With 2:29 left to go in the game, Illinois had trimmed Arkansas’ lead from 17 points to just five, 62-57.
It was the same script that fans had grown accustomed to with this year’s team. Build a double-digit lead in the second half and then watch it evaporate as the opponent storms back to steal a win.
But shortly after the lead was cut to five, [autotag]Devo Davis[/autotag] recorded his fourth steal of the game on Illinois’ Coleman Hawkins, which led to a [autotag]Ricky Council[/autotag] layup in transition. That was all the breathing room the Razorbacks needed to put the Illini away and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Devo Davis, smothering defense, tenacious rebounding and role players stepping up big were the difference in this game and the reasons why Arkansas will be playing on Saturday.
Let’s go beyond the box and take a closer look at how the Hogs earned their third straight first round win in the NCAA Tournament.