In the Lane

Bulldogs bitten by a 'beast'

Arkansas forward Moses Kingsley (center) moves to the basket as Georgia forwards Derek Ogbeide (left) and E'Torrion Wilridge (13) defend Saturday, March 4, 2017, during the second half of play in Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.
Arkansas forward Moses Kingsley (center) moves to the basket as Georgia forwards Derek Ogbeide (left) and E'Torrion Wilridge (13) defend Saturday, March 4, 2017, during the second half of play in Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Moses Kingsley led the Arkansas Razorbacks in field goal attempts for just the second time in the past 12 games, as the 6-10 center went 6 of 11 for 15 points against Georgia as the Hogs won 85-67 at Walton Arena.

The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville made a concerted effort to ram the ball into the paint against Georgia's thin front line that was missing forward Yante Maten.

"We're better when we go into Mo because he gets everybody else going," Arkansas guard Manny Watkins said. "That was the plan, get it into Mo, because there's not a person in the SEC that I think can guard him. When you have that luxury, you get it and you use it."

Kingsley shot 3 of 6 in the first half and 3 of 5 in the second half.

"Moses was just really aggressive in the second half, and we were getting it into him, and once I see him get in the middle of the lane on that jump hop, I just know it is going in," guard Dusty Hannahs said. "He's too strong down there, especially tonight.

"That was the emphasis at halftime. We call it feed the beast because Moses is a beast."

Georgia iced

The Razorbacks cooled off a hot Georgia team to break their two-game senior day losing streak.

The Bulldogs had won five of their past six games entering the regular-season finale, despite losing center Yante Maten with a knee injury during the lone loss, an 82-77 setback against No. 13 Kentucky on Feb. 18.

"We've just been kind of patching our team together the last two weeks and found ways to win," Georgia Coach Mark Fox said. "Arkansas is a very good club. We could not find a lineup that could both score and get stops."

Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson credited seniors Dusty Hannahs, Moses Kingsley and Manny Watkins with leading the Razorbacks in a dominating second half.

"They came out in their last game and played against a Georgia team that was playing really good basketball, and is still playing really good basketball," Anderson said.

Fan favorite

The revved-up crowd at Walton Arena gave one of its loudest cheers to a defensive stop that turned into a fast-break layup midway through the second half.

The sequence started with Georgia's Derek Ogbeide powering in for a would-be dunk, which Arkansas' Trey Thompson swatted away. Ogbeide wound up with the loose ball in the post, but a couple of Razorbacks began clawing at the ball until it came free. Manny Watkins helped pry it loose, and it dribbled back to Anton Beard, who picked up the ball and began a break.

Beard was confronted by Georgia's Tyree Crump, but the Hogs guard avoided him with a full-speed spin move, accelerated in the open floor and made a reverse layup around E'Torrion Wilridge's block attempt.

Fab Frazier

Georgia guard J.J. Frazier led his team in scoring for the 13th time this season with 24 points, including 13 of 13 from the free-throw line. Frazier has led the Bulldogs in scoring in all five games since Yante Maten went out with a knee injury, although his total against the Hogs was his lowest in those five games.

The 5-10 guard, who is the reigning SEC and national player of the week, is averaging 29.6 points per game since Maten's injury.

Beard breakout?

Arkansas guard Anton Beard showed signs of breaking out of an extended shooting slump with six second-half points.

Beard shot 0 for 3 in the first half, including a bad miss on a three-point shot. The North Little Rock product rebounded in the second half, hitting 3 of 4 shots and finishing with 4 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 assist to go along with his 6 points.

Beard had been 7 of 32 from the floor in the previous seven games, including 0 for 7 in the past two games at Auburn and at Florida.

Collyar redux

Arkansas graduate Michael Collyar, who won $10,000 in a halftime shootout contest at Walton Arena 15 years ago, could not duplicate the feat at halftime Saturday.

Collyar made his first shots on a layup and a free throw, hit his second three-point try and had six attempts at a half-court shot. Five of the half-court shots hit the rim but none went in.

Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long, who came up with the idea of letting Collyar try the halftime shootout again, committed a $10,000 donation anyway, half to the Razorback Foundation and half to the Northwest Arkansas Children's Hospital.

Collyar made all four of his shots in the original shootout in 2002.

Walton work

The Razorbacks finished with a 15-3 record at Walton Arena with Saturday's victory.

Arkansas went 6-3 in SEC home games and 6-3 in SEC road games.

Tip-ins

• Arkansas increased its lead to 21-15 in the series against Georgia, including a 10-3 mark in Fayetteville.

• Former Razorback tailback Alex Collins was in attendance.

• Georgia converted 20 consecutive free throws after Derek Ogbeide missed the Bulldogs' first attempt of the day. The streak ended on a miss by Mike Edwards. The Bulldogs finished 26 of 28 from the line.

• Arkansas walk-on Jonathan Holmes scored his first basket as a collegian on a tough drive and jumper down the right side of the key in the final minute. He had been 0 for 4.

• Twin brothers Jarvis and Jonas Hayes, who lettered for Georgia from 2001-2004, are now on the SEC Network and a member of the Bulldogs' coaching staff, respectively.

Sports on 03/05/2017

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