Arkansas’ Mason Jones (36 points, 3 assists, 2 steals) talking to the media Wednesday night after going for 30-plus points in.game for the eighth time this season.
Wade has high praise for Hogs’ Whitt after falling, 99-90, Wednesday night
LSU coach Will Wade thought Arkansas’ Jimmy Whitt, Jr., was the biggest difference in the game after falling at Bud Walton Arena in a game controlled by the senior.
Arkansas-LSU matchup on ESPN Arkansas in final home game of season
Who: Arkansas Razorbacks (18-11, 6-10 SEC) vs LSU Tigers (20-9, 11-5 SEC)
What: Razorbacks play their final home game. Seniors to be honored after the game.
When: Wednesday, March 4, 6 p.m.
Where: Bud Walton Arena / Nolan Richardson Court
• TV: SEC Network (Roy Philpott and Mark Wise). WATCH ONLINE
• Radio: ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home with Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman on the call.
• Online: Listen online at HitThatLine.com
Honoring Razorback seniors
• Immediately after the Arkansas-LSU game, the Department of Athletics will honor senior basketball players Jimmy Whitt Jr., Adrio Bailey, Jeantal Cylla and Jamario Bell.
• Also set to be recognized is manager Greg Croll and four-year student athletic trainer Caleb Maddock.
• Whitt, Cylla and Bell all have their degrees and Bailey is on track to receive his.
Against LSU
• This will be the 69th meeting between Arkansas and LSU. This is the 59th meeting since the Razorbacks joined the SEC for the 1991-92 season, making LSU its most common opponent over the span.
• LSU has won three of the last four in the series. The Razorbacks’ lone win being a 90-89 upset of then-No. 17 Tigers in Baton Rouge last year.
Last game: Baton Rouge • Jan. 8, 2020
• In a game that featured 19 lead changes – including eight inside the final five minutes – LSU’s old-fashion 3-point play with eight seconds left proved to be the difference in a 79-77 victory over Arkansas at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
• Arkansas ended a 4:12 scoring drought when Jimmy Whitt Jr., hit a jumper in the lane with 38 seconds left to give Arkansas a 74-73 lead. LSU answered with an old-fashion 3-point play by Trendon Watford to go up two, 76-74, with 32 ticks left. Isaiah Joe came right back with an “and-one” of his own for a one-point Razorback lead with 21 seconds remaining.
• Adrio Bailey blocked the first Tigers shot attempt to regain the lead with 12 seconds left. However, the ball went out of bounds and LSU retained possession. LSU then got the ball to Watford, who converted the third old-fashion three-point play in three possessions for a two-point advantage.
• Arkansas’ final shot attempt was blocked to give LSU to win.
• LSU out-rebounded Arkansas 53-24. LSU had 23 offensive rebounds and had 26 second-chance points compared to Arkansas’ three offensive rebounds and zero second-chance points.
• Watford finished with 21 points and eight rebounds to lead the Tigers. Skylar Mays added 19 points while Darius Days had a double-double (16 points and 16 rebounds).
• Arkansas was led by Mason Jones (24 points) and Whitt (22).
Joe impressive since returning6
• Isaiah Joe returned to the Razorback lineup versus Missouri after missing five games due to knee surgery. The Razorbacks were 0-5 with Joe out of the lineup including two overtime losses (vs Auburn and at Missouri) and a loss at the buzzer versus Mississippi State.
• In his three games back is averaging 23.0 ppg || 11-of-28 (39.3%) from 3PT || 22-of-22 from FT || 5 steals || drawn five charges.
• Against Missouri: Joe finished with a game-high 21 points in his return (5-of-10 from 3PT) with three rebounds, three assists, one steal and one charge taken.
• Against Tennessee: Joe followed that with a 22-point performance in a win over Tennessee. He was 12-of-12 from the free throw line, took two charges and had two steals.
• At Georgia: Joe tied for game-high honors with 26 points, making four triples and going 6-of-6 at the free throw line. He added two steals and took a charge. With Arkansas down 15, Joe scored nine points in an 11-4 run to make it an eight-point game at the break.
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Martin honest about slump leading to benching, breaking out Tuesday
Razorbacks Heston Kjerstad, Casey Martin after the 8-7 loss to Illinois State on Tuesday. Martin talking openly about agreeing with decision to sit, coming back with 4-for-5 day.
Van Horn on some positives after Hogs come up short against Redbirds
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn as abl to find some positive things in the 8-7 loss to Illinois State on Tuesday afternoon, but is frustrated at yet another one-run defeat.
Neighbors, Tolefree previewing postseason, SEC Tournament later this week
Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors and senior Alexis Tolefree (who was named first team All-SEC earlier Tuesday) on hopefully making another run in the tournament and being in the NCAA.
Tolefree first team, Dungee placed on SEC team by league coaches
FAYETTEVILLE — Senior guard Alexis Tolefree and redshirt junior guard Chelsea Dungee both earned All-SEC Honors, the league office announced today.
Tolefree was named to the first team and Dungee named to the second team by the league’s coaches.
Starting freshman point guard Makayla Daniels was left off, a point that irked Mike Neighbors meeting with the media Tuesday morning.
Watch Neighbors, Tolefree on Tuesday
Tolefree’s breakout senior season has been nothing short of spectacular.
The Conway native averaged career-highs across the board, pouring in 16.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game, all while shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from three.
Tolefree was even better in conference play, averaging 18.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game, shooting the ball at a 41.6 percent clip from the field and at a 38.9 percent clip from deep.
Tolefree led the team in scoring and in steals in SEC play, and her scoring average in conference only games was the third best mark in the league.
The senior guard seemed to always be at her best when it mattered most, as she had several huge second half performances in games the Hogs would end up winning.
Most notably, Tolefree dropped a career-high 35 at Missouri, 23 of which came in the second half in Arkansas’ epic 13-point comeback. She also scored 30 against then-No. 15 Kentucky, including 25 in the second half, in a game in which the Razorbacks would set a program record for most points scored against an SEC opponent.
Tolefree scored in double figures in 23 of Arkansas’ 29 games, scored 20+ 11 times, and dropped 30 or more three times, the most on the team.
All three came during conference play, and they were the first 30+ point games of her career.
Dungee, meanwhile, continued her historic Arkansas career during her second act on the Hill, earning All-SEC honors for the second straight season. The redshirt junior guard led the Hogs in scoring this season, pouring in 17.0 points per game over the Hogs’ 29 games.
She also averaged 4.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Dungee continued to dominate games at the charity stripe, as she made 136 free throws during the regular season, the 20th best mark in the NCAA, and the best mark in the conference.
Dungee’s 1,497 career points is the second highest total among active SEC players. She scored in double figures 24 times, scored 20 or more 10 times and had 30+ twice.
There were several historic games from Dungee this season, including her 38-point outburst against Missouri at Bud Walton Arena. With that point total, the redshirt junior guard became the only Razorback to ever score 38 or more two different times.
Dungee also became the fastest Hog to ever score 1,000 points in just a Red & White uniform this season. She needed just 49 games to do so, passing Bettye Fiscus’ previous best mark of 55 games.
Dungee averaged 20.4 points per game over that 49-game stretch, which would be the highest average in program history.
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