Can You Believe It?! Hogs Beat Vandy on The Road

Hogs Beat Vandy 77-75 in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Sophomore Michael Qualls’ (@Mr_WalkOnAir) three-pointer with 2.6 seconds left lifted the Arkansas men’s basketball team to a dramatic 77-75 SEC road win at Vanderbilt on Saturday at Memorial Gymnasium.

After leading by nine, 68-59, with under nine minutes to play, the Razorbacks found themselves down three, 71-68, with under three to play. Arkansas turned to its leading scorer in SEC play junior Rashad Madden (@RKMadden00), who knocked down a three to tie the score at 71-71 and followed with a jumper two possessions later to tie the game at 73-73.

Arkansas proceeded to get a much-needed stop at the defensive end and took the lead the next time down the floor as senior Coty Clarke (@CTC_4) hit one of two free throws to give the Razorbacks at 74-73 edge and start a wild final 25 seconds.

Following a timeout, the Commodores got the ball into the hands of senior Kyle Fuller who got into the paint and drew the two-shot foul. Fuller, who finished with 20 points and five assists, calmly sank both shots to give the lead back to Vanderbilt, 75-74, with 11 seconds to play.

Arkansas went to its hot hand, as Madden penetrated Vanderbilt’s 2-3 zone, drawing defenders before passing the ball to Qualls in the left corner for his third three-pointer of the game and a 77-75 lead.

Following a length-of-the-floor pass that was deflected out-of-bounds by Arkansas, Vanderbilt was able to get off a game-winning shot out a side out-of-bounds play with 1.4 seconds left, but Rod Odom’s three was off the mark.

Qualls led Arkansas with 17 points off the bench followed by 14 from Madden, as Arkansas (15-8, 4-6) snapped a seven-game road losing streak and put an end to Vanderbilt’s (13-9, 5-5) four-game win streak.

Here are a few quotes from Anderson, Qualls and Madden after the game:

Arkansas Head Coach Mike Anderson

Opening Statement:
“First I think it was a tremendous basketball game played by two teams that have a clash of style. We want to play up tempo, and Vandy wants the game to be in the 60’s, but to their credit, they kept the pace for the most part. It made it really interesting, and we were fortunate because we had the last possession. We executed a play coming out of that timeout. Mike made a big shot; Kyle made a great pass to him, something we hadn’t been doing a lot of the year. That comes back to us learning how to win. We were playing against a Vanderbilt team that’s been playing really well. Kyle Fuller, I’m kind of tired of that guy. He’s playing his heart out; he’s not going to let his team go down without a fight. He went down, made the free throw s that put them ahead. Our guys did not panic, and that’s the sign of your team growing up.”

On breaking through with a win on the road:
“Our guys just came out on the road, took the game plan, and executed it. Last time out on the road we didn’t have out whole team. Now some of those pieces back come in and they contributed in a big way. I thought this was a continuation of the Alabama game, especially our defense. We just found a way to win. Our guys trusted each other, they didn’t settle, and we kept attacking. Even when Coty got to the free throw line and made one and missed one, and they go down and make two to take the lead, our guys made the right plays. I thought Ky (Rashad Madden) is a guy who has been doing a tremendous job of executing down the stretch. He’s learning, our team is learning, and bottom line is you just got to make plays. Even in the last second, Odom had a shot. Now that`s a different situation because he’s got to make it. He’s got to make it. Mike did a good job of screening the ball, but he got a good look at it and we’re just fortunate to get couple more points than Vandy today.”

On Vanderbilt shutting down Bobby Portis today:
“I thought Vandy did a good job of focusing on Bobby. They were pushed him out and they pushed him around. The beauty of it today was that today our guys went through Bobby a lot. Bobby was distributing the ball to guys and they made shots. Shooting is contagious, and we shot 54% in the second half of the Alabama game. We made shots at the beginning, I thought Coty came out and was shooting the ball, Wade played well, I thought everybody played pretty well. Jacorey Williams had a big steal when they had a chance to take the lead. Alandise came in and made big plays. I thought the energy was really high in this game and guys fed off of each other.”

On Qualls return to the team this week and his success today:
“Well, it tells me he was engaged. What took place is history, and now its time to move forward. I was proud of him just coming out and really helping our basketball team. Defensively, offensively, whatever he could do to help our team.”

Arkansas G Micheal Qualls

On what play was drawn up for his game winning shot:
“The play was for Ky to drive and draw people. If he didn’t then he’s going all the way, but when people suck in he passes it and I’m just supposed to knock the shot down. We’re just trying to get it going, so there’s not a lot of time for celebrations.”

On missing last week’s game then hitting the game winner tonight:
“It’s big, I just love being here and being able to make a play for them. We didn’t do anything that we weren’t supposed to do. I think that this is the first game we came out a played tenacious for 40 minutes, not 30, not 25, but the whole 40 minutes. We’re just going to continue to do that and stay on that pace.”

Arkansas G Rashad Madden

On the first road win this season:
“It’s really big for us. Not just as a team, but as a confidence booster. We know what it  takes to win on the road, and what we have to do, and it helps us going into the game with Mizzou.”

On what was going through his mind during the game winning shot:
“Nothing just keeping my composure , and us staying together, and doing what we’ve been doing to stay in the game. Coach is always telling us that when we’re on the road to just stay in the game, and have a shot late in the game, and we did. Mike got a real good look and he knocked it down.”

Worthy Of A Hog Call (#WPS)
For the second time in SEC action, Qualls provided the game-winning shot for the Razorbacks. Earlier in the year against Kentucky, Qualls threw down a put-back dunk with 0.2 seconds left in overtime for an 87-85 win over the 13th-ranked Wildcats on ESPN’s Super Tuesday. Qualls knows how to bring the Arkansas faithful to their feet, providing the two game-winners while appearing on the #SCtop10 five times to earn the hashtag #QuallinTheHogs.

Key(s) To The Contest
Arkansas was able to play its #Fastest40 style against Vanderbilt behind a rotation of 11 players compared to just eight for the Commodores. Behind Qualls’ 17 points and a season-high 11 points from senior Mardracus Wade (@WadeNoDwyane), the Razorback bench out-scored its opposition 40-2. It’s the seventh time this season the Arkansas bench has scored 40 points, but the first in SEC play.

@RazorbackMBB Quick Hits
➢ Arkansas donned anthracite uniforms for the first time this season.
➢ The game featured 14 lead changes, including three in the final 25 seconds.
➢ Arkansas owns a 19-11 edge in 30 meetings with Vanderbilt, winning three of the last five at
Memorial Gymnasium.
➢ The 45 first half points were the most on the road since Feb. 7, 2009, at Mississippi State via
@HogStats.
➢ Arkansas extended its streak of consecutive games with a three-pointer to 827 – good for the
sixth-longest streak in the nation – hitting 10-of-16 from long range.
➢ The Razorbacks improved to 8-0 when shooting 50 percent or better from the field, finishing 27-of
50.
➢ Arkansas’ 77 points were the most given up by Vanderbilt at home since its season opener.
➢ Four or more Razorbacks have scored double figures in a game 12 times.
➢ Razorbacks’ three dunks in the game brought their season total to 72.
➢ Qualls reached double figures for the 16th time this season.
➢ Qualls has seven three-pointers in his last three games, one more than his total from 2012-13.
➢ Madden has now reached double-digits in 17 of the last 20 games.
➢ Clarke scored 11 of Arkansas’ first 16 points, including nine straight.
➢ Wade’s 11 points matched a season-high and marked his first double figure outing since the season
opener.

Coach Anderson Postgame Sound
“Our guys didn’t panic late in the game. We’re starting to grow up and they’re learning what it takes to finish off a win. I’m really proud of the guys in that locker room. Tonight we played as a team and that’s why we were able to come out on top.”

#Fastest40 Facts
➢ Arkansas won the turnover battle for the 26th time in its last 27 games, including 21 of 22 this
season.
➢ Razorbacks have now won the turnover battle 75 times in 87 games under coach Anderson.
➢ Scored 20+ points off turnovers for the 14th time this season.
➢ Forced Vanderbilt into 11 first half turnovers, while the Commodores committed single digit
miscues in two of previous four games.
➢ Razorbacks finished with a positive assist/turnover ratio for the 20th time in 23 games, while
opponent has done so just four times.
➢ Arkansas’ 11 steals marked its seventh double figure steal game in the last 13 contests.
➢ Razorbacks committed 12 or less turnovers for the 16th time this season.

Up Next
Riding its first win streak in SEC play this season, @RazorbackMBB will look to make it three in a row when it heads to Missouri on Thursday for a 6 p.m. ESPN2 showdown.