Arkansas edges Michigan

1/21/2012
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Michigan's Trey Burke, left, drives against Arkansas' Julysses Nobles (23) in the final seconds of an NCAA college basketball game in Fayetteville, Ark., Saturday. Arkansas defeated Michigan 66-64.
Michigan's Trey Burke, left, drives against Arkansas' Julysses Nobles (23) in the final seconds of an NCAA college basketball game in Fayetteville, Ark., Saturday. Arkansas defeated Michigan 66-64.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas just refuses to lose in Bud Walton Arena.

BJ Young scored 15 points and Arkansas hit its first 11 shots and never trailed on the way to a 66-64 win over No. 20 Michigan on Saturday.

Trey Burke missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer, keeping the Razorbacks (14-5) undefeated in Bud Walton Arena this season. It's their second over a ranked opponent at home, following a win over then-No. 15 Mississippi State on Jan. 7.

Arkansas built a 34-14 lead on the strength of its early shooting and led 49-33 early in the second half. The Wolverines (15-5) cut the lead to two before the Razorbacks regained control and held on in front of a sellout crowd of 19,050.

Mardracus Wade added 12 points and Rickey Scott and Hunter Mickelson had 11 apiece for Arkansas, which shot 50 percent.

Zack Novak led Michigan with 17 points, and Jordan Morgan had 16.

Arkansas had a chance to finish off the game with a pair of 1-and-1 free throw opportunities with a two-point lead in the closing seconds, but both Young and Julysses Nobles missed their first attempts.

The Wolverines had the ball after the misses with 7.6 remaining. Following a timeout, Burke's 3-point attempt at the buzzer rimmed out to secure the win for the Razorbacks.

Michigan stormed back in the second half behind the play of Morgan, who had eight straight points at one point. The Razorbacks shot just 32 percent in the second half.

Playing in front of its largest crowd of the season, including former coach Nolan Richardson, Arkansas could do no wrong early. It was Michigan's first trip to Fayetteville since 1981, and the first time the two schools had played since the quarterfinals of the 1994 NCAA Tournament.

The Razorbacks defeated what was left of the Wolverines' Fab Five that day, minus Chris Weber, on their way to the school's only national championship — with Richardson as the coach.

They played much like a championship team early on Saturday, with former Richardson assistant Mike Anderson on the bench in his first season after leaving Missouri in March.

Arkansas connected on its first 11 shots, including four 3-pointers, to build a 29-10 lead. Young had seven points during the early run, while fellow freshman Mickelson capped the perfect shooting start with an inside basket with 10:24 remaining in the half.

The Razorbacks' first miss was on a jumper by Ky Madden with 9:49 remaining and were 17 of 26 (65 percent) in the half, while the Wolverines struggled to 11 of 28.

It was their first game since a thrilling 60-59 win over rival Michigan State on Tuesday. Michigan, which also had 13 points from Burke, still has yet to win a game on an opponent's home court this season and plays four of its next five on the road, including at Ohio State and Michigan State.