FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (Interstat) — In a high-paced, physical nonconference clash between two emerging teams, the Arkansas Razorbacks used a dominant first half and superior efficiency at the free-throw line to hold off a second-half charge from the Louisville Cardinals for an 89-80 victory Wednesday night at a raucous Bud Walton Arena.

A crowd of 19,600 watched the Razorbacks improve to 6-2, delivering a statement win in their first major test at home this season. Louisville, which entered the game with a perfect 7-0 record, saw its season-opening run end and fell to 7-1.

The story of the game was written in the first 20 minutes and at the charity stripe. Arkansas built an 18-point halftime lead, 47-29, by shooting a scorching 53% from the field and exploiting Louisville’s stagnant offense. The Cardinals, meanwhile, managed just 29 points on 10-of-33 shooting in the half, including a frigid 2-of-17 from three-point range.

While Louisville won the second half 51-42 and closed the gap to single digits multiple times, the early deficit and Arkansas’s relentless parade to the free-throw line proved too much to overcome. The Razorbacks attempted 35 free throws, making 27. Louisville attempted only 18, making 14. That 13-point advantage at the line was the decisive margin in a nine-point game.

Arkansas’s offense was fueled by the inside-outside combination of forward Trevon Brazile and guard Darius Acuff Jr. Brazile, a 6-foot-10 junior from Springfield, Missouri, was nearly flawless, scoring a game-high 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, in just 31 minutes. His early three-point barrage helped Arkansas seize control.

Acuff, a sophomore guard from Detroit, orchestrated the attack with a double-double, tallying 17 points and 10 assists against only two turnovers. His command of the pick-and-roll and ability to find cutters kept the Louisville defense off balance all night.

Louisville’s offense finally found a rhythm after halftime, primarily through the scoring of guard Mikel Brown. The sophomore from Orlando, Florida, led all scorers with 22 points and added three assists. He attacked the rim relentlessly in the second period, helping the Cardinals cut a 21-point deficit down to seven with just over four minutes to play.

Center Sananda Fru, a 6-foot-11 freshman from Berlin, Germany, provided a strong interior presence for Louisville with 14 points and two blocks. Guard Ryan Conwell added 15 points, though he struggled with his shot, going 5-of-17 from the field, including 3-of-13 from deep.

Every time Louisville threatened, Arkansas had an answer. After the Cardinals pulled within 76-69 with 4:45 left, Acuff drove for a layup and, after a Louisville turnover, found Brazile for a soaring alley-oop to push the lead back to 11. The sequence typified the night: Louisville’s effort met by Arkansas’s execution.

Key supporting performances sealed the win for the Razorbacks. Freshman guard Meleek Thomas of Pittsburgh scored 17 points, while forward Malique Ewin came off the bench to provide 12 points and crucial energy, particularly on the offensive glass where Arkansas held a 14-10 advantage. Billy Richmond added 10 points.

Beyond the free-throw line, the statistical battle was closer. Both teams had 79 possessions. Arkansas was more efficient, posting an offensive rating of 113.2 to Louisville’s 103.2. The Razorbacks turned Louisville’s nine turnovers into 14 points, while the Cardinals generated only seven points off Arkansas’s nine giveaways.

Louisville won the points-in-the-paint battle 42-34 and shot a higher percentage from two-point range, but its dismal 8-of-37 shooting from three-point territory, a 21.6% clip, undermined its comeback attempts. Arkansas was a more selective 6-of-18 from deep.

The loss snapped an impressive start for Louisville, which had won its first seven games by an average of 31.7 points, including a 96-88 victory over rival Kentucky. Arkansas rebounded from a tough neutral-court loss to Duke just days prior.

Louisville heads to Indianapolis for a neutral-site game against Indiana on Saturday. Arkansas remains at home to host Fresno State, also on Saturday.

According to national analytics, Louisville was a narrow pregame favorite with a 50.4% projected win probability and a 3.5-point spread. The combined score of 169 points went over the betting total of 161.