Twenty-one lead changes, 44 combined turnovers and 185 total points set the stage for a rivalry-like atmosphere at Walton Arena.

Arkansas took Missouri's best shot and ran its way to a 94-91 win Wednesday night. The Hogs recovered from a slow start, adapting to Missouri's pressure for a key confidence-building victory at home.

Matters, though, looked bleak early on as Arkansas (5-1 ) experienced difficulty handling Missouri's pressure. Although Arkansas expected the Tigers' highpressure strategy, the Hogs struggled to adjust early in the first half. Arkansas committed 10 of its 12 first-half turnovers in the first nine minutes of regulation.

" But the rest of the half we had just two, " Arkansas coach John Pelphrey said. " We made adjustments, handled the adversity and stuck together, which was good to see. A team like Missouri relies on that pressure and one [turnover ] can easily turn into three or four and they just don't back up. They keep coming. "

Missouri's tempo appeared to be close to breaking the Hogs with 13: 19 left in the second half and the Tigers up 68-63. But Arkansas battled back with a 12-0 run to snatch a 75-68 lead with 10: 12 remaining. Arkansas committed just one turnover amid the flurry while forcing Mike Anderson's Tigers into four miscues.

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" We knew this was going to be a game of runs, " Arkansas forward Charles Thomas said. " We knew our best offense is our defense just like Missouri's. Missouri turns you over a lot and a lot of their offense comes from that. "

Charles Thomas led the Hogs with 6 points during the run. He finished with a team-high 21 points.

" It's never about the individual, " Thomas said. " I credit the guards for forcing them baseline, creating intensity and getting people out of control, which allowed me to be in the right spot at the right time. "

Several Hogs found that same right spot with consistent timing. Four Hogs reached double figures and two others finished with 9.

" It was an exciting, tiring game, " Thomas said. " We like this style of play. Coach Pelphrey brings it from Kentucky and Florida and Coach Anderson brings it from Bud Walton. "

Thomas said Pelphrey also brings a disciplinarian coaching style along with his uptempo approach, both of which combined to push Arkansas to victory.

" We're afraid to lose, " Thomas said. " After losing to Providence in Puerto Rico, we're terrified to lose. We're going to give it our all. We're terrified of Coach Pelphrey and losing. He can take an'L' if we're playing our hardest but we don't want any more hell like Puerto Rico. "