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Live Blog: Arkansas vs. Maryland Eastern Shore

Razorbacks have one final tune-up until schedule takes huge leap

Kent Smith

Boogie Fland (2) leads the huddle with Adou Thiero (3), Johnell Davis (1), DJ Wagner (21), Trevon Brazile (4) against the Troy Trojans. The Razorbacks won 65-49.
Boogie Fland (2) leads the huddle with Adou Thiero (3), Johnell Davis (1), DJ Wagner (21), Trevon Brazile (4) against the Troy Trojans. The Razorbacks won 65-49. / Nilsen Roman - Hogs on SI Images
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas Razorbacks get one last chance to run short-handed and still have a legitimate chance to hold up before the schedule gets too tough to continue playing with such a small line-up because of injuries.

The biggest storyline tonight will be whether Trevon Brazile comes back from injury. It was reported last week that he wants to get minutes in before the Illinois game on Thanksgiving.

That may not be entirely up to him as Calipari might think its in the team's best interest to keep him rested and safe from injury for a few more days to make sure he at least makes it to Kansas City fully upright. Speaking of the Illini, Illinois beat Maryland Eastern Shore by 37 last weekend.

The Hawks will leave Fayetteville to face the Hogs' last opponent, Little Rock, on Wednesday in a quick sweep through the state.

Starting line-up

1ST HALF

Nothing unique about the starting line-up tonight. Light crowd as expected. Students have had to go home for Thanksgiving and while children are out of school in a lot of places, parents still have to work. Games like this might be a good opportunity to honor teachers by giving unused tickets to fill up the stands.

Boogie Fland gets things going right away with a short jumper. Then the Hogs get the ball inside to Ivisic for an easy lay-up and that's going to be unlimited points tonight if Arkansas wants to do that because the size difference is just too much. Hogs up 4-0.

Johnell Davis knocks down a three from the corner and that's something Arkansas has really needed. Davis hasn't been his usual self. If he starts shooting like he did at FAU, the Hogs are going to win a lot of games. For the second game in a row, the Razorbacks are out to a 7-0 lead.

Arkansas finally goes to Thiero following a turnover and his move through the lane is just unfair. The size and speed is unmatched tonight. He's such a strong player. The Hawks break the scoreless drought with a three, but Ivisic runs down the floor and knocks down back-to-back threes just to make sure Maryland Eastern Shore knows it's going to be a long night. Hogs up 15-3 as the games comes to a break with 15 minutes left in the half.

And there's an official Trevon Brazile sighting as he walks out onto the floor for the first time in a while. Ivisic currently leads all scorers with eight points as the Hogs run the lead out to 21-8 with just under 12 minutes left in the half.

Tremendous ball movement by Arkansas, pass after pass, leads to a miss, but the Hogs get the rebound that swings out to Davis in that same corner again and he barely moves the net knocking down another three. This could be the big confidence builder he needs heading into that Illinois game. If Davis breaks 20 tonight, expect that line to move by Thanksgiving Day.

So, in watching Brazile, he's looked a little slow and lacking chemistry because he hasn't been able to get much work with the team. However, Fland throw a touch pass from the Hog's back to Brazile who goes up high for the ally-oop to get the fans out of their seats. Arkansas now up 34-8 with over seven minutes left.

Fland with back-to-back-to-back steals and Arkansas is in the midst of a 24-0 run. Now Wagner with a steal and a dunk and it's now 45-8 as this is getting ugly. Ivisic then fakes a three and dribbles past everyone for a running dunk and the Hogs are a breath away from being up 40 in the first half.

The Hogs use a 31-2 run to officially go up by 40. It will be interesting to see if some of the walk-ons Calipari loves to talk about will get a chance to come in for much of the second half. Even Billy Richmond is on the court with an alpha male attitude in how he's playing.

Arkansas is one point away from having four players in double digits with 2:30 left in the first half. Davis, Ivisic and Knox each have 10 and Thiero has 9 as the Hogs are ahead 53-12. The Razorbacks have forced 11 turnovers that they have converted into 19 points.

Davis loads up and buries another three. He is now 4-of-5 from the field and 3-of-4 from three. This is who Calipari knew he was landing in the transfer guard.

Arkansas finishes one of the most perfect halves in Razorbacks history. He Hogs had two turnovers and three fouls while going into the half up 60-15. For those doing the math, this is on pace for a 90-point win.

Halftime box score: Arkansas vs. Maryland Eastern Shore.
Halftime box score: Arkansas vs. Maryland Eastern Shore. / Statbroadcast.com

2ND HALF

Killer instinct was a concern coming out of the break as Arkansas looks to protect the largest halftime lead in school history. That's not a worry though as Fland fights for the rebound and Thiero goes coast-to-coast.

In a show of mercy, Arkansas doesn't put anyone on the blocks during a free throw. The energy has left the building, but th eRazorbacks are still running and playing strong defense.

Boogie Fland hits back-to-back threes in what sounds a bit like a college library to make it 74-17 with 15 minutes left. Make it three in a row and the Hogs are now up bby 60. Arkansas is shooting 9-of-18 from deep. A block by Brazile holds the Hawks scoreless for five minutes now.

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Boogie Fland shoots in the first half against the Maryland Eastern Shore.
Arkansas Razorbacks guard Boogie Fland (2) shoots in the first half against the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks at Bud Walton Arena. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

If Billy Richmond can score two more points, only Brazile and Wagner will not be in double figures. And with just under 11 minutes to play, Richmond blows past a defender for the lay-up and those in single digits are becoming a lonely group. Davis hit another three as the Hogs lead 89-22 as we near the 10 minute mark.

Arkansas hasn't dominated a game like this since 2004 against Prairie View A&M. Wagner with a three and he's three points from leaving Brazile behind as the only player in single digits. The lead is now 70 points at 94-24 with no walk-ons coming in. Well, there's a three from Wagner so Brazile, who has played only two fewer minutes than any other Razorback, is the last to not be in double digits.

Another three from Wagner and he's now 8-of-16 from three over the past three games as he puts Arkansas over teh century mark. Hogs lead it 100-26 and you have to wonder if Calipari will decide the risk of injury right before a big game is worth it.

Freshman Casmir Chavis comes into the game and immediately turns it over trying to dump the ball off to Ivisic. The Hawks went on a mini-run to cut it to 70, but Ivisic knocks down a deep three and here come the reserves with two minutes left.

Melo Sanchez, Ayden Kelly and Kareem Watkins will now come in. Kelly is 5-foot-10 and Watkins is a Kentucky transfer at 5-foot-8.

Chavis bounces off a defender and gets his shot up to make it 109-35 to equal Brazile in total points. That will close out the scoring tonight as the Hogs now look ahead to a showdown with Illinois.

Arkansas vs. Maryland Eastern Shore final box score.
Arkansas vs. Maryland Eastern Shore final box score. / Statbroadcast.com

HOGS FEED:

• There's one caveat being ignored in revenue sharing discussion

• Saturday's game has to finally be as personal for Pittman as it is for Drinkwitz

• SEC Shorts: 4th & 25 may have been replaced at Ole Miss; Georgia doesn't want SEC title

• 4th&5: Good, bad, ugly of win over Louisiana Tech

• Razorbacks Set to Finish Phase One With Much Still to Prove

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Kent Smith
KENT SMITH

Kent Smith has been in the world of media and film for nearly 30 years. From Nolan Richardson's final seasons, former Razorback quarterback Clint Stoerner trying to throw to anyone and anything in the blazing heat of Cowboys training camp in Wichita Falls, the first high school and college games after 9/11, to Troy Aikman's retirement and Alex Rodriguez's signing of his quarter billion dollar contract, Smith has been there to report on some of the region's biggest moments. 

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