The Arkansas Razorbacks overcame an early deficit and used a strong second-half surge to defeat the Gonzaga Bulldogs 76-72 in an exhibition game Saturday afternoon at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.
Freshman Davion Thompson delivered a crucial step-back three-pointer from the top of the key with just over a minute remaining to extend Arkansas’s lead to five points at 73-68. Four seconds from the final buzzer, freshman Billy Richmond III went 1-of-2 at the free throw line to seal the victory.
The Razorbacks, ranked 12th and 13th in the latest national polls, utilized a dominant nine-minute stretch bridging the first and second halves to take control of the game. Arkansas closed the first half with a 9-0 run and started the second with another 9-0 surge, turning a 10-point deficit into an 11-point lead. During that stretch, the Razorbacks outscored 15th-ranked Gonzaga 24-3, changing the scoreboard from 36-26 in favor of the Bulldogs to 50-39 in favor of Arkansas with 14:21 to play.
The Bulldogs, however, refused to go quietly. Gonzaga trimmed the lead to three points at 52-49 midway through the second half. Arkansas freshman JJ Andrews and Richmond responded by hitting consecutive three-pointers to create breathing room. Arkansas extended its lead to 66-55 with under seven minutes to play, but Gonzaga responded with an 11-2 run to cut the Razorbacks’ lead to 68-66 with less than three minutes on the clock.
With the pressure mounting, Arkansas fought to maintain control. Miikka Muurinen’s layup gave the Razorbacks a four-point cushion before Gonzaga’s Braden Huff responded with a basket to bring the deficit back to two. Both teams struggled offensively for over a minute until Thompson’s decisive three-pointer put Arkansas firmly in the driver’s seat.
Richmond led the Razorbacks with 17 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Thompson contributed 12 points, while Andrews and Muurinen added 10 points each. Andrews also grabbed nine rebounds, narrowly missing a double-double. Cooper Bowser finished with nine points and 10 rebounds, also just shy of that milestone.
Gonzaga’s effort was led by Braden Huff, who recorded a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
The Razorbacks will return to action on Wednesday when they host the Memphis Tigers in their second exhibition game at Bud Walton Arena. The game is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on SEC Network+.