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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team committed a season-high 28 fouls to aid host Arkansas in the Razorbacks’ 71-57 victory Tuesday night in Bud Walton Arena.

Arkansas improves to 7-3 overall and 7-1 in home games while the Colonels fall to 7-6.

Senior Jaron Jones paced EKU with 16 points and a career-high nine rebounds. Jones has scored at least 10 points in 11 consecutive games.

Three Hogs finished in double figures led by Mardracus Wade with 13 points. Wade converted 7-of-10 free throws. BJ Young (12 points) and Marvell White (11) combined for 23 points while Devonta Abron chipped in with 10 boards.

Eastern built a 9-2 lead early behind a couple of three-pointers followed by a driving lay-in from Jones. However, the Colonels quickly went cold from the field and made only one field goal in a 10-minute stretch later in the opening half. Arkansas turned the game around at that point, going on a 21-4 run to take the lead for good.

The Razorbacks thrived at the charity stripe in the first 20 minutes, sinking 17-of-18 (94.4 percent) free throw shots, helping Arkansas build a 39-30 cushion at intermission. Six of EKU’s nine field goals were threes in the first half.

Arkansas opened the second half with a 12-2 spurt, capped by an Abron lay-up, to extend its lead to a game-high 19 points, 51-32.

EKU did not fold and had numerous chances to cut the deficit to single digits, but would only get as close as 10 points the rest of the way.

The Razorbacks tallied season highs in free throws made (29) and attempted (35).

This was just the second ever meeting between the two schools. The first meeting took place exactly 31 years ago (Dec. 20, 1980) and resulted in an 80-74 Arkansas victory.

The Colonels now have a week off to enjoy the holiday season before returning to conference action on Thursday, Dec. 29 against Austin Peay.