Karter Knox had his first career double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds in his first start of the season and host No. 21 Arkansas pulled away in the second half for a 93-56 victory over Central Arkansas on Tuesday.
Freshman Darius Acuff Jr. had 17 of his 21 points in the second half and freshman Meleek Thomas had 17 points for the Razorbacks (2-1), who rebounded from a loss to No. 17 Michigan State on Saturday that dropped them seven spots in the rankings.
The Razorbacks made a season-high 13 3-pointers on 34 attempts. Knox and Thomas had four threes apiece and Acuff had three.
Camren Hunter, the Atlantic Sun preseason player of the year, had 16 points and Ty Robinson had 15 points for the Bears (1-2), who ran out of gas in their second loss to a Top 25 opponent. They fell by 40 at North Carolina in the season opener.
Thomas had six rebounds and six assists and Acuff had six rebounds and four assists. Malique Ewin had 10 points and Nick Pringle had nine points and eight rebounds as Arkansas held a 49-35 rebounding edge.
The Razorbacks outscored the Bears 50-22 in the second half, their fourth straight win by at least 25 points in the series that resumed in 2020.
Central Arkansas had limited success with its perimeter-oriented attack. The Bears made 4 of 41 three-point attempts, 9.8 percent. They took 26 shots inside the arc and finished shooting 28.4 percent overall.
The Razorbacks played a smaller lineup without 6-foot-9 forward Trevon Brazile (back spasms), who had 25 points in a 109-77 victory in the season opener against Southern.
Knox and Thomas made their first starts of the season. Knox missed the opener against Southern with a toe injury and did not score against Michigan State, when he missed his only shot and had four rebounds and four assists.
Knox had 11 points and six rebounds in the first 6 1/2 minutes when Arkansas opened a 22-7 lead, but the Bears got back in the game with an 11-3 run capped by Rashad Bolden’s three to cut it to seven, 25-18. The Razorbacks led 43-34 at half.
–Field Level Media
