Arkansas defeats Tulsa
January 7, 2006 - NBA G League (G League)
Tulsa 66ers News Release
TULSA, Okla. - The Arkansas RimRockers bounced back from an overtime loss the night before against the Tulsa 66ers to grab their tenth win 100-98 at the Expo Square Pavilion in Tulsa Saturday night.
It took several big shots from Arkansas' Kareem Reid, who finished with a team high 22 points to help Arkansas overcome an amazing individual effort from 66ers guard Desmon Farmer, who ended with the game high 39 points and also grabbed four rebounds.
The first period was a series of runs by both teams. Arkansas came out hot starting the game on an 11-2 run, then Tulsa ran off a 5-1 run of their own to pull within 12-7. However, Arkansas guard Clay Tucker hit a long three and pushed the RimRockers lead back to 10 at 17-7.
It was then that Farmer started to put on his show hitting a three-pointer to close out a 9-0 run pulling Tulsa within one at 17-16 with 3:26 remaining in the first.
Tulsa finally pulled even at the :26 mark of the first quarter on a long jumper from Ilyasova, putting the score at 22-22. But, Arkansas guard Myron Allen, who had a total of 10 points, hit a runner in the lane as time expired and Arkansas had a 24-22 lead at the end of the first.
The Arkansas big men, James Lang and Shawnson Johnson tried to take charge early pushing the Arkansas lead quickly to 28-22. Farmer did his best to keep Tulsa in the game putting in eight points in a row and keeping Tulsa close in battle to a 40-34 Arkansas lead.
It was Arkansas' shooter Matt Walsh, who finished with 15 points and four rebounds, that caught on fire hitting three three-pointers in a row and the lead ballooned to 10 and the score 46-36 with 3:42 to play in the half. Farmer and Tulsa would end the half on a 12-3 run and go in to the locker room down 51-48. Farmer ended the half with 26 points.
Arkansas forward Pape Sow led Arkansas out of the locker room and on an 8-4 run extending the lead to 7 and the score at 59-52 with 7:30 to play in the third quarter. But as was the case all night, Farmer kept Tulsa in the game hitting a three-pointer to close the gap back to four.
Recently signed to the 66ers, Ronald Blackshear evened up the game at 73 with :37 left in the third with a three-pointer, and his first points as a 66er. Allen hit a three as the quarter ended and Arkansas took a three-point-lead in to the final period.
Donta Smith put the game away for Arkansas with a monster slam down the lane with 7:53 remaining, extending the RimRockers lead to 9 at 86-77. But, Tulsa would not go away and following a three-pointer by hometown hero Marcus Hill, who held five points for the night, the 66ers pulled within four and the score set at 88-84.
Reid hit a runner with just over two minutes left in the game that put the RimRockers up 96-91. Farmer kept the 66ers close hitting a driving layup. Tulsa's forward, Otis George, followed with a put-back dunk assisted by Will Conroy to pull the 66ers within one at 96-95. But, once again, Reid hit a jumper and Arkansas went in to the final minute up by three.
Farmer hit a layup and drew the sixth foul on Sow with :20 left and hit the free throw tying the game at 98. Yet again, Reid hit the shot putting in a layup with one second left and giving Arkansas the win at 100-98.
"Farmer had a great night and contributed a lot of our points. I'm proud of our guys," said head coach Joey Meyer. "The team played hard and I'm pleased with their effort, but Arkansas hit some big shots."
Tulsa takes on Arkansas yet again on Friday, January 13 with a 7:30 p.m. tipoff in Arkansas.
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