Boogie Fland, an Arkansas point guard and Bronx native, had over 100 friends and family members as the Razorbacks (8-2, 0-0 SEC) defeated the No. 14 Michigan Wolverines (8-2, 2-0 Big 10) by 89 -87 defeated in a thrilling contest at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.

In front of this family and friends, Fland had a spectacular performance, finishing with 20 points on 6 of 18 shooting and seven assists in the game. He was a constant source of offense for the Razorbacks, who came from a 15-point deficit to build an 18-point lead, only for it to fade in the second half.

“It was nice for them to see me play in person,” Fland said after the game. “For most of my career they couldn’t see me. “Especially that we’re in the Garden for the first time and get the win, that’s nothing special.”

The true freshman started the game slowly as he missed his first four shots and went 14 minutes without a basket.

“I just didn’t hit my shot,” Fland said. “Just get out of my head and just keep playing, keep playing.”

And he carried on. Fland got hot towards the end of the first half as he scored eight straight points for the Razorbacks and had 13 at the end of the first half. His second half performance didn’t produce as many goals, but he got his teammates involved with three assists.

However, some things cannot be quantified in a stat sheet. Fland’s energy on the court was contagious to the rest of the team, who hit 50% of their shots from the field and hit nine three-pointers in the contest.

“As you all know, Boogie is a great player. So if you can feed off your energy, it just builds your own confidence and makes you want to play better,” Arkansas guard DJ Wagner said after the game.

Fland also praised how special it was for him to play at Madison Square Garden, a premier venue in college basketball history.

“It was a dream,” Fland said. “Growing up in the Bronx, having the opportunity to come back and play in your hometown, get a W and perform with my teammates, that’s just not a feeling.”

Tuesday’s performance was the latest in a long line of efficient games that Fland, a former five-star who played at Stepinac High School in White Plains, New York, has played for the Razorbacks this season.

While Fland has also been good in the last 10 games, he said he knows the job isn’t done and the SEC is one of the toughest leagues in college basketball this season. But this win shows the team what they are capable of.

“It shows what we can be and what potential we have,” Fland said. “Our cap, there really is no cap. Just like when we come together over time as we should. Coach said we just said we would only play each other twice, so I think in time we will come together and be one of those teams.”

The Razorbacks head home from New York City with a win and begin preparations for their next contest, an in-state game against Central Arkansas on Saturday in North Little Rock at Simmons Bank Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. CT and the game will be streamed on SEC Network+.