FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Ven-Allen Lubin scored 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, including a pivotal putback with 20 seconds remaining, to lead Vanderbilt to an 85-82 win over Arkansas on Tuesday night at Bud Walton Arena.
Lubin’s double-double marked the third of the season for the sophomore. Three other Commodores scored in double figures, led by Ezra Manjon with 22. Tyrin Lawrence added 21 and Paul Lewis 11 as Vanderbilt (8-20, 3-12 SEC) scored a season-high 85.
Khalif Battle led three Razorbacks in double figures with a game-high 36 points. El Ellis added 19 and Tramon Mark 15.
Arkansas (14-14, 5-10 SEC) raced to a 20-10 lead out of the gates behind a 9-0 run. Vanderbilt responded with a 10-0 run late in the half and held the Hogs to just 1-of-17 from the field in the last 12 minutes of the opening stanza, taking a 35-31 lead into the half.
The Dores built on the lead in the second half, extending it to 16 before a furious Arkansas rally pulled the Hogs within one with five seconds to play. A pair of Manjon free throws iced the game as Arkansas’ last heave clanged off the iron.
Vanderbilt held a narrow 35-34 edge rebounding, with Lubin securing a game-leading 12. The Commodores owned a 44-26 edge in the paint along with a 15-3 margin in second-chance points.
Vanderbilt returns home on Saturday to host LSU in a 2:30 p.m. tip on SEC Network.
