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Calipari Era Opener Finishes with Poetic Win For Hogs

Zvonimir Ivisic, first player to join Cal at Arkansas, seals win

Daniel Shi

Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari during the first half against the Lipscomb Bisons at Bud Walton Arena.
Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari during the first half against the Lipscomb Bisons at Bud Walton Arena. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The wait was long, but the John Calipari era finally got underway Wednesday. No. 16 Arkansas staved off a second-half comeback attempt from the Lipscomb Bisons, winning 76-60.

"We did some good stuff," Calipari said. "It was a good first win against a team that’s going to win a lot of games. We held them to 30-whatever percent, 33 from three. Except we shot 15 percent, and we’re supposed to be a good three-point shooting team."

It's the Razorbacks, so it was never going to be easy. After surviving the initial surge from Lipscomb, the Hogs used scrappy defense to slowly build a 15 point lead in the second half.

Lipscomb, which played Arkansas to a one possession game last year after battling back from a 20-point deficit, slowly chipped away at the lead. The Bisons went on a 11-0 run thanks to a three and a pair of lay-ups, to cut the lead to 60-56 with 7:47 left.

It was only fitting that in Calipari's first game that the first player added to the roster when he arrived, Zvonimir Ivisic, drained a critical three from the wing to stem the tide. Hog fans could breathe easy.

"That’s what we want Z to do," Davis said. "Dominate in the post and just be the dawg that he is." 

There would be no nightmare to start the new era. Ivisic was one of three players in double-figures for the Hogs.

Boogie Fland led the Hogs with 17 and Johnell Davis added 15 as strong defense led to a scoring flurry to put the game away late.

The fans waited 211 days since the official hiring of John Calipari, yet the energy in the arena felt rather subdued. The arena was barely half-full and other than the student section, Bud Walton Arena and the Slobbering Hog felt flat.

For the first 10 minutes, the Razorbacks' play mirrored the energy of the crowd. The teams combined for nine early turnovers and the first three-pointer by either team came from Lipscomb's Joe Anderson with 10:01 left in the first half to give the Bisons a 17-12 lead.

Arkansas was unable to make a three on its first nine attempts and struggled to gain separation on the scoreboard, but was able to score 14 points off 11 Lipscomb turnovers in the first half to supply the offense.

Freshman forward Karter Knox provided a quick five-point burst with a three and a vicious dunk to bring the crowd to life and give the Hogs their largest lead at the end of the first half, 39-28.

Despite Lipscomb's Jacob Ognacevic leading the Bisons with 16 points, it wasn't enough for the visitors to pull off the upset. However, Calipari knows there is plenty to work on before the Razorbacks head to Dallas for a showdown of ranked against Baylor.

Arkansas and Baylor will tip off from American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas 6:30 p.m. Nov. 9. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU.

HOGS FEED:

• Why pressure on Razorbacks' Basketball at all-time high

• Sam Pittman provides key injury updates ahead of Texas game

• Hogs paired With surprising team in ESPN bracketology

• Lipscomb forward type of player who makes Calipari uneasy

• Hogs have strong belief in Fland at point guard

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Daniel Shi
DANIEL SHI

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