his personal.
12:29 2H – Arkansas 54, Oklahoma 50
A powerful block from Richmond was sandwiched between artful finishes by Acuff and Brazile as Arkansas tied the sport again up. The freshman then knocked down one other powerful mid-range bucket, and Brazile put again his personal missed layup for a dunk. The Hogs emerged out to a four-point lead, prompting a timeout from Moser.
7:46 2H – Arkansas 61, Oklahoma 63
Reid’s three-point play and Pack’s nook triple propelled the Sooners again in entrance within the seesaw battle. Ewin grabbed a ferocious rebound and sprinted down the ground for a fast layup on the opposite finish to tie the sport proper again up.
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