Vanderbilt 75, Arkansas 72: Junior forward Rod Odom tied a career high with 20 points on 5-for-9 3-point shooting as the defending champion Commodores held off the Razorbacks to advance to Friday's SEC tournament quarterfinals against Kentucky.
Vanderbilt (15-16), which must repeat in order to reach the NCAA Tournament, was also boosted by junior guard Kyle Fuller's 19 points. Sophomore guards Kedren Johnson (13) and Dai-Jon Parker (11) also scored in double digits, while Odom and Parker each grabbed seven rebounds.
Sophomore guard BJ Young had 16 points to lead Arkansas (19-13), which likely saw its at-large bid chances ruined. Junior forward Marshawn Powell finished with 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while freshman guard Michael Qualls scored 10.
The Commodores grabbed the lead for good on Fuller's layup with 12:53 to go in the first half and took a 38-30 lead into the break. Fuller and Odom combined to score 25 of Vanderbilt's first-half points.
The Razorbacks cut the deficit to four with 1:37 left and Odom missed two free throws, allowing Arkansas to pull within 70-68 off two Young foul shots. But two Johnson free throws stretched the Vanderbilt lead back to four, and the Commodores survived.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Vanderbilt beat Arkansas for the first time in four tries at the SEC tournament. … The Commodores shot 12-of-28 from 3-point range. … Vanderbilt shot 17-of-30 from the free-throw line. Arkansas hit 20 of its 34 attempts.
Vanderbilt | Arkansas | |
Rod Odom 20 | Scoring | B.J. Young 16 |
Kedren Johnson 5 | Assists | Mardracus Wade 3 |
Rod Odom 7 | Rebounds | Marshawn Powell 9 |
Kyle Fuller 6 | Free Throws Made | Marshawn Powell 7 |
Kyle Fuller 2 | Steals | Coty Clarke 3 |
Rod Odom 4 | Blocks | Rashad Madden 2 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Vanderbilt | 75 | 41.1 | 12-28 | 17-30 | 14 | 34 | 5 | 5 | 12 |
Arkansas | 72 | 43.6 | 4-16 | 20-34 | 13 | 37 | 6 | 7 | 11 |