Arkansas guard El Ellis runs a play against Vanderbilt guard Ezra Manjon during an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, in Fayetteville, Ark. (Arkansas Athletics)Ezra Manjon scored 22 points, including two free throws with three seconds left, Tyrin Lawrence added 21 points and Ven-Allen Lubin had his third double-double of the season to help Vanderbilt beat Arkansas 85-82 Tuesday night and end a three-game skid.
Lubin finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds and Paul Lewis scored 11 points for Vanderbilt (8-20, 3-12 SEC). The Commodores — who went into the game shooting 39.0% from the field, No. 346 out of 351 Division I programs — shot a season-high 51% (29 of 57) and scored more than 78 points for the first time this season.
Manjon and Lewis each hit a 3-pointer in a 17-4 run that gave Vanderbilt a 69-53 lead with 6:07 to play. El Ellis scored 10 points and Khalif Battle added a three-point play and a 3-pointer in a 22-9 spurt over the next four minutes as the Razorbacks trimmed their deficit to 78-75.
Manjon made with a layup with 1:48 remaining, Battle answered with two free throws and Lubin converted a three-point play to make it a six-point game with 20 seconds left. Tramon Mark hit two foul shots six seconds later, Ellis stole a pass to set up a 3 by Battle that made it 83-82 with five seconds left but Manjon hit two free throws and Mark’s potential tying 3 at the buzzer was no good.
Battle, who scored a career-high 42 in a win over Missouri last time out, led Arkansas (14-14, 5-10) with 36 points, 21 in the second half. Ellis finished with 19 and Mark 15.
Arkansas scored the first seven points and jumped to a 20-10 lead — including 11 points by Battle — when Jeremiah Davenport hit a 3 with 12:46 left in the first half. The Razorbacks went 0-for-9 from the field with three turnovers over the next seven-plus minutes as Vanderbilt made it a one-possession game before Ellis made a layup that gave Arkansas a 27-23 lead with 5:04 remaining. Manjon made a jumper and layup before Roberts gave the Commodores their first lead with two free throws more than a minute later. Lubin made a layup before Manjon capped a 10-0 spurt with a jumper that made it 33-27 with a minute to go.
Arkansas had won back-to-back games for the first time since the Razorbacks beat Lipscomb, Abilene Christian and UNC Wilmington to wrap up nonconference play.
Vanderbilt has three in a row against the Razorbacks, including back-to-back wins at Arkansas for the first time.
Vanderbilt plays host to LSU on Saturday. Arkansas hits the road to play Saturday at No. 16 Kentucky.
