Tramon Mark, Arkansas rally past Abilene Christian

Field Level Media|published: Thu 21st December, 21:28 2023

Dec 21, 2023; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard El Ellis (3) shoots as Abilene Christian Wildcats forward Airion Simmons (23) defends during the first half at Bud Walton Arena. credits: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Arkansas' Tramon Mark scored 17 of his game-high 25 points in the second half as the Razorbacks rallied past Abilene Christian 83-73 on Thursday night in Fayetteville, Ark.

In his third 20-point game this season, Mark sparked a comeback in the middle of the second half as the Razorbacks (8-4) won for the fourth time in their last five outings.

A transfer from Houston, Mark went 9-for-14, including both 3-pointers, and 5-for-6 at the line. He added 11 rebounds.

Khalif Battle netted 18 points, Keyon Menifield Jr. had 11 and six rebounds. Chandler Lawson had nine points, 10 rebounds and two blocks.

Arkansas shot 64.3 percent in the second-half comeback in which it outscored ACU 55-38.

A 15-point underdog, the Wildcats (5-7) saw Ali Abdou Dibba lead with 18 points. Leonardo Bettiol totaled 14 points and eight rebounds. Kavion McClain had 10 points and five assists.

After nearly letting a 20-point lead slip away Saturday in a 69-66 win over Lipscomb, Arkansas started slowly over the game's first five minutes and went without a field goal over a span of 4:15.

However, Lawson sank a layup and a 3-pointer to break the skid to put the home side ahead 10-5 and eventually by seven.

But the Western Athletic Conference's Wildcats took off on a 8-0 run, keyed by a pair of Dibba layups, and held a 15-14 advantage at 8:28.

Over the final 8:04 of the half, the Wildcats took over the game offensively, with McClain capping a 13-3 run by draining a trey from the left wing at the buzzer for a 35-28 lead.

Dibba topped the Wildcats with 10 points, while Trevon Brazile and Mark had eight points apiece for the Razorbacks.

Turnovers were a massive problem in the first half for the home side as it committed 12 of them. Each squad shot 38 percent from the field.

Fifteen seconds into the second half, Hunter Jack Madden canned a jumper for a nine-point lead — the team's largest— but Arkansas chipped way until Menifield's jumper at 15:03 put the Razorbacks up 44-33.

Mark and Battle combined for six consecutive of their team's baskets over a three-minute stretch — including a long ball by each — to increase the lead to 65-54 at 7:49.

The Wildcats never got closer than eight points, and the SEC school finished off the nonconference matchup.

—Field Level Media