In an intense Southeastern Conference (SEC) showdown, Vanderbilt emerged victorious with an 85-82 win over Arkansas in Fayetteville. The Commodores (8-20, 3-12 SEC) secured their first true road victory of the season, displaying resilience down the stretch.
Ezra Manjon led Vanderbilt’s scoring with an impressive 22 points, while Tyrin Lawrence contributed 21 points to the team’s winning effort. Ven-Allen Lubin added 19 points, showcasing exceptional accuracy with a 9-of-10 field goal shooting performance, and also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds. Paul Lewis came off the bench to contribute 11 points to the Commodores’ total.
Despite a stellar individual performance by Khalif Battle, who scored a game-high 36 points for Arkansas (14-14, 5-10), the Razorbacks couldn’t secure the victory. Battle’s notable 42-point game in the previous matchup against Missouri wasn’t enough to carry his team to success this time.
El Ellis added 19 points for the Razorbacks, and Tramon Mark contributed 15, but Arkansas couldn’t prevent Vanderbilt from shooting 50.9 percent from the field. The Commodores outscored the Razorbacks 44-26 on points in the paint.
In the closing moments, Battle’s 3-pointer brought Arkansas within one point at 83-82 with 5.2 seconds left. However, Vanderbilt’s Manjon calmly sank two free throws with 3.5 seconds remaining. Arkansas had a chance to force overtime, but Mark’s last-second 3-pointer missed the mark.
The game took an unexpected turn as Vanderbilt, despite an early deficit, took control in the first half, heading into halftime with a 35-31 lead. Coach Jerry Stackhouse’s strategic switch to a zone defense proved effective as the Razorbacks struggled, missing 16 of their last 17 shots in the half.
The victory marks a significant achievement for Vanderbilt and sets the stage for more thrilling SEC basketball action as the season progresses.
