Arkansas definitely didn’t have its Cadillac of performances Saturday in a 62-55 victory over Southeastern Louisiana at Bud Walton Arena.

B.J. Young had four points and a steal during a crucial 12-2 run for Arkansas on Saturday.

But the Razorbacks, who were playing their third game in three weeks – after going through final exams the previous five days – will certainly take the win and move forward.

“It’s that raggedy ride,” Coach Mike Anderson said, repeating an analogy used by his former boss Nolan Richardson. “The raggedy ride is better than a smooth walk …

“Some guys got raggedy cars, but they can get around.”

The Razorbacks (6-3) went on a 12-2 run to end the first half, turning a five-point deficit into a 35-30 halftime lead. They never trailed in the second half, leading by as much as 10 points, but scored just two points in the final 4:30 of the game.

The Lions (5-4) got within five with 33 seconds left on a three-pointer by senior guard DeShawn Patterson, but Hogs senior guard Julysses Nobles hit two free throws with 30 seconds left to set the final score.

Arkansas was outrebounded 41-31 by Southland Conference member Southeastern Louisiana, and the Hogs were 11 of 23 from the free-throw line.

Yet the Razorbacks helped force 20 turnovers – they committed 15 themselves – and managed to snap a two-game losing streak in their first of seven consecutive home games over the next three weeks.

True freshman guard Rashad “Ky” Madden was the only Razorback who scored in double figures, finishing with 10 points and a team-high seven assists. Sophomore guards Rickey Scott and Mardracus Wade each scored eight, as did true freshman forward Devonta Abron.

True freshman guard B.J. Young made his first career start for Arkansas, but he scored just six points, 10.5 fewer than his season average.

“I thought he was tentative,” Anderson said. “That’s a freshman for you.

“That’s why you want to take the pressure away from young guys and let them go at their own pace.”

Former Mississippi State big man Elgin Bailey, a senior playing his second game for Southeastern Louisiana, had 12 points and 12 rebounds. Former LSU guard Daron Populist, a junior, and senior guard DeShawn Patterson each added 11 points for the Lions.

“Well, for a program like ours, you feel like you’ve done well to hang in there with an SEC school. That’s kind of a natural feeling,” said Southeastern Louisiana Coach Jim Yarbrough, whose leading scorer and best ball handler, senior guard Brandon Fortenberry, was out with a foot injury.

“I thought we did a very nice job of hanging in there and giving ourselves a chance down the stretch.”

Southeastern Louisiana committed six turnovers during the final 3:49 of the first half when the Hogs went on their game-changing run. Scott and Young each had four points and a steal during that stretch.

“We started playing like the Razorbacks,” senior forward Marvell Waithe said. “We started playing like we can play.

“I thought it was a very ugly win. Extremely. But an ugly win is better than any kind of loss. I’ll take it.”

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