8-seed Arkansas upsets 1-seed Kansas to succeed in Candy 16

DES MOINES, Iowa – For the third straight season, the Razorbacks are headed again to the Candy 16 with a 72-71 win over top-seeded Kansas on Saturday afternoon at Wells Fargo Area.

It additionally marked the third straight 12 months Arkansas confronted a #1 seed and the Razorbacks are 2-1 in such video games – falling to Baylor within the 2021 Elite 8, defeating total #1 seed Gonzaga within the 2022 Candy 16 and defeating Kansas Saturday within the second spherical.

Devo Davis was spectacular within the second half and Ricky Council IV was clutch down the stretch. Davis poured in 25 factors, together with 21 within the second half, to assist erase a 12-point deficit within the second half. After Davis fouled out late, Council sealed the victory by scoring 11 of the Hogs’ last 15 factors, together with the ultimate 5 from the road.

A Jordan Walsh 3-pointer with just below 9 minutes remaining capped an 11-0 run and put Arkansas in entrance for the primary time since scoring the sport’s first factors. The run arrange a back-and-forth last stretch.

Davis’ 25 led all scorers and was one shy of his career-best. His excellent second half noticed him go 7-for-9 from the ground and 6-of-7 from the free throw line. Davis’ seven subject targets had been half of the Hogs’ 14 within the second half. Council scored 11 of his 21 factors within the second half. Kamani Johnson was key late with a putback to present Arkansas the result in associate with 10 rebounds – his most as a Razorback.

Walsh added 10 factors and three rebounds off the bench. He was maybe the crew’s MVP within the two video games as he was +34 within the video games mixed, video games Arkansas mixed to win by 11 factors.

Up Subsequent

Arkansas advances to this system’s 14th Candy 16 and can tackle the winner of UConn/St. Mary’s at T-Cellular Area in Las Vegas subsequent week.

GAME NOTES

• Arkansas was down eight at halftime. Coming into the sport, the Kansas Jayhawks had been 47-0 all time within the NCAA Event when main by a minimum of 8 factors at halftime.
• Arkansas’ beginning lineup was Anthony Black – Nick Smith Jr. – Davonte Davis – Ricky Council IV – Kamani Johnson for the third time. Arkansas used that lineup within the SEC Event win over Auburn and within the NCAA opening-round win over Illinois. Arkansas gained the tip.
• Arkansas has gained 5 of the final seven versus Kansas, however the Jayhawks personal an 8-6 benefit within the all-time sequence.
• Arkansas is 1-1 versus Kansas within the NCAA Event.
• Arkansas is 12-10 in NCAA second spherical video games and has gained three straight.
• Arkansas is 50-34 all-time within the NCAA Event.
• Eric Musselman has led his groups two three straight Candy 16’s and in 4 of the final 5 NCAA Tournaments held. He’s 8-2 as head coach at Arkansas within the NCAA Event, 10-5 total within the NCAA Event and 25-12 in all postseason video games (convention tourneys, CBI and NCAA).
• Arkansas gained regardless of trailing on the half, with 5 minutes left and with two minutes left. The Hogs are 5-6 this 12 months when trailing on the half, 3-9 when trailing with 5:00 left and 2-11 when trailing with 2:00 left.
• Devo Davis has scored double-digit factors in seven of his 10 NCAA Event video games. The 25 factors had been his greatest effort in an NCAA recreation.
• With wins over Gonzaga final 12 months and Kansas this 12 months, Arkansas is 2-9 within the NCAA Event versus #1 seeds.
• That is simply the second time Arkansas has superior to a Candy 16 when being seeded decrease than fifth. Arkansas additionally superior to the Candy 16 in 1996 because the #12 seed earlier than shedding to top-seed UMass.
• This was the primary win over an AP #4 crew because the Razorbacks defeated Tennessee within the 2008 SEC Event. Arkansas is 6-13 all-time versus AP #4 and 3-3 in neutral-site video games.
• Makhi Mitchell has been spectacular within the postseason. He’s 18-of-22 from the sector with 21 rebounds.
• Council IV has made 165 free throws this season to tie Todd Day for eighth on the Razorback single-season checklist.
• With 37:13 minutes performed, Black set this system report for many minutes by a Razorback freshman with 1,216. (The earlier mark was 1203 by Patrick Beverley in 2006-07.) He additionally holds the report for many steals by a Razorback freshman with 69. With 179 free throws made, he’s solely 5 shy of the Razorback freshman report of 186.