#14 Hogs beat #3/2 Purdue, 81-77, in OT

FAYETTEVILLE – In a stunning display of basketball prowess, Tramon Mark’s clutch 3-pointer with just 22 seconds remaining in regulation forced overtime, leading to an exhilarating 81-77 victory for #14 Arkansas over #3/2 Purdue in an exhibition game held at Bud Walton Arena.

This highly anticipated game, which was not included in the 2023-24 Arkansas season ticket package, saw a sell-out crowd of 19,200 attendees. Notably, it was also a charity event aimed at benefiting Arkansas 211, a division of the United Way that assists those affected by the devastating tornadoes that swept through Arkansas earlier this year.

Mark led the charge for the Razorbacks, scoring 15 points and securing six rebounds. He was closely followed by Trevon Brazile, Chandler Lawson, El Ellis, and Khalif Battle, each contributing double-digit points to the team’s success. Lawson sealed the victory with two free throws in the final six seconds, securing a crucial five-point lead.

Impressively, the Razorbacks showcased their shooting prowess, achieving a 50.8% field goal percentage throughout the game. Furthermore, their aggressive defense resulted in 14 steals and forced 20 turnovers from Purdue.

Purdue’s Zach Edey, the reigning National Player of the Year, faced the challenge of foul trouble but managed to score 15 points, going 7-of-8 from the free-throw line, and grabbing a game-high nine rebounds.

Arkansas will officially commence their season on Monday (Oct. 6) with a home game against Alcorn State at 7 pm in Bud Walton Arena.

FIRST HALF: Arkansas 31 – Purdue 26

• At the 9:56 mark, Arkansas took their first lead of the game, 14-12, following a series of impressive plays by Khalif Battle.
• Trevon Brazile’s basket with 7:52 remaining gave Arkansas an 18-16 lead.
• El Ellis stepped up with a basket at 3:30, securing a 24-22 lead for Arkansas, which they maintained until halftime.
• Arkansas showcased their shooting prowess with a 48.3% field goal percentage, while holding Purdue to 34.5%. Notably, Purdue struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 2-of-13 three-point attempts.
• Purdue failed to register a single assist in the first half.
• El Ellis led the Razorbacks with seven points in the first half, closely followed by Makhi Mitchell with six points.

SECOND HALF: Arkansas 38 – Purdue 43

• Arkansas enjoyed a seven-point lead with 5:18 remaining in the second half, but Purdue fought back with a 7-0 run, tying the game at 69-69 with 3:24 left.
• The lead exchanged hands multiple times, culminating in Braden Smith’s old-fashioned 3-point play, giving Arkansas a 69-66 advantage with 37 seconds remaining.
• Tramon Mark answered with a remarkable 3-pointer, tying the game at 69-69.
• In the closing seconds, Mark and Lawson forced a crucial turnover from Purdue, allowing Arkansas a chance at victory. However, Ellis’s attempted layup at the buzzer fell short.
• Brazile emerged as a key contributor for Arkansas in the second half, scoring 13 points and making two 3-pointers along with a perfect 5-of-5 free-throw shooting performance.
• Purdue found success from beyond the arc in the second half, hitting 5-of-12 three-point attempts and converting 10-of-13 free throws.
• Arkansas surprisingly did not attempt a single free throw until the 11:24 mark in the second half but finished the period with an impressive 7-of-8 free-throw record.

OVERTIME: Arkansas 12 – Purdue 8

• Purdue drew first blood in the overtime period with two free throws from Edey at the 3:24 mark.
• However, Arkansas quickly responded with an impressive old-fashioned 3-point play by Ellis, securing a one-point lead that they maintained for the rest of overtime.
• With just 20 seconds remaining, Mark’s two free throws extended the Hogs’ lead to four points (79-75), and Lawson’s successful free throws with six seconds left sealed the victory with a six-point lead (81-75).
• Mark and Ellis were instrumental in securing the victory, each contributing five points during the overtime period.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• The Arkansas starters for the game were El Ellis, Davonte Davis, Tramon Mark, Trevon Brazile, and Chandler Lawson.
• Arkansas won the tip-off at the start of the game, as well as in overtime.
• Trey Kaufman-Renn scored the first points of the game for Purdue with a putback at the 18:58 mark, while Devo Davis answered with a basket for Arkansas at 17:28.
• Khalif Battle was the first substitute to come off the bench for Arkansas.
• Under the guidance of head coach Matt Painter, this marked Purdue’s first-ever loss in an exhibition game. Prior to this defeat, Painter boasted an impressive 28-1 record in exhibition games.
• Historically, Arkansas has performed exceptionally well in exhibition games, boasting a 72-10 all-time record and a remarkable 65-9 record in home exhibition games.

1H | 17:30 | Arkansas 2 – Purdue 4

Devo Davis gets the Hogs on the board.

1H | 15:01 | Arkansas 5 – Purdue 7

Chandler Lawson hits Arkansas’s first triple of the game. The Boilermakers lead 10-5 at the first media timeout.

1H | 10:48 | Arkansas 10 – Purdue 12

El Ellis cuts Purdue’s lead to two with a three at the end of the shot clock.

1H | 10:00 | Arkansas 14 – Purdue 12

Khalif Battle gets four points in a matter of seconds to give Arkansas the lead.

1H | 4:03 | Arkansas 22 – Purdue 22

Battle gets the rebound and bucket to tie the game up at the final media timeout of the half.

1H | 2:35 | Arkansas 28 – Purdue 22

Makhi Mitchell inside for two! Hogs are on an 8-0 run and the Boilermakers call a timeout.

Hogs lead 31-26 at halftime.

2H | 18:40 | Arkansas 37 – Purdue 28

Trevon Brazile opens the half with back-to-back threes.

2H | 13:20 | Arkansas 41 – Purdue 39

Layden Blocker scores his first points of the day to give Arkansas the lead.

2H | 9:38 | Arkansas 54 – Purdue 48

Battle goes back-to-back, and Purdue takes a timeout! He leads the Hogs with 12 points.

2H | 7:20 | Arkansas 61 – Purdue 54

The Hogs get the turnover, and Brazile slams it down!

2H | :22 | Arkansas 69 – Purdue 69

Tramon Mark hits the contested three, tying the game at 69!

The game is headed to overtime. The Hogs win the tip-off.