Tye & Tommy on the win last night, baseball news, Hogs’ women vs UConn, plus Richard Davenport!
Pearl on Auburn ‘letting one get away’ in Hogs’ second-half comeback
Tigers coach Bruce Pearl felt they wasted a solid first 16 minutes of the game against Arkansas building a 19-point lead before coming up short.
Hogs come from 19 down, then hold off Auburn for much-needed win
For the third straight game, Arkansas got down big in the first half.
This time they came back.
The Razorbacks showed great resolve in the second half to pull out a 75-73 victory over Auburn Wednesday night at Bud Walton Arena.
Desi Sills, who scored a career-high 23 in the first meeting with Auburn this year, pumped in 22 Wednesday, including 14 in the second half. Jalen Tate scored 14 while Jaylin Williams and Justin Smith each scored 10.
Arkansas was down 19 (37-18) with just over four minutes left in the first half. Vance Jackson, Jr., and Tate made a pair of 3-pointers and the Hogs trimmed their deficit to 12 at the break.
With the win, Arkansas snapped a 42-game losing streak when trailing by 12-plus points at halftime dating back to a 72-69 win at Georgia on Feb. 3, 2010 (HogStats.com).
Smith opened the second half with a quick basket and Arkansas took its first lead of the game, 47-45 at 13:26, thanks to an 18-4 run to start the period. Williams punctuated the lead with a dunk on an offensive rebound.
Javon Franklin sank a pair of 3-pointers to give Auburn brief leads, the last being 53-51 with 11:49 left. Davonte Davis answered back-to-back baskets and Arkansas did not trail the rest of the game.
However, Auburn made it interesting down the stretch.
Arkansas took its largest lead, eight points (74-66), with 2:40 left. The Tigers made three straight trips to the free throw line but were just 3-of-6 to trail by five with 1:52 left.
After an Arkansas turnover, Sharife Cooper drove to the basket for a layup to cut the Auburn deficit to three (74-71) with 1:41 left.
Arkansas did not score, and Auburn took over with 26 seconds left. Cooper worked the clock down to five seconds but was met by a wall of Razorbacks at the rim.
Moses Moody pulled down the rebound and was fouled with two seconds left. He made 1-of-2 at the line to make the score 75-73 and Auburn’s final shot missed.
Cooper finished with a game-high 25 points and JT Thor added 12.
The Hogs came up empty on the ensuing possession and Cooper made another layup to make it a one-point game (74-73) with 1:03 remaining.
Up Next, Arkansas is scheduled to return to the road to face Vanderbilt on Saturday.
Tipoff is set for Noon and the game will be televised on SEC Network.
Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
Musselman after big second half effort propels Hogs’ comeback win over Tigers
Arkansas coach Eric Musselman said after the 75-73 win over Auburn the effort and energy in the second half was key in “must win” game.
Tate recapping Razorbacks’ come-from-behind win over Auburn
Hogs guard Jalen Tate talked with the media after the 75-73 win about the work of Jaylin Williams and Desi Sills in practice paying off.
Sills on how he worked his way through slump for big night against Tigers
Razorbacks Desi Sills (22 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists) on how his teammates kept encouraging him through rough stretch in games.
Listen live to Hogs-Auburn here or on ESPN Arkansas radio stations
• Who: Arkansas Razorbacks (10-4, 2-4 SEC) vs. Auburn Tigers (8-6, 2-4 SEC)
• What: This will be the second meeting between the two programs this season
• When: Wednesday, Jan. 20, 8 p.m.
• Where: Fayetteville, Ark. – Bud Walton Arena/Nolan Richardson Court
• TV: SEC Network (Roy Philpott and Mark Wise) WATCH HERE
• ONLINE: HitThatLine.com LISTEN HERE
• 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)
After back-to-back road games, Arkansas returns to Bud Walton Arena to host Auburn on Wednesday (Jan. 20). Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. and the game will be televised on SEC Network.
Pregame coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. and you LISTEN HERE or on the radio at 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 will have all the coverage.
• Arkansas leads 21-5 versus Auburn in games played in Fayetteville.
• Arkansas defeated Auburn, 97-85, in the teams’ SEC opener on Dec. 30 at Auburn. Desi Sills scored a career-high 23 points and JD Notae added 21. Overall, five Razorbacks scored in double figures with Connor Vanover adding 17, Moses Moody 16 and Jalen Tate 12.
• Despite back-to-back road losses, Arkansas ranks 35th in the NCAA NET and the Razorbacks are one of five SEC teams in the NCAA NET top 35.
• This is just Arkansas’ third home game since SEC play began. Arkansas was the only team in the SEC to play four of its first six conference games on the road. By contrast, LSU has played four of its first six at home. Arkansas and Texas A&M are the only SEC teams that have played four league games so far versus NCAA NET Quad 1 opponents. Arkansas is the only one to play three on the road.
• Moses Moody is the only player in the SEC among the top 15 in scoring (6th), field goal percentage (11th), free throw percentage (5th) and rebounds (15th).
• Auburn made 15 3’s in the teams’ first meeting. Auburn is 17th in the NCAA in 3’s made and 11th in 3’s attempted. The Tigers rank 11th in the NCAA in blocked shots.
Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
Neighbors replaces Vanderbilt with powerhouse Uconn in Bud Walton
Mike Neighbors hinted earlier this week that he might have a big name addition to Arkansas’ schedule with Vanderbilt cancelling it’s season.
He delivered.
Connecticut will come to Bud Walton Arena on Jan. 28. The game will tip off at 4 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN2.
“We entered this season knowing cancellation of games could be a possibility, so we started early conversations with our friends in the game that had a similar desire to play the best competition possible with covid protocols in mind,” Neighbors said in a press release Wednesday afternoon. “When Vanderbilt opted out of the season Monday, we were lucky enough that UConn had a common open date as ours. A few texts and a couple of calls later, we got it all set.
“We are so proud of our team for wanting to play against the best teams in the country. They embrace the challenge of playing against the team that has set the standard for play in our game over the last 25 years.
“We are thrilled for our fans, too. They get to see another high-quality matchup inside Bud Walton Arena. Thanks to our administration for providing our student-athletes the opportunity to make a game of this magnitude happen so quickly.
“Coach Auriemma has been nice to me since my first year in college basketball and we can’t thank him and his staff enough for making this game happen.”
UConn, currently ranked third in the Associated Press Poll, represents the second top-five non-conference game on the Hogs’ schedule this season after hosting Baylor on Dec. 6.
Arkansas won its game against the Lady Bears, 83-78.
With the addition of the Huskies to their schedule, the Razorbacks have now played every national champion since the turn of the century except for Notre Dame (Baylor, 2019, 2012, 2005; South Carolina 2017; UConn 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2010, 2009, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2000; Texas A&M, 2011; Tennessee, 2008, 2007; Maryland, 2006).
The Huskies are currently undefeated, sporting a flawless 8-0 record so far this season.
The Hogs and the Huskies have only squared off one other time, a 100-64 road win for UConn back in November of 1998. Both teams were ranked in that matchup as well — Arkansas came into the game ranked 18th, while the Huskies were ranked third.
There is an Arkansas connection for UConn, as starting guard Christyn Williams hails from Little Rock, playing her high school ball at Central Arkansas Christian.
The trip to the Natural State for the Huskies will be a homecoming for the 5-11 junior.
Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
Trusting the Process S1E3 with Steve Sullivan of KATV
Tye & Sully on his path to Arkansas, friends in the industry, the great AR high school players he’s covered and more!
Henry on Diamond Hogs prospects prior to season getting started
Hawgs Illustrated’s Clay Henry talked Hogs baseball with play-by-play announcer Phil Elson and Matt Jenkins on Halftime on Wednesday.
Fulmer didn’t step down on his own as Vols’ athletics director, says King
Nashville Sports Radio’s Bill King said Phillip Fulmer has messed up the entire athletics department and it’s doubtful he made choice to retire.
