Arkansas in control to pick up 73-63 win over Illinois in NCAAT first round on Thursday; No. 1-seed Kansas up next

Arkansas seized the advantage on Thursday, besting Illinois 73-63 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The Razorbacks, No. 3-seed in the Midwest region, now set their sights on No. 1-seed Kansas in the next round.

The Razorbacks exhibited a commanding presence from the opening tip, putting together a string of successful offensive possessions that built a lead that the Illini could never quite recover from. The Arkansas offense was propelled by the efforts of Desi Sills, whose 18 points led all scorers, and Justin Smith, whose 15 points and 5 rebounds provided the necessary spark.

Though the Illini were able to keep the game within striking distance, their offense was largely stifled by the Razorbacks’ defense. Illinois was held to just 36.7 percent shooting from the field, and to just 22.2 percent from 3-point range.

The Razorbacks’ overall control of the game was further demonstrated by the disparity in free throw attempts: Arkansas attempted 27, while Illinois attempted just 10.

Arkansas now moves on to face Kansas, the reigning Big 12 regular-season champions, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday. The Jayhawks have the edge in seeding, but the Razorbacks have proved that they are a formidable force, and are determined to keep their tournament run alive.