Arkansas’ NCAA Tournament chances took another significant blow Wednesday night.
The Razorbacks fell to Georgia, a team predicted to finish near the bottom of the SEC standings, 76-66. Arkansas is now 0-2 in SEC play after an already underwhelming nonconference showing.
Georgia led from the opening tip as Arkansas created its own hole with turnovers. The Bulldogs scored 14 points off nine Hogs turnovers in the opening 20 minutes and took a 10-point lead into halftime.
Arkansas (9-6, 0-2 SEC) pulled as close as three points in the final 10 minutes, but Jabri Abdur-Rahim’s first field goal of the game, a 3-pointer, gave Georgia a six-point lead heading into the final media timeout.
Tramon Mark did what he could for the Razorbacks. He finished with a game-high 24 points, 18 of which came in the second half, on 7 of 14 shooting. No other Arkansas player finished in double figures. Georgia was led by Noah Thomasson’s 15 points and Justin Hill’s 19.
The Razorbacks shot just 3 of 21 from 3-point range while Georgia went 9 of 27.
Georgia’s win is its 10th in a row.
Arkansas’ next game is Saturday at Florida, a place the Razorbacks have only once since 1995.