MAUI INVITATIONAL

Pangos pours it on Hogs

Gonzaga guard Kevin Pangos, right, looks for his shot at the basket while being defended by Arkansas forward Alandise Harris (2) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)

LAHAINA, Hawaii - Kevin Pangos looked like a can’t-miss player Wednesday afternoon.

The Gonzaga sharp-shooter made 7 of 8 shots from behind the three-point line and scored a career-high 34 points to lead the 11th-ranked Bulldogs to a 91-81 victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks in the fifth-place game at the EA Sports Maui Invitational.

“They did an outstanding job of coming out and just putting on a display of shooting the basketball,” Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said. “You have to take your hats off to Pangos. This guy played 39 minutes, man, and it seemed like he played perfect basketball.”

The 10-point loss wasn’t indicative of how Gonzaga (6-1) took it to the Razorbacks as the Bulldogs led the entire game and were up by as many as 21.

With 7-1, 260-pound center Przemek Karnowski manning the middle for Gonzaga, the Razorbacks (4-2) had a difficult time scoring with any consistency down low. The Bulldogs controlled the Razorbacks’ transition game with a press of their own, holding Arkansas to zero fast-break points in the first half.

A jumper by Coty Clarke cut Gonzaga’s lead to 58-51 with 10:18 to play, but that’s when Pangos, the team’s leading scorer, took over and made 4 of 5 shots from beyond the three-point line to put the Bulldogs up 72-52 with 6:43 to play.

The closest Arkansas got was 48-43 with 15:46 to go on a layup and a free throw by freshman Bobby Portis, who led the Razorbacks with a career-high 18 points.

While the Bulldogs were knocking down outside shots, Arkansas was ice cold as it missed all eight three-point attempts in the second half.

“In the first half, they were attacking, missing layups, and in the second half they stepped out and made the three,” Anderson said. “We didn’t make one in the second half, and they made like six or seven.”

Alandise Harris added 17 points for Arkansas, while Michael Qualls chipped in with 13 and Clarke scored 11.

Freshman Moses Kingsley also had a breakout game, finishing with 9 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field with 7 rebounds. It came one night after Kingsley had 7 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in 10 minutes in the Razorbacks’ 87-73 victory over Minnesota.

“How about Moses?” Anderson said. “Last night you thought he played well. Well, he built on that even more so in our game against a very good basketball team in Gonzaga. He shows no fear.

“You can work with that.”

Arkansas was unable to push the pace to its liking as Gonzaga used a feisty press of its own to take command early. Arkansas clawed its way back to narrow its deficit to seven on consecutive baskets by Portis and a jumper by Qualls to pull within 38-31 going into halftime.

Sam Dower Jr. added 19 points for Gonzaga, and Gary Bell Jr. finished with 13 as the Bulldogs bounced back for two victories after losing in the first round to Dayton.

“It was just a terrific job of executing the game plan by my guys,” Gonzaga Coach Mark Few said. “I’m really, really proud of them for how they competed, how they fought and how they stepped up against a very athletic, relentless team.

“You know, we really haven’t played anybody like that in a while.”

SEC/TOP 25 MEN NO. 3 KENTUCKY 81, EASTERN MICHIGAN 63

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Aaron Harrison scored 22 points as No. 3 Kentucky (6-1) earned its 500th Rupp Arena victory.

The Wildcats (6-1) improved to 500-62 in the 37-year-old home named for former coach Adolph Rupp.

In another game involving a Top 25 team, Nick Johnson scored 20 points to help No. 4 Arizona (6-0) rally to beat Drexel (3-2) 66-62 in the semifinals of the NIT Season Tip-Off in New York.

In another game involving an SEC team, Craig Sword scored a team-high 12 points and Mississippi State (4-1) beat Jackson State 58-56.

SEC/TOP 25 WOMEN NO. 7 KENTUCKY 117, BRADLEY 77

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Samarie Walker’s season-high 22 points and 14 rebounds led Kentucky (7-0) in a rout of Bradley.

Game sketch

RECORDS Arkansas 4-2, Gonzaga 6-1 STARS Gonzaga junior guard Kevin Pangos (34 points, 7 of 8 three-pointers) and senior forward Sam Power (19 points); Arkansas freshman forward Bobby Portis (18 points, 7 rebounds) and junior forward Alandise Harris (17 points).

TURNING POINT Gonzaga outscored Arkansas 27-14 over an 8:29 span to move ahead 75-57 with 6:16 left.

KEY STAT Gonzaga made 12 of 20 three-point attempts.

UP NEXT Arkansas plays Southeastern Louisiana at 7 p.m.

Tuesday in Walton Arena.

Sports, Pages 27 on 11/28/2013