By DEREK OXFORD Associated Press
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Mason Jones set a career high with 32 points and Arkansas easily defeated Rice 91-43 in the season opener for both teams Tuesday night at Bud Walton Arena.
The game was the first for new head coach Eric Musselman, who was hired in April after the Razorbacks fired Mike Anderson after eight seasons.
Arkansas held Rice to only 19 points in the first half, the lowest amount of points given up by an Arkansas team in a half since 2013.
The Owls finished the game with 27 turnovers and shot an abysmal 29 percent from the field. Arkansas turned the ball over 21 times.
Sophomore guard Isaiah Joe added 24 points for the Razorbacks and Jalen Harris scored 10 off the bench.
BIG PICTURE
Arkansas: The Razorbacks were picked to finish 11th by the league’s media back in mid-October in a league that expects to send six or even seven teams to the NCAA Tournament.
Rice: Coming off a 13-19 season a year ago, Rice is hoping to finish in the upper half of Conference USA in 2019-2020.
UP NEXT
Arkansas: The Razorbacks and Jones host North Texas next Tuesday in Fayetteville.
Rice: The Owls host Pennsylvania on Saturday.
