Billy Richmond III scored 16 points, Davion Thompson added 15, and No. 19 Arkansas pulled away in the second half for a 76-53 victory over pesky Robert Morris in Fayetteville, Ark., on Wednesday.
Cooper Bowser had 12 points and 10 rebounds and JJ Andrews added 11 points for the Razorbacks, who rebounded from a 91-72 loss to No. 6 Virginia on Sunday.
Ace Valentine scored 13 points. KJ Garris Jr. scored 11 and Darius Livingston added 10 for the Colonials, who lost their third straight on a season-opening three-game road trip.
Furman transfer Bowser was 6 of 8 from the field and had two blocked shots. Thompson had seven assists and five rebounds while running the point. Richmond had four rebounds and four assists.
The Colonials, who led much of the first half, cut the deficit to 50-45 on Livingston’s layup with 12:25 left before Arkansas put it away with a 20-3 spurt that included Richmond’s tomahawk fast-break slam.
Thompson scored seven points, Richmond had five and Jeremiah Wilkinson made a 3-pointer in that run capped by Jordan Smith Jr.’s first basket to give the Hogs a 70-48 edge. Wilkinson had 10 points.
Arkansas shot 50% from the field and limited Robert Morris to 37.3%. The more physical, athletic Hogs had a 45-21 rebounding edge.
Valentine scored 10 points with two 3-pointers and Livingston had eight points and two more treys in the first half, when the Colonials held Arkansas scoreless for almost five minutes and led most of the way.
Abdou Toure gave Arkansas its first lead at 12-11, but the Colonials had a 25-22 edge after Garris’ three with 6:51 remaining in the half before Arkansas responded with their first big run of the game, 17-3.
Bowser made consecutive dunks and Richmond had four points as part of a 12-0 spurt in that run to help the Hogs to a 39-30 halftime lead.
