In the Lane

Jones puts up another 30-plus

Arkansas' Mason Jones (15) drives past LSU's Skylar Mays during a game Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas guard Mason Jones has turned 30-point games into a routine occurrence this season, adding the eighth to his resume Wednesday with 36 points against LSU as the Walton Arena crowd chanted "MVP! MVP! MVP!" in the closing seconds.

Jones made 10 of 17 shots, 4 of 6 from three-point range and went 12 of 14 at the free-throw line for his fifth-highest scoring game of the year. Jones leads the nation with both 264 free throws taken and 219 made.

He had a season-high 41 points against Tulsa and 40 against Auburn. He added 30-point games against, in order, Rice (32 points), South Carolina (34), Alabama (30), Mississippi State (38) and Tennessee (37).

Huge half

The Razorbacks blasted out of the gates on senior night, turning in their most productive offensive half of the season with a 55-point output in the first half of Wednesday's 99-90 victory over LSU.

The Razorbacks shot 17 of 32 from the field, 5 of 14 from three-point range and 16 of 22 from the free-throw line in the huge half.

Combined with the Razorbacks' 50-point second half in a loss at Georgia on Saturday, Arkansas scored 105 points in 40 consecutive minutes of game time.

Arkansas' previous top scoring half was its 52-point second half in a 91-43 victory over Rice in the season opener. The Hogs also had 50 in the first half of a 98-79 victory over Tulsa on Dec. 14.

The Razorbacks committed only one turnover in the opening half, its lowest total of any half this year.

Whitt wows

Jimmy Whitt had another big game against the Tigers with a double-double, his third of the season, with a career-high 15 rebounds, 26 points and 5 assists. Whitt scored 22 points in the first game against LSU this year.

Whitt made 9 of 17 shots and 8 of 12 free throws.

Board battle

Jimmy Whitt's rebound with 12:10 remaining in the game was Arkansas' 25th of the game, giving the Hogs more than they had the entire game in a 79-77 loss at LSU on Jan. 8.

Coach Eric Musselman said it was imperative the Razorbacks not get crushed on the boards as they did by a 53-24 margin in the first meeting. He called that the worst rebounding performance he has been part of during his career.

LSU outboarded the Hogs 40-35 on Wednesday, including a 10-6 edge in offensive rebounds.

Line play

Arkansas crushed its previous season high by taking 54 free throws against the Tigers. The Hogs' previous high had come in a 26-of-40 performance in a loss to South Carolina.

The Razorbacks struggled from the line, making only 36 of their 54 shots (66.7%). Isaiah Joe (8 of 8) and Mason Jones (12 of 14) shot with the best accuracy, while Ethan Henderson (4 of 9), Desi Sills (3 of 8) and Adrio Bailey (1 of 2) didn't shoot them well. The Razorbacks missed eight free throws in a row as LSU cut a 20-point deficit down to 77-65 with 6:08 remaining.

Clipping

LSU's Trendon Watford was called for a foul on a loose-ball scramble with 5:54 left in the game. On the play, Watford was diving for the ball, which had been knocked into the Arkansas backcourt and rolled up the right ankle of Arkansas guard Mason Jones.

Jones came up gingerly but walked off the pain to make both of his free throws to break a streak of eight consecutive missed free throws by the Hogs.

'Wat' he said

LSU freshman Trendon Watford was assessed a technical foul for turning and barking something at the Arkansas bench with 48 seconds left in the first half. Watford had just made a three-point shot and appeared to be reacting to something said by an Arkansas player. Referee Bart Lenox saw Watford's remarks and called a technical foul.

The technical proved costly as Isaiah Joe made both free throws to push Arkansas' lead to 51-31.

Each visiting team was assessed a technical in the Arkansas-LSU series this year, as Reggie Chaney drew one for slapping a basketball well out of bounds in the Tigers' 79-77 victory in Baton Rouge on Jan. 8.

Super Sills

The Razorbacks missed their first four shots before sixth man Desi Sills entered the game with 17:19 left in the first half and Arkansas trailing 4-2.

Soon after, Jimmy Whitt made his third free throw on the night, Sills connected on a three-pointer for a 6-4 Arkansas lead at the 16:14 mark, then pumped in another at 15:30 for a 9-6 lead. Sills finished with 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting.

First five

Coach Eric Musselman started the same five for the third consecutive game. The opening quintet consisted of guards Isaiah Joe, Mason Jones and Jimmy Whitt, and forwards Adrio Bailey and Ethan Henderson.

Whitt has started all 30 games, while Bailey has 29 starts, Jones 28, Joe 23 and Henderson 3.

Tip-ins

• Arkansas forward Ethan Henderson had a career-high 10 points on 3-of-3 shooting, and the 6-8 sophomore from Little Rock Parkview added six rebounds and an assist.

• The Razorbacks committed a season-low five turnovers while LSU had just 10. The Hogs outscored the Tigers 15-7 in points off turnovers.

• Eric Musselman has been on the winning side of both LSU-Arkansas games held on the Razorbacks' senior days. Musselman was an LSU assistant when the Tigers beat the Hogs 81-78 on March 7, 2015.

• Arkansas scored 99 points in the next game after giving up 99 points in a 10-point loss at Georgia on Saturday.

Sports on 03/05/2020