FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — In the Razorbacks’ first game under new coach John Calipari, the newly assembled roster had some memorable moments. Lipscomb kept it close throughout, which put Arkansas on a roll to win the season opener.

The Bison were able to control the tempo of the game on Nolan Richardson Court in the early stages of the first half. Lipscomb kept the Hogs from forcing turnovers and running in transition in the first 10 minutes.

Once the barrage began to drain, Arkansas scored 25 points off 19 Lipscomb turnovers, which ended up being one of the biggest margins Wednesday night. The Razorbacks were especially tough inside, outscoring the Bisons, 54-22, in the paint.

Fight from the deep

Arkansas made just 4 of 19 three-point attempts, despite many of the misses rolling to the rim before going out. Fland proved to be a confident, scrappy shooter during preseason practices and events, but struggled from three during the two exhibition games and against Lipscomb.

The true 5-star freshman made just 1-of-8 attempts, three that were the most of any Razorback. Still, Fland has a smooth shot with a quick release, while finishing 6-of-10 from the two.

The Big Z takeover

Sophomore transfer Zvonimir Ivisic started at center but was far from effective in the first half. He was a spark in the second half, scoring all 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting along with three blocks, including an emphatic game-tying one, in 16 minutes.

When Lipscomb pulled within four at 7:47 of the second period, Ivisic fired to the right wing to force a contested three. That moment sent the Razorbacks on a 16-4 run to close out a victory.

Visibly light presence

While every ticket was sold for the Razorbacks’ season opener, there were plenty of empty red seats available at tip-off. There seemed to be a lack of excitement throughout the game outside of a few random big plays or hits.

Arkansas fans packed Bud Walton Arena well when it hosted Kansas nearly three weeks ago, but the official start of Calipari’s tenure lacked true home-court advantage. Fortunately, the Razorbacks had more than enough talent to run past the Bisons despite a slow start.

Calipari’s first real test of the season will come Saturday against Baylor in Dallas at the American Airlines Center. Tip-off for the anticipated Big 12-SEC rivalry matchup is set for 6:30 p.m. and will air on ESPNU.

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