Razorbacks' Best Offensive Game Not Enough at Kentucky

Hogs stay with Wildcats for much of game, but can't overcome Wildcats' being so strong

LEXINGTON, KY. — Arkansas didn't play bad, but No. 16 Kentucky played better. Khalif Battle scored over 30 again for the Razorbacks and got help from a big day by Tramon Mark, but they were simply overwhelmed at the end of both halves as the Wildcats took a 111-102 win at Rupp Arena.

The Razorbacks were in it, but nobody could score consistently in the final three minutes. It looked like the Hogs simply ran out of gas and now they are in serious jeopardy of having to play Wednesday at the SEC Tournament in a couple of weeks.

Battle finished with 34 points to lead everybody on the court by a wide margin. Mark had 23, Jeremiah Davenport 14 and Makhi Mitchell 13. They also had two players foul out. There were no complaints this game about effort and concentration.

"It was our best offensive game by far," Eric Musselman said. "It was a good game overall. They are just a team that could win a national championship and we were in their building."

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Khalif Battle (0) attempts a layup during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center :: Jordan Prather / USA TODAY Sports

It may have been about as good as the Hogs could have expected in the first half. In a back-and-forth battle for 17 minutes, the Razorbacks started to fade in the last three minutes of the half and trailed, 53-48. Nobody knew it was a preview of what was to come later.

The Razorbacks came into the game with low expectations and a huge double-digit underdog against the Wildcats. For a team that Musselman has struggled all year to find consistency with effort and performance, everything clicked. Kentucky's talent started coming through late in both halves, though.

The Wildcats' Aaron Bradshaw scored 7 in a 13-6 run by the Wildcats to close out the half and open a lead that was as high as 8 before getting cut on a late 3-pointer by Jeremiah Davenport.

Arkansas Razorbacks forward Chandler Lawson (8) and Kentucky Wildcats guard Rob Dillingham (0) dive for a loose ball during the first half at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center :: Jordan Prather / USA TODAY Sports

Arkansas was led in the first half by Tramon Mark (15) and Khalif Battle (13) that was, at times, out-playing Kentucky. The Razorbacks' biggest lead in the half was 42-40 with 3:06 to go. That's when the Wildcats suddenly kicked things into a second gear and went on a run to close out the half with the lead.

In the second half, the Hogs led by 9 with 8:42 to play then Kentucky started to kick things into gear again. The Wildcats had taken control of the game late in the second half to keep the Razorbacks from mounting any sort of comeback.

The Razorbacks came into the game needing a win of any type to keep hopes alive for any postseason possibility barring a miraculous SEC Tournament, which hasn't been done since 2000. That would get them into the NCAA Tournament, but it's hard to find anybody making any plans based on that.

Next on the schedule will be the home finale against LSU on Wednesday night at 6 p.m. on the SEC Network and fubotv. They will finish the regular season at Alabama next Saturday in an 11 a.m. game.

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• Hagen Smith follows historic outing with another impressive performance despite early blemish

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