http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWkEyjeYayQ
Arkansas pulled out a thrilling overtime victory at the buzzer over #13 Kentucky in Bud Walton Arena Tuesday night. It was a must-win game for the Razorbacks, and they made it exciting down the stretch.
Nearly 19,000 fans made their presence felt in what was easily the largest crowd of the season in the Bud. It was a back-and-forth game from start to finish. This is arguably the biggest win in Mike Anderson’s three years as the Head Hog.
“It was an unbelievable finish, that’s what it was,” Anderson said. “Now this team is starting to make their own memories. From a fan’s standpoint, anybody watching this game, they know it was two teams really going after each other. We were fortunate that we came out on top.”
The whistles were blowing early and often. With a total of 60 fouls, the game lasted almost three hours, nearly an hour longer than a normal college basketball game. All of these fouls were something new for Kentucky head coach John Calipari and his Wildcats.
“That’s the first team we’ve played that’s taken more free throws than us,” Calipari said. “Usually we take 20 more than the other team. So you got to give them credit.”
It was the finish of this game that will be remembered most. It started with Alandise Harris. He drove the lane, drew the blocking foul by Kentucky sophomore Willie Cauley-Stein, made the shot and converted his subsequent free throw to put Arkansas up 74-71 with 9.4 seconds remaining. Then, it was Kentucky freshman Andrew Harrison who followed up with a 3-pointer to force overtime.
The game appeared headed for a second overtime after Kentucky freshman James Young’s 3-pointer with 10.2 seconds left in overtime tied the game at 85. Following Young’s shot, Arkansas didn’t call a timeout. Junior guard Rashad Madden tried to win the game with a 3-point attempt from the right corner, but it hit the front of the rim and bounced right into the hands of the streaking Qualls, who threw it down with authority and rocked the Bud for many years to come. Believe it or not, Qualls actually did this in high school too.
“Coming in my freshman year, this guy named Kendrick Washington (currently playing for Arkansas State) was a senior,” Qualls said. “We were playing a rival team and he caught it off the rim. Then the next year we were playing the same people, same place, and it was the same conclusion.”
There is no doubt this game was a huge confidence boost for the Hogs. Now it will be their job to carry that momentum throughout the rest of SEC-play. Next up are two road games, Georgia on Saturday and Tennessee on Wednesday.
*Story and Video made by UATVSports anchor/reporter Tyler Woessner*