FAYETTEVILLE — Georgia Tech came into Walton Arena and beat Arkansas 69-65 on Wednesday night two days after losing at home to Gardner-Webb.
The Yellow Jackets, who lost to Gardner-Webb 79-69 on Monday night, won their first game away from home in four tries this season.
"We had a tough loss on Monday coming after finals and we didn't play well," Georgia Tech Coach Josh Partner said. "To come back 48 hours later and get a win like this against a very good basketball that's well coached, and with a lot of good players is outstanding.
"I'm really proud of our guys to do that. We had a lot of great moments."
The Razorbacks (7-3) have lost back-to-back non-conference games at Walton Arena for the first time in Mike Anderson's eight seasons as coach.
Western Kentucky beat Arkansas 78-77 in Walton Arena on Dec. 8 before rallying for a 79-67 victory over Texas San-Antonio at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock on Saturday.
Arkansas' last back-to-back non-conference losses in Walton Arena had been to No. 24 Alabama-Birmingham 73-72 and to No. 2 Texas 96-85 in January of 2010.
Anderson is now 67-4 in non-conference games at Walton Arena.
"First off, let's give Georgia Tech credit," Anderson said. "Josh had his team with the right mindset. I thought they played desperate.
"With our basketball team, I thought our inexperience kind of reared its head."
Senior point guard Jose Alvarado led Georgia Tech (6-4) with 20 points, 9 abounds and 2 steals while playing all 40 minutes. He had four turnovers, but Anderson praised his poise and toughness.
"I thought he showed some grit," Anderson said. "He kind of controlled the game for them, and I thought he settled them down when they got rattled. He made some big plays for them. He's a good player."
Pastner marveled at Alvarado playing the whole game.
"I thought Jose's leadership, his quarterbacking, from the first minute of the game to the very last minute was outstanding," Pastner said. "As the point guard against their press and be able to win a game like that? That's not easy to do."
The teams traded the lead eight times in the final 6:08.
Georgia Tech went ahead for good on two free throws by 6-9 junior center James Banks -- who had 14 points, 14 rebounds and 5 blocked shots -- with 1:47 left.
Arkansas freshman guard Isaiah Joe missed a three-point attempt, and Alvarado got the long rebound and shot down the court for layup that put the Yellow Jackets ahead 63-60.
After a missed jumper by Razorbacks sophomore point guard Jalen Harris, Michael Devoe hit two free throws with 48.8 seconds left to push Georgia Tech's lead to 65-60.
Sophomore guard Mason Jones, who led Arkansas with 17 points, hit a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 67-65 with 3.1 seconds left.
Georgia Tech's Khalid Moore then hit two free throws with 1.6 seconds left to clinch the victory.
"It was a tough loss for us Monday," Alvarado said. "Everybody just kept their head up and played their heart out and said, 'Let's go.'
"We came here and tried to play the best basketball we could play."
Jones said the Razorbacks, who fell behind 13-2 to start the game, didn't take the Yellow Jackets lightly because of their loss to Gardner-Webb.
"We knew they were going to come in here mad," Jones said. "First thing we all said was, 'Okay, they lost to Gardner-Webb, but we know we're in the same predicament as Western Kentucky.'
"[WKU] had lost to Missouri State and wanted to come in and get a win, an impressive win."
Georgia Tech held Arkansas to 38.1 percent shooting (24 of 63), and the Razorbacks were 10 of 32 on three-point attempts.
Arkansas hit 7 of 9 free throws while Georgia Tech hit 14 of 20.
"I didn't think we attacked like we should have," Anderson said. "Obviously, they're going to miss some calls here and there, but I thought it had more to do with us not being more aggressive and attacking the basket and going up strong."
Razorbacks sophomore forward Daniel Gafford, who fouled out with 36.9 seconds left, had 14 points and Joe had 13.
Joe's three-pointer gave Arkansas its last lead at 60-59 with 2:15 left.
The Yellow Jackets improved to 5-1 against the Razorbacks with their fifth consecutive victory in the series.
Arkansas's only victory over Georgia Tech came on Dec. 30, 1961 when the Razorbacks won 72-42 at the Poinsettia Classic in Greenville, S.C
The Razorbacks led 32-31 at halftime after Alvarado missed a three-pointer as the first half ended.
Gafford scored on a short baseline jumper to give the Razorbacks a 2-0 lead.
Arkansas then missed its next nine shots as Georgia Tech went on a 13-0 run -- including eight points by Alvardo -- to move ahead 13-2 with 14:36 left in the half.
Gabe Osabuohien hit two free throws at the 13:59 mark for Arkansas' first points in a 5:13 span that cut the Yellow Jackets' lead to 13-4.
Abdoulaye Gueye's tip-in basket gave Georgia Tech a 15-4 lead.
The Razorbacks outscored the Yellow Jackets 16-6 over a 4:21 span to pull within 21-20 on Joe's three-point basket.
Georgia Tech pushed its lead to 29-24.
Jones put Arkansas ahead 32-29 on a three-pointer with 1:02 left in the half.
The Razorbacks play Texas State at 1 p.m. Saturday in Walton Arena.
Game sketch
RECORDS Arkansas 7-3; Georgia Tech 6-4
STARS Georgia Tech senior point guard Jose Alvarado (20 points, 9 rebounds playing all 40 minutes) and junior center James Banks (14 points, 14 rebounds, 5 blocked shots). Arkansas sophomore guard Mason Jones (17 points, 6 re-bounds) and sophomore forward Daniel Gafford (14 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks).
TURNING POINT Alvardo scored on a layup to give Georgia Tech a 63-60 lead with 1:29 left after Isaiah Joe missed a three-point attempt.
KEY STAT The Yellow Jackets outscored the Hogs 15-3 in second-chance points. UP NEXT Arkansas plays Texas State at 1 p.m. Saturday at Walton Arena.
TOP 25/SOUTHLAND MEN
No. 22 Indiana 86, Central Arkansas 53
Devonte Green scored 19 points, freshman Romeo Langford recorded his second double-double and No. 22 Indiana beat the University of Central Arkansas in Bloomington, Ind.
The Hoosiers (10-2) have won five consecutive, though this was their first victory by more than three points during the streak. They've also won eight consecutive home games.
Langford had 18 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists.
Hayden Koval had 16 points as the Bears (4-7) lost their fourth game to a Power 5 team this season. UCA is 0-7 against Big Ten teams since joining NCAA Division I in 2006-07.
Indiana took control with a 17-0 run in the first half and sealed it with a 22-0 second-half spree that gave the Hoosiers a 74-40 lead with 8:33 left.
UCA shot 31.3 percent from the field.
The Bears jumped out to a 14-7 lead and were ahead 19-16 more than six minutes into the game.
Green's three-pointer tied it, and after Indiana's defense forced 11 consecutive missed shots and 8 turnovers while holding UCA scoreless for 9:23, the Bears never had a chance. The Hoosiers led 33-19 when the run ended.
Green's three-pointer just before the buzzer made it 43-27 at the half. The Hoosiers steadily pulled away in the second half.
The Bears, who close out a five-game road trip at Oklahoma State on Friday, were outscored 48-16 in the paint and 25-9 off turnovers. After making 7 of its first 11 shots, UCA finished the half by going 3 of 19 from the field and were 10 of 33 in the second half.
SUN BELT MEN
MEMPHIS 99, UALR 89
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock led by two points with less than four minutes remaining, but fell to Memphis at FedEx Forum.
Rayjon Tucker hit a three-pointer with 3:52 left to give the Trojans (5-7) an 86-84 lead, but that was UALR's last field goal as the Tigers (6-5) closed the game on a 15-3 run.
Antwann Jones' layup tied the game at 86-86, then Jeremiah Martin scored to give Memphis an 88-86 lead with 3:17 left.
Martin led the Tigers with 22 points. Kyvon Davenport finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Kareem Brewton also scored 15 points for Memphis.
Tyler Harris added 14 points for the Tigers and Jones chipped in with 13.
Tucker scored 29 points to lead UALR. Jaizec Lottie and Nikola Maric each had 14 points. Markquis Nowell finished with 13 points and seven rebounds. Kris Bankston added 11 points for the Trojans.
Memphis led 48-39 at halftime.
Sports on 12/20/2018