JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- On opening day of the NCAA Tournament, and that's what Thursday really was, the Big 12 looked more like the Little Dozen as the league lost all three of its games -- including two No. 3 seeds -- after being awarded seven bids to college basketball's biggest event.
Baylor, playing here earlier in the day, lost to Sun Belt champion Georgia State. Iowa State, winner of the Big 12 Conference Tournament, lost to Alabama-Birmingham, which tied for fourth in Conference USA, and Texas went down at the hands of Butler.
Then No. 4 seed North Carolina, which by far brought the most fans to this West Region opener, held on against Harvard to advance to Saturday to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Arkansas opened the second half of its game against Wofford smoother than a New Orleans pickpocket during Mardi Gras, getting steals by Bobby Portis and Anton Beard on the way to a 31-28 lead, but the Terriers weren't going away.
Wofford might play in the Southern Conference, but it doesn't play like it.
It was a game neither team deserved to lose.
It was two teams that play defense like their basketball lives depended on it, and they did Thursday night. Almost every dribble and shot was contested on both ends of the court. The Razorbacks usually suck the life out of opponents with their smothering defense, but the Terriers practice that every day too.
It showed. Wofford quickly called a timeout when Arkansas, trailing 44-42 with 7:02 to play, set a solid trap that looked ready to produce a turnover. The Terriers were smart, tough and lucky, getting two shots to fall and getting fouled twice with :01 on the shot clock.
Alandise Harris converted a three-point play with 1:40 to go to give the Hogs a 56-53 lead, and then the senior pulled down a defensive rebound. Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson called a timeout with 53 seconds to play and 16 seconds on the shot clock, but the Hogs forced a shot with 37 seconds left.
Arkansas clamped down on defense one more time. Wofford missed two three-pointers in the final seconds, and it was the Razorbacks who heartily shook hands, happy to have come out on top.
It was a hard-fought if not odd victory for the Hogs after a first half that saw the Terriers combine fierce defense with good three-point shooting to take a 28-27 lead into halftime.
Wofford made 5 of 10 three-pointers but was 5 of 17 otherwise while the Razorbacks, led by Michael Qualls' 10 first-half points, were 10 of 23 overall and 3 of 5 from behind the three-point line.
Arkansas normally takes about twice that many three-pointers with the same results, but the Terriers' defense was equally good inside and out and Portis struggled to get shots.
There were seven lead changes and four ties, but what plagued the Hogs a little were turnovers. They had five at the break, but again, Wofford's defense was outstanding and equal to the Hogs'.
Anderson called a timeout after Wofford hit four of its five first-half three-pointers and explained the necessity of helping out. The Razorbacks raised the temperature and over the final eight minutes and held the Terriers to three field goals on 11 attempts.
One thing the Razorbacks didn't do much of early was press, but their half-court defense, except for the stretch of three-pointers, frustrated Wofford.
The really strange moment in the first half came when Ky Madden lost his shoe and Jacorey Williams, from the bench, went for the assist by tossing it on the court in Madden's direction.
The Hogs received a warning for delay of game, and Williams received a lesson in bench decorum from assistant coach T.J. Cleveland.
Sports on 03/20/2015