FAYETTEVILLE -- After nearly two weeks, the Arkansas Razorbacks got that winning feeling again.
The Razorbacks beat Dayton 69-55 Saturday at Walton Arena before an announced crowd of 9,270. It was Arkansas' first victory since beating Iona 94-77 on Nov. 30 and came after road losses at Iowa State and Clemson last week.
Game sketch
RECORDS Arkansas 7-2. Dayton 7-2
STARS Arkansas sophomore forward Bobby Portis (18 points, 9 rebounds) and junior guard Jabril Durham (9 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds). Dayton senior guard Jordan Sibert (18 points).
TURNING POINT The Razorbacks outscored the Flyers 19-5 over an 9:15 span to take a 30-14 lead with 4:48 left in the first half.
KEY STAT Arkansas made 16 of 21 free throws compared to 8 of 14 by the Flyers, who came into the game averaging 12 more attempts than their opponents.
UP NEXT Arkansas plays Southeast Missouri State at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock.
Arkansas, which hadn't been ranked in seven years, spent a restless week on the practice floor after falling out the national polls.
"Last week was a tough week for us and for our fans, just because we were ranked and I feel as if everyone was on a high," Arkansas sophomore forward Bobby Portis said. "Our team got knocked down, but as you can see today, everyone got back up."
Portis led the Razorbacks with 18 points, 9 rebounds and 2 steals in 28 minutes. He scored 14 points in the first half when Arkansas took a 40-23 lead.
"Great player, great player," said Dayton senior guard Jordan Sibert, who scored 18 points. "He really helped his team out any way he could, whether it was close to the basket or out on the wing. He definitely lifted his team up today."
Portis hit 9 of 13 shots with several baskets on long jumpers as well as layups and a dunk. On one basket he split two defenders on a bank shot.
"He was terrific," Dayton Coach Archie Miller said. "With the way they run their motion, it's very difficult for front-court players to deal with him when he's making jump shots."
Arkansas took control by outscoring the Flyers 19-5 over a 9:15 span to move ahead 30-14 with 4:48 left in the first half.
The Razorbacks' run began and ended with three-point baskets from junior guards Jabril Durham and Anthlon Bell and Dayton had 7 of its 15 turnovers in that span while shooting 2 of 9 from the field.
"We came out here ready to prove something on the defensive side first," Durham said. "That's why we held them to 23 points the first half. That's what we were preaching the whole week. It was good to come out here and finally do it today."
Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said the Razorbacks did a good job of pushing the ball in transition when they got turnovers or rebounds, which had been stressed in practice.
"The adversity took place on the road, and so then you'll find out a little bit more about your basketball team," Anderson said. "We took our practice to the game.
"We're learning lessons. We're a work in progress and we'll get better at it, but I think they know that if everybody is doing their part, we've got chance to have a special, special, special team."
The Razorbacks shot 57.7 percent from the field in the first half and had 12 assists on their 15 baskets while holding the Flyers (7-2) to 37.5 percent shooting and forcing 10 turnovers.
"The first half was one you wanted to bottle up and continue to have," Anderson said. "Defensively we were really engaged. We were in the passing lanes and in position to help and fix some things, taking charges and rebounding the ball.
"More importantly, I thought we were on the attack offensively. We pushed the basketball and got into our offense a little bit easier."
Sibert said the Flyers were pressured into playing Arkansas' tempo in the first half.
"We weren't able to execute," he said. " Just a lot of credit to them."
Arkansas shot 49 percent for the game after Dayton had been holding opponents to 37 percent. The Razorbacks finished with 16 assists on 24 baskets.
"That's one of the best passing and movement teams I've seen in a long time, just in terms of the speed that the ball moves and the player moves," Miller said. "A very difficult cover."
Durham hit a three-pointer to open the second half and give the Razorbacks their largest lead, 43-23. The Flyers couldn't draw closer than 11 points the rest of the game.
Arkansas, which blew a six-point lead in the final minute of regulation at Clemson and lost 68-65 in overtime, held off Dayton by hitting 8 of 8 free throws in the final 2:28 with senior guard Ky Madden 6 of 6 and junior guard Michael Qualls 2 of 2.
Madden scored 9 points, Durham 9 and Qualls and junior forward Jacorey Williams 6 each.
"They've got a good team," Miller said. "They're going to have a heck of a season."
Portis said he and his teammates endured a tough week of practice after the Clemson loss.
"I had six days to think about that last loss," he said. "That's something that I wanted to get off my chest."
Sports on 12/14/2014