Hogs Pull Away For 20 Point Win Over Auburn

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Ronnie Brewer scored 19 points Saturday night as Arkansas topped Auburn 84-64. Arkansas (16-7, 5-5 Southeastern Conference), which was coming off a heartbreaking 78-77 loss to LSU on Wednesday, was flat at times but also showed good ball movement in stretches and aggressiveness under the boards. Auburn (10-11, 2-8) led six times in the first half and it took some effort for the Razorbacks to build a lead that would stick. But Arkansas went into the break leading 36-31 and Auburn would never threaten in the second half. Jonathan Modica scored 17 for Arkansas and Charles Thomas contributed 13. Brewer, the SEC steals leader coming in, added four rebounds, six assists and three steals with no turnovers. He was seven-of-12 shooting. Thomas was five-of-seven from the floor and added five rebounds. For Auburn, Korvotney Barber led the scoring with 14 points, Ronny LeMelle scored 13, and Josh Dollard and Rasheem Barrett had 11 each. Arkansas shot 56.9 percent for the game to Auburn`s 37.3 percent. But a much smaller Auburn team still pulled down 33 rebounds to 32 for Arkansas. The Razorbacks shot 65.4 percent in the second period while holding AU to 35.5 percent as Arkansas outscored the Tigers 48-33. Auburn got the first basket of the second half to cut the deficit to three, but Arkansas steadily pulled away. A long 3-pointer by Brewer with 10:10 to play gave Arkansas a 56-44 lead, its first lead of 10 points or more in the game. With 3:03 left in the game, Modica made two free throws for a 75-54 lead. Auburn coach Jeff Lebo had a flu-like illness and stayed in the locker room. Assistant coach John Cooper ran the team in his stead. The Razorbacks travel to Ole Miss for a 7 p.m. game on Wednesday.