Arkansas runs out of gas late in 90-76 loss after chasing Georgia

ATHENS, Ga. — Arkansas spent most of Saturday trying to catch Georgia, and by the time the Razorbacks finally did, the finish line felt a little too far away.

The Hogs fought back from early deficits, erased mistakes and briefly pulled even late in the second half. But the energy it took to climb back left Arkansas without enough to close, leading to a 90-76 loss at Stegeman Coliseum.

For John Calipari, the game came down to how Arkansas played when it mattered most — and how much effort it took just to stay even.

“Give them credit, but we’re not that kind of team,” Calipari said. “That means you’re trying to get your own before you try to pass, and so you get too deep. You get in trouble.”

Arkansas didn’t look like itself early. The Razorbacks, who entered the game among the SEC’s better teams at protecting the ball, struggled to handle Georgia’s pressure. Turnovers piled up quickly, and Georgia turned those mistakes into points that forced Arkansas into chase mode almost immediately.

The Hogs fell behind 15-3 in the opening minutes, digging a hole that shaped the rest of the afternoon. Every possession became a fight. Every stop felt necessary just to stay within reach.

Calipari said Georgia’s decision to press changed the game’s tone.

“They pressed, and we were struggling to get it in, struggling to get it up the court,” he said. “Then all of a sudden we were on our heels and they were being the aggressor. And that’s who we wanted to be today.”

Darius Acuff Jr. felt the pressure firsthand. The freshman guard finished with four turnovers, part of a team-wide struggle that saw every Arkansas player commit at least one.

Acuff said the Razorbacks didn’t settle into their usual rhythm.

“We were trying to make plays that weren’t there,” Acuff said. “When you’re playing catch-up, you start forcing stuff instead of letting it come.”

Arkansas eventually settled down. The Razorbacks tightened defensively in the second half, forced stops and began chipping away at the deficit. The effort paid off when Arkansas tied the game at 70 with just over six minutes remaining.

At that moment, it looked like the chase might finally be complete.

Instead, Georgia responded with a decisive burst, and Arkansas didn’t have enough left to answer. A turnover led to a three-pointer. Another empty possession turned into another Georgia basket. The Bulldogs closed the game with a 20-6 run, turning Arkansas’ fatigue into separation.

Calipari said the late stretch showed how thin the margin was.

“I put in a group that played well together and they all competed,” he said. “They were all fighting like crazy, and then you just ride them.”

But riding that group meant the Razorbacks had little left when Georgia pushed back. Arkansas had already spent much of the afternoon expending energy to erase mistakes made earlier.

Missed chances around the rim added to the problem. Arkansas missed 15 layups, repeatedly challenging Georgia center Somto Cyril, who finished with a career-high seven blocks.

“We were doing some things to try to bring him out and get to the rim without him there,” Calipari said. “But I can remember three of them, like, ‘why did you shoot that?’”

Acuff said those missed opportunities were costly, especially in a game where Arkansas had to work so hard to get back even.

“Those are momentum plays,” he said. “When you miss those, it makes everything else harder.”

The Razorbacks’ comeback was real, but so was the toll it took. Arkansas had to defend longer possessions, fight through pressure and generate offense without easy looks. By the time the game reached its final minutes, the Hogs were reacting instead of dictating.

Calipari said the lesson was clear.

“There are times when you pass the ball just to pass it,” he said. “Pass, pass, and now the court’s spaced so you can make plays. We didn’t.”

Arkansas left Athens knowing the effort was there, but the execution came too late.

The Razorbacks will return home Tuesday to face Vanderbilt, hoping to flip the script and spend the next game playing from control rather than constant pursuit.