Arkansas basketball’s roller-coaster season took another sharp dip Saturday night in Athens, as the No. 17 Razorbacks fell to No. 21 Georgia, 90–76. The loss only further highlighted the maddening inconsistency that has defined this team under John Calipari, a group capable of impressive highs, yet equally vulnerable to head-scratching lows.
Calipari has mentioned it before, and Saturday was another example: when Arkansas is good, it looks really good. When it’s not, it barely resembles the same team.
Arkansas' Slow Start Dooms Them Against Bulldogs
The Razorbacks (13-5, 3-2 SEC) dug themselves into a hole almost immediately, trailing by double digits before scoring their first point. A lethargic start doomed Arkansas for the second straight road game in SEC play, following last weekend’s 22-point loss at Auburn. While the Hogs showed some late fight, the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
After falling behind early, Arkansas spent the rest of the night playing catch-up. A late push trimmed the margin, but the comeback never truly threatened Georgia, which controlled the game for the most part from start to finish.
Darius Acuff led Arkansas with 20 points while stuffing the stat sheet with six rebounds and six assists. Billy Richmond III and Malique Ewin added 12 points apiece. Still, the Razorbacks were outclassed in key areas, most notably from beyond the arc.
Georgia knocked down 12 of 33 three-point attempts, while Arkansas struggled to a 5-for-21 night from deep. That shooting gap played a major role in the outcome. Surprisingly, two areas Arkansas has often struggled in, rebounding and points in the paint, actually favored the Razorbacks. Arkansas held a 38–28 edge on the glass and was more effective inside, but it wasn’t enough to offset Georgia’s efficiency.
The Bulldogs shot 46 percent from the field compared to Arkansas’ 40 percent, committed fewer turnovers, and played a cleaner game with fewer fouls. Those margins added up quickly, especially against a Razorbacks team already fighting uphill after the opening minutes.
Defensively, Arkansas continues to raise concerns. Giving up 90 points on the road is never a recipe for success, and statistically, this remains one of the SEC’s weakest defensive units. Unless that changes, defense may remain the Razorbacks’ kryptonite as conference play grinds on, and it’s not an issue that looks easily fixable in the short term.
Individual performances were also uneven. Trevon Brazile continued his hit-or-miss stretch, finishing with just eight points and two rebounds in 25 minutes. As much as the offense runs through Acuff, Brazile is the veteran presence expected to provide energy and spark, something that has been missing lately. Meanwhile, Thomas was held to nine points, well below his recent scoring averages.
Ultimately, Arkansas hurt itself. The early hole, defensive lapses, and perimeter shooting struggles left little room for error. Still, one thing this team has shown is resilience. The Razorbacks have bounced back before from disappointing performances, and they’ll look to do so again next week.
For now, though, Saturday’s loss served as another reminder: the highs may be high, but the lows for this Arkansas team are just as low, and becoming far too frequent now.