Freshman Boogie Fland made the go-ahead 3-pointer as Arkansas — which didn’t lead until the game’s final two minutes — rallied to defeat host Miami 76-73 in an SEC/ACC Challenge game on Tuesday night in Coral Gables, Fla.
Miami led by as many as 11 points in the first half.
Arkansas (6-2) got 18 points and six assists from Fland. D.J. Wagner added 14 points.
The Hurricanes (3-5), who lost their fifth straight game, received 22 points, six rebounds and six assists from Nijel Pack, who had missed Miami’s previous game due to a foot injury.
Miami reserve Matthew Cleveland posted 15 points and 10 rebounds. He also made a spectacular play in the second half with a one-handed rebound and dunk, all in one motion.
Razorbacks 7-foot-2 center Zvonimir Ivisic — normally a starter — suffered an ankle injury in practice and was used as a reserve. He finished with 11 points, making 3 of 4 3-point attempts.
Miami gave freshman Austin Swartz his first career start, benching senior Jalen Blackmon. Swartz finished with seven points. Blackmon had 12 points.
However, Blackmon had a chance to send the game to overtime, but he shot an air ball on a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Miami led 40-32 at halftime, but in the second half, Arkansas put together a 7-0 run to close its deficit to 49-47 with 14:07 left.
After Miami pulled away again, Arkansas strung together an eight-point run and finally took its first lead on Fland’s right-corner 3-pointer. That gave Arkansas a 74-71 edge with 1:47 left.
Pack cut the deficit to one with a layup, but Fland responded with a 2-pointer as Miami missed its last two shots and nine of its last 12.
Arkansas had some early problems, throwing the ball away on its first two possessions. Later in the half, Arkansas freshman Billy Richmond III stole the ball at midcourt and was headed for an easy dunk when he dribbled the ball off his body and out of bounds.
Pack led all first-half scorers with 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting. Cleveland had 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting. Miami shot 50 percent from the floor in the first half.
Arkansas had no double-figure scorers in the opening half, shooting just 41.9 percent.
–Field Level Media
