Adou Thiero scores 23 points as No. 20 Arkansas beats Pacific 91-72

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Adou Thiero scored 23 points, and No. 20 Arkansas pulled away from Pacific for a 91-72 victory on Monday night.

Thiero was 8 for 10 from the field as Arkansas (3-1) shot 60% as a team. Boogie Fland scored 20 points, and Zvonimir Ivisic finished with 15. D.J. Wagner had 14 points and five assists.

Pacific (3-3) lingered until the final 12 minutes, pulling within two at one juncture. But the Tigers went more than eight minutes without a field goal and Arkansas kept building its lead.

Takeaways

Pacific: It was one of the Tigers’ best games of the season, but they have lost three in a row. Elijah Fisher scored 23 points.

Arkansas: The new-look Razorbacks, in coach John Calipari’s first season, are finding an offensive rhythm even with only one scholarship player returning from last year.

Key moment

Lamar Washington’s three-point play trimmed Pacific’s deficit to 59-57 with 12:57 remaining. But Wagner responded with a layup for Arkansas. Johnell Davis’ 3-pointer lifted the Razorbacks to a 66-59 lead with 11:53 to go.

Key stat

Arkansas shot 43% (9 for 21) from 3-point range and 80% (20 for 25) from the free-throw line. Pacific made only two of its last 16 shots from the field, shooting 32% in the second half after almost 50% shooting in the first.

Up next

Pacific will play a second straight SEC team Friday when it travels to Missouri.

Arkansas gets in-state foe Little Rock at home Friday.

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By ERIC W. BOLIN
Associated Press