Arkansas 81, Jackson State 44

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP)—Arkansas gave Stan Heath a runaway victory in his first game as the Razorbacks’ coach by dominating Jackson State with a record-setting rebound performance in a 81-44 win on Friday.

Freshman guard Kendrick Davis led Arkansas’ balanced scoring attack with 13 points, but the story was the Razorbacks out-rebounding the Tigers 77-29. Jonathan Modica, another freshman guard, led Arkansas with 13 rebounds.

The total rebounds broke the previous record of 75 set on Dec. 22, 1956, in a game against Fort Chaffee.

The Razorbacks’ highest rebound total last season was 40 in a season-opening win over Maine. Arkansas was out-rebounded in that game as it was in 24 of 29 games during the 2001-02 season.

Arkansas had 42 rebounds by halftime, in part because it shot just 34.2 percent from the field and that helped produce 18 offensive rebounds. Jackson State also gave the Razorbacks plenty of opportunities for rebounds by making just 13 of 62 shots (21 percent) for the game.

Senior forward Dionisio Gomez and Alonzo Lane each added seven rebounds for Arkansas.

The margin of victory could have been much higher but the Razorbacks made just 27 of 48 attempts from the free throw line. Jackson State wasn’t any better, shooting just 50 percent by making 16 of 32.

Davis paced four players in double figures for Arkansas, as Michael Jones had 12 and Lane and Modica added 11. Ishmael Joyce led Jackson State with nine points.