Jones, Whitt, Joe lead Razorbacks to annual NLR trip against Valparaiso

Who: Valparaiso Crusaders (7-5) vs Arkansas Razorbacks (9-1)
What: Arkansas’ annual trip to North Little Rock
When: Saturday – Dec. 21, 2019 – 7:00 pm
Where: Simmons Bank Arena – North Little Rock, Ark.

How to follow the game:
• TV/Live Stream: None
• Radio: ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
• Listen to the game at HitThatLine.com: CLICK HERE
• Sirius/XM: streaming online, channel 978
• Live Stats: www.Arkansas.StatBroadcast.com

•Arkansas Game Notes: CLICK HERE
• Tulsa Game Notes: CLICK HERE
• Simmons Bank Arena Game Day/Parking Information: CLICK HERE

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas will make its annual trip to North Little Rock to face Valparaiso on Saturday.

Tip-off is set for 7 pm.

The Arkansas women’s team will face UALR on Saturday in North Little Rock as well with that game t starting at 1 pm. Simmons Bank Arena will be cleared between games and fans must purchase separate tickets for both contests.

• This will be the first time Arkansas has ever faced Valpo.

• This will be the 21st time since 1999 Arkansas has played in North Little Rock. The Razorbacks are 11-9 in the previous 20 contests, have won three straight and won six of the last seven.

Arkansas will not play again until Dec. 29 when the Razorbacks are at Indiana. Tip-off for that contest is set for 5 p.m.

No. 23 in first NCAA NET, but no. 12 RPI, no. 10 seed in bracketology

• Arkansas’ NET was 23 in the first official NCAA NET rankings (Dec. 16).

• Arkansas’ NET is 2nd-best among SEC schools behind Auburn (7).

•  The rest of the SEC in the NET: 25 Tennessee; 26 LSU; 46 Ole Miss; 58 Kentucky; 73 Missouri; 76 Georgia; 78 Florida 6-3; 90 Mississippi State; 96 Alabama; 99 Vanderbilt; 145 South Carolina and 281 Texas A&M.

• Arkansas has an RPI of 12, up two after a 19-point win over Tulsa. Arkansas’ RPI is better than 10 teams in the top 25, including Virginia, Arizona, Oregon, Tennessee, Butler, Penn State, Memphis, Washington, Michigan and Michigan State.

• ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has the Hogs as a #10 seed, facing Indiana in Spokane of the West Region of the 2020 NCAA Basketball Tournament.

So far, this is worst — and best rebounding year in history

• Arkansas knew all along with the loss of Daniel Gafford (8.7 rpg last season) and no size returning, rebounding was going to be an issue.

• Arkansas ranks 314th NCAA/14th SEC in offensive rebounds per game (7.7 avg).

• Arkansas ranks 271st NCAA/13th SEC in rebounds per game (34.2 avg).

• Arkansas ranks 276th NCAA/13th SEC in rebound margin (-2.2 avg).

• Arkansas ranks 151st NCAA/8th SEC in defensive rebounds per game (26.5 avg) … BUT SEE BELOW

• THIS IS THE WORST OFFENSIVE REBOUNDING YEAR DATING BACK TO 1986-87*

•  Arkansas gets 7.7 offensive boards while opponents get 26.0 defensive boards.

• Arkansas gets a program worst 22.9% of available rebounds on the offensive end.

• THIS IS THE BEST DEFENSIVE REBOUNDING YEAR DATING BACK TO 1986-87*

• Arkansas gets 26.5 defensive boards while opponents get 10.4 offensive boards.Arkansas gets a program-best 71.8% of available rebounds on the defensive end.

* – stat courtesy of HogStats.com – offensive/defensive boards not separated prior to 1986-87

Whitt and Jones among guards in NCAA for FG%

• Jimmy Whitt, Jr., ranks fifth in the SEC (100th in the NCAA) in field goal percentage (52.9%).

• Whitt ranks 24th in the NCAA among guards in overall FG% (52.9%).

• Mason Jones ranks ninth in the SEC (131st in the NCAA) in field goal percentage (50.5%).

• Jones ranks 39th in the NCAA among guards in overall FG% (50.5%). However, Jones is shooting an impressive 68.6% (35-of-51) inside the 3-point arc this season.

• To put his 2-point shooting in perspective, #6 on the NCAA FG% leaders list is 68.6% by 6-11 forward Zeke Nnaji (Arizona).

Joe — in just 44 games — is six 3’s from career top 10

• Isaiah Joe went into several record books last season. He set four school records for 3-pointers, two SEC freshman records (while being just the fourth SEC frosh to lead the league 3PT%) and made the fourth-most 3-pointers by a freshman in NCAA history.

• Joe is on the verge of entering the Arkansas career record for 3-pointers made.

• Joe has made 147 career triples — six shy of 10th (153 by Jonathan Modica (2003-06).

• Joe has made 147 treys in 44 career games. By comparison, Modica needed 118 games to make his 153.

• Joe made 113 triples as a freshman and entered the season needing to make just 40 3’s to enter the career top 10.

• Joe makes 39.4% percent of his 3-pointers. At that pace, he would rank ninth in school history.­­

Isaiah Joe on Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year watch list

• Arkansas sophomore Isaiah Joe was named to the 2020 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award watch list, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today.

• FANS CAN VOTE FOR THEIR FAVORITE PLAYER HERE.