EAST LANSING, Mich. — Freshman Cam Ward had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Coen Carr scored 15 points with 7 rebounds, and No. 22 Michigan State beat No. 14 Arkansas 69-66 on Saturday night in a matchup of Hall of Fame coaches.
The Spartans (2-0) grabbed 19 offensive rebounds and converted them into 18 points, a staple of Tom Izzo’s program for 31 seasons.
John Calipari has highly touted freshmen Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas in his second season with the Razorbacks (1-1), as he often did at Kentucky, Memphis and Massachusetts.
Acuff, who is from Detroit, had 16 points on 5-of-16 shooting and six assists. Thomas, who is from Pittsburgh, scored 16 on 5-of-15 shooting.
Arkansas went on an 8-0 run to pull into a 66-all tie with 1:41 left.
Carson Cooper ended Michigan State’s scoring drought with a go-ahead free throw and grabbed a defensive rebound on the ensuing possession. After a scoreless first half with two fouls, the 6-foot-11 senior had nine points in the second half.
Jeremy Fears Jr. took advantage of Acuff’s inexperience, drawing a foul on a 3-point shot with 43.2 seconds left and making two free throws for a three-point lead.
Thomas missed a 3-pointer with 27 seconds to go, and after Michigan State freshman Jordan Scott missed two free throws, Acuff missed a 3-pointer with seven seconds left.
The Razorbacks retained possession, and after Izzo called timeout, Trevon Brazile shot an air ball on a 3-pointer.
D.J. Wagner scored eight of his 13 points in the first half, helping Arkansas lead 39-36 in the closely contested game.
