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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- Arkansas' Joe Johnson was all that
Alabama coach Mark Gottfried had feared. Maybe more.
Johnson played up to his billing for the first time this year
and Jannero Pargo contributed 24 points as Arkansas scored the
final 22 points to earn a stunning 87-58 victory over Alabama (No. 12 ESPN/USA Today, No. 15 AP) on Saturday.
The preseason pick as the Southeastern Conference Player of the
Year, Johnson scored 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting and set up much of
the Razorbacks' offense by driving into the lane and passing to
teammates for open shots. He finished with seven assists, equaling
his total for three previous conference games. During those three
games, he made 9-of-30 shots.
"People asked me for my fear coming into the game, and that
would be that Joe Johnson would play like we know he can,"
Gottfried said. "He was aggressive offensively; he looked like the
Player of the Year."
"Joe Johnson played his best game since last year," said
Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson.
"I've been playing kind of sluggish," Johnson said. "It's
about time I get on track."
Pargo hit 9-of-13 shots, including 4-of-5 3-pointers. His final
3 made it 70-58 with 3:16 to play.
"We knew he was going to be a shooter," said Alabama's Tarik
London. "We just couldn't seem to cover him."
Arkansas (11-6, 2-3 SEC) led the final 19 minutes and Alabama
(14-3, 3-2) didn't score during the last 4:42. From the 13:09 mark
until the final seconds, Arkansas hit 13 straight field goal
attempts and 10 free throws.
"It was a great game for about 36 minutes," Gottfried said.
It was so out of hand that with 1:19 to play, the Arkansas
students sang "Happy Birthday" to Gottfried, who turned 37 on
Saturday.
Rod Grizzard led Alabama with 16 points, but he missed 12 of his
16 shots. Terrance Meade scored 11, but made only 4-of-13.
Alabama was only six down with six minutes to play when Alonzo
Lane's pass was too high for Johnson. When the defender went for
the steal, Johnson grabbed the ball, wheeled around, floated down
the lane and scored. Pargo followed with a 3 for 65-56.
Johnson then drove into the lane and dumped a pass to Lane for a
basket inside. When Pargo hit another 3, the lead was 12.
Alabama led 32-29 at the half, but Larry Satchell, who sat out
the final 15:50 of the first half with three fouls, made an
immediate impact in the second half. He muscled an Alabama player
into a turnover, harassed Erwin Dudley into an air ball and then
grabbed a rebound that produced a fast-break layup by Johnson and a
37-32 lead.
With 16:05 remaining, Satchell picked up his fourth foul. He got
inside position for a rebound basket, finished a three-point play
for 42-38 and sat down with 15:18 to play. After a pass from
Johnson, Pargo nailed a 3.
During the next 4 1/2 minutes, Arkansas' lead fluctuated between 4
and 8. The first time it was 4, Pargo cut across the lane for a
reverse layup. The second time, Lane worked hard for a short bank
shot.
Alabama scored eight straight for a 26-22 lead late in the first
half. Alabama made only one point off a technical against Arkansas
coach Nolan Richardson and Johnson's 3 cut it to 32-29 at the half.
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ALSO SEE
Men's College Basketball Scoreboard
Alabama Clubhouse
Arkansas Clubhouse
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