FAYETTEVILLE – Trevon Brazile scored a career-high 23 points and the Razorbacks out-out-scored San Jose State 59-23 in the second half to lead #11 Arkansas to a 99-58 victory over the Spartans Saturday afternoon at Bud Walton Arena.
Ricky Council IV added 17 points and Nick Smith Jr., who got his first career start and saw his most extensive since missing the first six games with an injury, scored 16 points with five assists.
Despite 12 lead changes, Arkansas controlled most of the first half, but only led by five at the break. The Razorbacks, up three (44-41) at the 17:27 mark in the second half, reeled off a 15-2 run to take 16-point lead and never looked back.
Arkansas shot a blistering 75.9 percent (22-of-29) from the field, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range, while holding the Spartans to just 9-of-26 (34.6%) overall and 2-of-11 (18.2%) from deep. Brazile scored 14 of his 23 in the second half and Council score 10 of his 17 in the period. The biggest boost in the second half came from Jalen Graham who scored 11 points with six rebounds in 11:39 played – all in the final 20 minutes.
San Jose State was led by Omari Moore with 21 points, but he only scored five second-half points. Sage Tolbert finished with a double-double (12 points and 11 rebounds).
Arkansas concludes the current three-game homestand on Tuesday (Dec. 6) versus UNC Greensboro. Tipoff at Bud Walton Arena is set for 6 pm and the game will be televised on SEC Network.
FIRST HALF: Arkansas: 40 – San Jose State: 35
• The first half featured 12 lead changes, but Arkansas did lead 12:34 compared to San Jose State leading just 3:01.
• Arkansas used a 9-0 run to take a 38-31 late in the first half.
• San Jose scored the next four points before Ricky Council IV his two free throws with 0.4 seconds left before the break to provide the 40-35 score at the break.
• Nick Smith Jr., led Arkansas with 11 points and four assists while Trevon Brazile had nine points and four rebounds.
• San Jose State was led by Omari Moore’s 16 points while Sage Tolbert grabbed eight rebounds.
• Both teams shot the ball well as San Jose State was 14-31 (45.2%) from the field and Arkansas was 15-of-30 (50%).
• Arkansas had 10 assists on its 15 made field goals.
SECOND HALF: Arkansas: 59 – San Jose State: 23
• Arkansas only led by three (44-41) at the 17:27 mark of the second half.
• The +36 scoring margin in the second half ties for the ninth-biggest point differential in a half since 1945. (It ties for the sixth-largest in the second half alone.)
• Arkansas only missed seven field goals in the second half (22-of-29) and no player missed more than one shot from the field.