Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors met with the media prior to Tuesday afternoon’s practice and talked about winning pair on the road last week and this week’s games with the No. 1 Gamecocks and Wildcats on Sunday.
Joe named finalist for this year’s ‘Jerry West’ award to top shooting guard
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas sophomore Isaiah Joe was named one of 10 finalists for the 2020 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today.
In March, the list will be narrowed to five finalists and presented to Mr. West and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee.
The winner of the 2020 Jerry West Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy’s in Los Angeles, Calif., on Friday, April 10, 2020, along with the other four members of the Men’s Starting Five (Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, Julius Erving Small Forward Award, Karl Malone Power Forward Award and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center Award).
New to this year’s program is the Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies.
Starting on Friday, February 7, fans will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite players by logging on to www.hoophallawards.com. The top 5 player selections on the fan vote will get an additional vote towards making the next round.
Among active NCAA Division I players, Joe ranks third by making 3.43 3-pointers per game for his career.
This season, the Fort Smith native ranks fourth in the NCAA in 3-pointers made per game (3.60) and 12th nationally in total 3’s made (72).
Joe additionally leads the SEC in both categories while ranking second in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.340).
The sophomore has made 185 3-pointers in just 54 career games and already ranks seventh on the school’s all-time list.
By comparison, next on Arkansas’ career 3-pointers made list is Lee Mayberry, who made 218 treys in 139 career games.
Joe is one of four SEC players to make the 10-person finalist list, joining Anthony Edwards (Georgia), Tyrese Maxey (Kentucky) and Skylar Mays (LSU).
Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Awards Finalists
• Isaiah Joe – Arkansas
• Kamar Baldwin – Butler
• Ty-Shon Alexander – Creighton
• Antoine Davis – Detroit Mercy
• Anthony Edwards – Georgia
• Joe Weiskamp – Iowa
• Tyrese Maxey – Kentucky
• Skylar Mays – LSU
• Myles Powell – Seton Hall
• Desmond Bane – TCU
Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.
Bud Light Seltzer Morning Rush Podcast — Auburn next up, Mason Jones shining, plus Tom Murphy!
Tye & Tommy on Auburn tonight, Mason Jones’ marked improvement, Tom Murphy joins, plus Sam Pittman calling fans!
Dungee named to late season Top 20 for basketball’s Wooden Award
FAYETTEVILLE — Chelsea Dungee was named to the Wooden Award Late Season Top 20, announced Monday.
The list is comprised of student-athletes who are still in the running for college basketball’s most prestigious honor.
Dungee continues to produce for the Razorbacks this season, as her 17.9 points per game is good for third in the SEC so far this season.
The redshirt junior guard recently scored her 1,000th point in the Red & White, needing just 49 career games to get there. Dungee averaged 20.4 points per game over those 49 contests, which would be the highest scoring average in program history.
The Sapulpa, Okla., native became the only Razorback ever to score more than 38 points on two different occasions with her 38-point showing against Missouri at home earlier this season.
Dungee has scored 20+ in nine of Arkansas’ 22 games so far this season, and now has eight 30-point performances.
She continues to use her ability to get to the line to generate points, as Dungee is currently 10th in the NCAA in free throws made (110) and 14th in attempts (140).
Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.
Baseball writers put Razorbacks at fifth in preseason baseball rankings
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas has been ranked sixth by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association in the 2020 preseason poll, making it the fifth top-10 ranking heading into the 2020 campaign.
It marks the second time in three years the Razorbacks have received a top-10 ranking from the outlet, also beginning the 2018 season in sixth.
Last year, the baseball writers ranked Arkansas at 15th in the first set of rankings.
The Razorbacks are coming off a 46-20 season that produced an SEC West division title and the program’s 10th trip to the College World Series in 2019.
Dave Van Horn, entering his 18th season as the coach, has more appearances in the CWS than any active coach in the nation with eight.
Arkansas returns a number of veterans with experience on the mound, including two-thirds of last year’s rotation in sophomores Connor Noland and Patrick Wicklander.
Noland and Wicklander were among the top freshmen arms in the conference in 2019, as the duo combined for a 4.16 ERA, nine wins, 145 strikeouts and only 51 walks.
Noland was named a Perfect Game Freshman All-American while both garnered SEC All-Freshman honors.
Offensively, the Razorbacks return plenty of firepower, including last year’s top hitter in Matt Goodheart, who finished with a .345 batting average as the team’s designated hitter.
Along with Goodheart, the Hogs bring back two of the top bats in the nation in juniors and preseason All-Americans Heston Kjerstad and Casey Martin.
Kjerstad hit .325 or higher in each of his first two seasons, matching his hit total (87) from 2018, while driving in another 51 RBIs to go with 17 home runs.
As for Martin, he hit more home runs (15) and had more RBIs (57) than his freshman season, finishing with 81 hits overall last season.
Arkansas is set to host 32 games at Baum-Walker Stadium this spring, including home SEC series against Alabama, Florida, Texas A&M, Auburn and Georgia.
During the 2019 postseason run, Arkansas saw 93,868 fans pack Baum-Walker Stadium, the most of any ballpark in the country.
The Razorbacks wrapped up the 2019 season with a 33-7 home record, the second-straight year Arkansas has totaled 30 or more wins at home.
The 2020 slate kicks off with Eastern Illinois for the second-straight season, beginning on Friday, Feb. 14, at 3 p.m. at Baum-Walker Stadium.
2020 Preseason Rankings
Perfect Game – No. 4
USA Today Coaches – No. 5
NCBWA – No. 6
D1 Baseball – No. 7
Collegiate Baseball – No. 9
Baseball America – No. 11
Musselman on Jones, Chaney, facing very good Auburn team at home Tuesday night
Arkansas coach Eric Musselman talked with the media Monday afternoon on Mason Jones after he was selected co-player of the week in the SEC, Reggie Chaney and the 10th-ranked Tigers.
Jones’ big game against Alabama garners third ‘player of week’ honor from SEC
FAYETTEVILLE —Arkansas junior Mason Jones had a pair of 30-point games and was rewarded for a third time by being named the SEC Men’s Basketball co-Player of the Week, the league announced today.
Jones shared the honor with Mississippi State’s Reggie Perry.
For the week, the Desoto, Texas, native averaged 32 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals against South Carolina and Alabama.
Jones is the only player to be tabbed SEC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week three times this season. Jones also became the first Razorback to score at least 30 points in consecutive games since Jannero Pargo accomplished the feat in 2002.
Versus South Carolina, Jones scored an SEC career-high 34 points while grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds to record his second double-double of the season.
He was the first Razorback to have at least 34 points and 12 rebounds in a game since Mario Credit versus Loyola Marymount in the 1989 NCAA Tournament. Jones scored 26 of his 34 in the second half on the strength of making 13-of-14 from the free throw line.
Overall, he was 15-of-16 at the line to become the first Razorback to make at least 15 free throws in an SEC game since Corliss Williamson made 17 versus Vanderbilt in 1995.
At Alabama, Jones scored 30 points with five rebounds and two steals. He helped Arkansas overcome a 12-0 deficit to start the game.
Jones made an SEC career-high 10 field goals on a career-high 20 attempts while going 4-of-7 from 3-point range. He scored 17 of his 30 points in the first half, including a 3-pointer with six seconds left before halftime to cut the Razorback deficit to three (39-36) at the break.
While Jones, an 83% free throw shooter, was just 3-of-7 at the charity stripe in the second half, all three makes came inside the final 31 seconds to secure the win.
Ironically, Jones and Pargo each scored 30 in back-to-back games nearly 18 years apart to the day and both completed the feat at Alabama.
Jones scored his 34 versus South Carolina on Jan. 29 and 30 at Alabama Feb. 1. Pargo scored 35 versus Florida on Jan. 26 and 33 at Alabama on Jan. 30.
Jones is the SEC leader in scoring (19.8 ppg) and he has grabbed at least five rebounds in 18 of his 20 games played. He is the only player in the SEC to lead his team in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.
He is also the only one to lead his team in rebounds and assists.
Jones additionally is the only player in the SEC to rank among the league’s top 15 in scoring (1st) and rebounding (15th) that also ranks among the league’s top 11 in steals (5th) and assists (11th). Jones also ranks among the top 10 in FG percentage (7th), FT percentage (6th), 3-pointers made (7th) and defensive rebounds (5th).
Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.
Bud Light Seltzer Morning Rush Podcast — Hogs win at Bama, Super Bowl and more!
Tye and Tommy on the big win for Chiefs, Arkansas going on the road for a big win, and more!
Tolefree scores 35 as Hogs come from behind to down Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Arkansas overcame a 13-point deficit with 5:35 remaining in the fourth quarter to beat Missouri in overtime, 85-81.
The comeback was the largest for the Hogs since last year’s epic win over Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament, and it gave the Razorbacks their first win in Columbia since 2014.
Senior guard Alexis Tolefree poured in a career-high 35 points in the win, shooting 12-of-23 from the field, 5-of-11 from deep, and 6-of-10 at the free-throw line.
Tolefree scored 14 of the Hogs’ 23 points in the fourth quarter to get the game to overtime.
Redshirt junior guard Amber Ramirez had 24 points, her second straight game eclipsing 20 points.
Turning point
Missouri had all the momentum and appeared to be on the verge of an upset midway through the fourth quarter leading by 13 with 5:35 to go in the game.
That 13-point advantage, 69-56, was the biggest for Missouri all game.
The Hogs responded with authority, clawing all the way back to tie it up at 74 by with an 18-5 run the rest of the way.
The Hogs’ defense rose up, forcing Mizzou into six turnovers in the fourth, partially because of the effect its full court press defense had on the Tigers.
Arkansas actually had a chance to win in regulation, but neither of its two shot attempts on the final possession went down.
Five different Hogs scored in the overtime period, led by redshirt junior A’Tyanna Gaulden, who scored three of the Razorbacks’ 11 points in the frame.
Chelsea Dungee, Taylah Thomas, Tolefree and Ramirez each had two. Thomas only had four points in the game, but her two free throws at the end of overtime iced the game for Arkansas.
Highlights
• Tolefree’s 35-point showing was one of just 14 35+ point games ever by a Razorback.
• Tolefree’s 35 points were the most in her career. It was also her first 30+ point performance as a Razorback, and the second most points scored by a Hog this season.
• Tolefree’s 35 points were the most ever by a Razorback on the road versus an SEC opponent.
• Her 12 makes in the game set a new career-high, while her six free throws made matched her career-best.
• Ramirez became the first Hog since Chelsea Dungee last season to score 22 or more in consecutive SEC games.
• The sharpshooter also went wire-to-wire against Mizzou, playing all 45 minutes, a new-career-high.
• Thomas led the Hogs on the glass, pulling down nine rebounds.
Next game
The Razorbacks return home for a two-game homestead with a rematch against No. 1 South Carolina on Thursday night.
That game is set to tip-off at 7:30 p.m. and will air on the SEC Network.
Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.
Razorbacks shut out Wichita State for second road win in non-conference
WICHITA, Kan. — Arkansas recorded a 4-0 win over Wichita State Sunday afternoon at the Sheldon Coleman Tennis Complex, notching its second road victory of the dual match season.
Doubles
Arkansas got off to a strong start in doubles play as courts three and one came through for the Razorbacks.
On court three, the sophomore duo of Thea Rice and Laura Rijkers cruised to a 6-3 win while the 34th-ranked Tatum Rice and Lauren Alter battled to a 6-4 decision.
Jackie Carr and Martina Zerulo saw their match go unfinished as they trailed 5-4.
Singles
After taking the doubles point, Arkansas’ effort in the early stages of singles was strong, and a pathway to victory began to emerge.
Rijkers, Carr and Zerulo all posted wins in their respective opening sets.
Rijkers was the first win of the day for the Hogs over Tin-YaHsu on court five, 6-0, 6-3. arr was second to finish in the No. 3 spot, 6-4, 6-2, notching her second victory of the spring season over Lingwei Kong.
Soon after Zerulo nabbed a 6-4, 6-2 win against Sandra Honigova in the No.1 position.
Sophomore Kelly Keller and veterans Alter and Tatum Rice saw their respective singles matches go unfinished. Keller’s bout went incomplete at 6-2, 4-6, 1-1, while Alter’s match was unfinished, heading into the third set 2-6, 7-6(3).
Tatum Rice was moving into a third-set tiebreaker before Zerulo’s breakthrough.
Rice’s match stood at 6-0, 7-5, 2-1 when the fourth and deciding point was awarded to the Razorbacks.
Singles competition
1. Martina Zerulo (ARK) def. Sandra Honigova (WSU) 6-4, 6-2
2. Esther Thebault (WSU) vs. Tatum Rice (ARK) 0-6, 7-5, 2-1, unfinished
3. Jackie Carr (ARK) def. Lingwei Kong (WSU) 6-4, 6-2
4. Marta Bellucco (WSU) vs. Lauren Alter (ARK) 6-2, 6-7 (2-7), unfinished
5. Alexandra Lazarova (WSU) vs. Kelly Keller (ARK) 2-6, 6-4, 1-1, unfinished
6. Laura Rijkers (ARK) def. Ting-Ya Hsu (WSU) 6-0, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Tatum Rice/Lauren Alter (ARK) def. Lingwei Kong/Esther Thebault (WSU) 6-4
2. Marta Bellucco/Natsumi Kurahashi (WSU) vs. Martina Zerulo/Jackie Carr (ARK) 4-5, unfinished
3. Thea Rice/Laura Rijkers (ARK) def. Ting-Ya Hsu/Alexandra Lazarova (WSU) 6-3
Match Notes:
Arkansas Razorbacks 3-1
Wichita State 1-4
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (6,3,1)
Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.
