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Noland’s start Friday as much about his improvement as anything

Andy Hodges
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There were some eyebrows raised Wednesday afternoon when the news broke that freshman Connor Noland would be starting the NCAA Regional opener Friday.

Dave Van Horn usually starts his ace, which would be Isaiah Campbell in this case.

Instead, he’s going with Noland against noted powerhouse Central Connecticut State. Some have taken that to mean Van Horn feels he didn’t need to start Campbell in this one and can save him for the second day of the tournament.

Kole Ramage can be excused for getting his hopes up. He seemed to be the beneficiary during a stretch where Noland would go 4.2 innings in a game, then Ramage would come in and pick up a win.

By the time Noland finally got his first win on April 16 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff when he worked just two innings and got the win, thanks in large part to a five-run start in the first inning by the offense.

He joked after the game to the scorer he didn’t want that to be his first win and was told it was pity win. It was done in a lighthearted manner.

The reality is, though, Noland has gotten better through the season. His ERA of 3.71 is second best on the team behind Campbell. More importantly, he’s given up less than a hit per inning pitched over the course of the year.

Then there’s Van Horn, who is at the stage of the season where he makes more good decisions than bad ones. Don’t take that as a negative. Every coach has a few along the way he wouldn’t do again with 20-20 hindsight.

Either way it goes Friday, Van Horn will have Campbell on Friday. The odds are it will be to put the Razorbacks in a position where they only have to win one game over possibly two days to advance to a Super Regional.

Van Horn is breaking a trend where he’s started his ace on the opening day of the regional the last few years.

Based on the track record, following Van Horn’s hunches usually works out pretty good.

???? Wednesday Halftime Pod — Featuring Kevin McPherson

Tye Richardson
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???? Wednesday Halftime Pod — Featuring Kevin McPherson

Phil & Tye hit on the rumors around the basketball team, interview Kevin McPherson, and more!

Razorbacks-Missouri game in War Memorial officially on Friday

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Razorbacks-Missouri game in War Memorial officially on Friday

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ regular season finale against Missouri has been moved to the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, Nov. 29, at 1:30 p.m., according to the SEC on Wednesday.

As usual, the Razorbacks and Tigers were originally scheduled to play on Saturday, Nov. 30. The contest between the two squads will still be played at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock and will be broadcast on CBS.

The delay in the official announcement is almost as traditional as the game.

It will be the sixth consecutive season the Battle Line Rivalry game has been slated for the Friday after Thanksgiving and the first time Arkansas and Missouri have squared off in Little Rock since 1963.

Opponents for men’s basketball announced, but no dates

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — We know who Arkansas will be playing in Eric Musselman’s first season, but we don’t know when or where to watch the games this season, according to the SEC on Wednesday.

The Razorbacks will host games against Auburn. Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.

Arkansas will travel to Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas A&M.

Times, dates and television information will be announced at a later date.

Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Wednesday

Tye Richardson
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Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Wednesday

John & Tommy discuss Justice Hill, transfers in college sports, plus Nick Mason joins the guys in studio!

Hogs pick up commitment from really big Texas tight end

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Hogs pick up commitment from really big Texas tight end

Brandon Frazier, a 6-7, 247, tight end from McKinney, Texas, North, tweeted a video commitment to Arkansas earlier Tuesday.

Frazier had offers from Alabama, Baylor, TCU, Teas Tech, Nebraska, Oklahoma State and others.

He was recruited by tight ends coach Barry Lunney, Jr., and is the second tight end to commit in this year’s class.

Over the last two seasons, Frazier has caught 59 passes for 936 yards and nine touchdowns.

It apparently got the attention of Hogs coach Chad Morris, who is in Destin for the spring. He didn’t mention Frazier by name due to rules, but the timing came quickly after the announcement.

Frazier is the eighth commitment for the Hogs in the 2020 class, which is ranked No. 20 now by the 247Sports.com composite rankings and No. 23 in the ESPN recruiting rankings.

???? Tuesday Halftime Pod — Featuring Nikki Chavanelle

Tye Richardson
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???? Tuesday Halftime Pod — Featuring Nikki Chavanelle

Phil & Tye hit on the road to Omaha, interview Nikki Chavanelle, and more!

UPDATE: Hill apparently returning to Hogs, disputing previous reports

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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UPDATE: Hill apparently returning to Hogs, disputing previous reports

It appears an earlier report that Arkansas freshman Justice Hill would not be returning for either football or basketball, per media outlets and Hill’s own Twitter account.

Pig Trail Nation basketball analyst Kevin McPherson then had a Tweet stating sources that Hill was going to be back on the court for Eric Musselman’s Hogs.

Trey Schapp at The Buzz in Little Rock reported earlier in the day that Hill wouldn’t be playing either basketball or football.

Hill had signed to play for Mike Anderson with the men’s basketball team, but sat out the spring semester after leading Little Rock Christian to the 5A state football championship in December.

He was named player of the year in the state in football last season.

Football coach Chad Morris told the media on numerous occasions he was welcome at spring practices, but didn’t attend any.

As we said in the initial story, there are sure to be updated.

Hogs hoping to find bats and offense they left at Baum-Walker

Nate Olson
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Hogs hoping to find bats and offense they left at Baum-Walker

Limping may be a strong term, but Arkansas definitely isn’t rolling into Friday’s NCAA Regional game with Central Connecticut State.

The Hogs have lost four of their past five games, including setbacks to Georgia and Ole Miss, respectively, in the SEC Tournament at Hoover, Ala., last week.

The Razorbacks haven’t played well since taking two of three games from LSU at Baum-Walker Stadium in mid-May. Run production, or lack thereof, has been the bugaboo.

In four losses, Arkansas hasn’t scored more than two runs. The Hogs did beat Ole Miss 5-3 in the SEC Tournament opener, but then became anemic combining for just three runs in the back-to-back eliminating losses to the Bulldogs and Rebels.

Arkansas finished the regular season hitting .306 as a team. In the past four games, Arkansas is hitting a meager. 157. At Hoover, they were 3 for 24 with runners in scoring position and 7 for 43 with runners on base. The Hogs also hit 78 homers during the regular season but only one in the SEC Tournament.

“Yes, there is a concern because if we don’t hit and score, we are not going to win,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn told the media following the Hogs 3-2 loss to Ole Miss. We are going to get home, we are going back to work, and we’ll start driving in runs.”

Van Horn makes it sound simple, but he is right. Arkansas has hit the ball all season long, especially at home where they are 28-6. Partly because of that success, the Hogs have home-field advantage throughout the regionals and super regionals.

Arkansas hasn’t played a home game since May 12. They finished the regular season at Texas A&M and then embarked on the SEC Tournament, and that can take its toll.

The cure that ails the Hogs may be Central Connecticut State (30-21). The Blue Devils had to beat Bryant twice in two days to win the Northeast Conference Tournament. CCSU (183 RPI) owns a 4.32 team ERA and hits at a .260 clip as a team.

The Blue Devils are 0-10 all-time in NCAA Tournament games.

This is a game Arkansas should dominate and needs to t get its swagger back. A good performance in front of a packed home crowd should get the Hogs back into the form they showed before the last week of the season.

On the other hand, Arkansas won’t be looking past CCSU. Arkansas fell to Bryant in the first round of the Manhattan (Kan.) Regional in 2014. The Hogs also lost to mid-major University of Arkansas at Little Rock 17-7 at home this season.

“We’ve done that plenty of times this year, and we’ve paid for it,” sophomore shortstop Casey Martin told the media Monday. “It’s baseball. Sometimes the ball hops a little funny, as I’ve been told growing up.

“It doesn’t matter how good you are or how bad you are. You can go in and beat any team.”

Martin is right, but the Blue Devils, and the rest of the field for that matter, will have a tough time beating the Hogs if they are hitting. Look for them to enjoy the comforts of home and light up the scoreboard.

Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Tuesday

Tye Richardson
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Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Tuesday

John & Tommy discuss the flooding, Jimmy Whitt, Fayetteville regional, plus Officer Breeden makes national news!

Whitt returning where he started, announcing transfer from SMU

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Whitt returning where he started, announcing transfer from SMU

Jimmy Whitt thought he was headed to the pro basketball draft when he announced he was leaving SMU but quietly entered the mysterious transfer portal and has landed at Arkansas.

It’s where he started back in 2015.

Whitt averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4 assists a game, shooting 48.8 percent from the field for the Mustangs last year.

From Columbia, Missouri, he started at Arkansas and chose to transfer to SMU, where he sat a year before playing.

As a graduate transfer he will be eligible immediately, which is apparently two over the 13-scholarship limit, which means somebody is leaving that hasn’t been announced.

Eric Musselman has now signed three transfers who will be eligible immediately in forward Jeantal Cylla and guard Isaiah Moss. Other transfers expected to sit out a year are JD Notae and Connor Vanover, who has applied for a waiver with the NCAA.

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