John, Tommy, and Tyler Wilson discuss the conference championships, interview Tom Murphy, and hit on Jalen Hurt’s decision!
WATCH: Highlights of Arkansas’ 121-89 win over FIU
Arkansas destroys FIU 121-89 in the first ever meeting between the two teams. Isiah Joe would rack-up a career-high 34 points and would set a freshman record by drilling 10 three-pointers.
via WarMachine2013
Dungee’s career game not enough in 91-82 loss at Iowa State
AMES, Iowa — Chelsea Dungee scored 19 points in the third quarter, but Arkansas suffered a 91-82 loss at No. 22-23 Iowa State in the Big 12-SEC Challenge in Ames, Iowa, on Sunday afternoon.
Dungee had a career-best 27 points, leading four players in double figures, but the inside play of Iowa State (6-1) was something Arkansas (5-3) could not overcome.
The Cyclones outscored Arkansas 44-20 in the paint and had an 18-14 advantage in second chance points. ISU out-rebounded Arkansas 47-37 and had seven blocks while holding the Razorbacks without a fast-break point.
Dungee, Monk and Mason all had career scoring nights with Dungee adding a 13-for-16 performance from the line. Monk finished with a season-best 21 point and Arkansas got 10 points each from Mason and Alexis Tolefree.
ISU led by as many as 14 points late in the game but Arkansas mounted a comeback in the first five minutes of the last frame with a 12-9 advantage cutting the lead to single digits.
Arkansas cut the lead to three points, 85-82, at the 3:02 mark but a kick-out 3-pointer by Iowa State changed the momentum as the Cyclones outscored the Razorbacks 6-0 in the final minutes of play.
The Razorbacks and Cyclones combined for a 70-point third quarter with ISU outscoring Arkansas 39-31 in the frame.
The First Half
Arkansas found success early at the free throw line and did a good job defensively against the Cyclones in the first half.
The Razorbacks spotted ISU an 8-2 lead from the opening tip but trailed by just three points, 18-15, at the end of the first frame.
Kiara Williams forced a couple of ISU turnovers that led to Razorback points as Monk and Dungee began making their shots.
The defense remained strong in the second quarter as Arkansas held Iowa State without a basket for more than three minutes in the period.
The Razorbacks were 5-for-7 during that stretch, tying the game for the first time on a jumper from Jailyn Mason at the 6:05 mark before the half.
The teams traded points until ISU put together an 8-0 late in the half talking the lead into the locker room at the break.
Notes
• Arkansas Starters: Malica Monk, Kiara Williams, Jailyn Mason, Bailey Zimmerman, Chelsea Dungee
• Arkansas is 1-2 against Iowa State.
• Arkansas is 2-3 in the conference challenge.
• It is the fifth time in eight games the Razorbacks have made double digit shots from the free throw line. They finished going 19-for-25 from the line.
• Chelsea Dungee scored a career-best 27 points. She has scored in double figures in every game this year and scored 20+ points in four games. Dungee was also a career-best 13-for-16 from the line.
• Malica Monk posted a season-best 22 points. Monk has scored in double figures in seven of eight games. She has 964 career points.
Up Next
Arkansas returns home hosting Tennessee Tech University on Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.
The Razorbacks travel to Abilene Christian on Dec. 8 and host Prairie View A&M and Nebraska as December continues.
Committee reinforces notion league title games part of playoff
Sunday’s decision by the College Football Playoff committee to leave two-loss Georgia out of the final four really shouldn’t be that surprising if you carefully remember back when it all started.
Early in the morning at SEC Media Days back in July 2014, executive director Bill Hancock sat down for an interview on the brand new college football playoff and his points from that interview haven’t really changed.
“We want something people are talking about all year long,” he said while we were finishing up a quick visit from then-SEC commissioner Mike Slive, who had stopped by to say hello.
He also talked about the entire season meaning something for college football. That was a point of debate for detractors of the old BCS formula, which rewarded late success and, at times, ignored late failures.
Hancock made it very clear the entire season mattered.
“There is a strong blueprint for the process,” he said.
That blueprint hasn’t changed a whole lot going into the fifth year of the process. There’s no definitive language that eliminates a two-loss team from getting into the final four, but unless there’s a lot of them, don’t look for it anytime soon.
Reading between the lines, Hancock more or less said from the first year it would be hard for a team to lose a championship game and still get into the playoff.
“The last one — and the most important one — is that you win your conference,” he said in 2014.
Alabama got in without winning the SEC last year … and promptly won the whole thing because Georgia avenged a regular-season loss to Auburn, then beat the Tigers in the SEC Championship game.
With the Big 10 and Pac 12 in dreadful shape, it wasn’t a big stretch to have two teams from the SEC in the discussion.
But this year? Well, the reason Georgia didn’t make it in is because they lost their play-in game. Conference championship games — for good or bad — have become literally the first round of the college football playoff system.
The committee made it clear Sunday that’s the case.
Based on prior conversations with Hancock, the guess from this corner is the Bulldogs would still be on the outside looking in if Notre Dame wasn’t in the mix this year. I’m guessing Ohio State would have been in there.
It’s the conference championship thing again.
Just as Wisconsin finished 12-1 in 2017, that one loss came to Ohio State in the Big 10 Championship Game and the Big 10 got left out because Alabama had one loss that did not come in the conference championship game.
Ohio State more or less got into the playoff the same way in 2016. They didn’t make it to the Big 10 title game, but got into the playoff with an 11-1 record. They were promptly stomped into the ground by Clemson, but they got in.
The CFP committee could resolve all of this by simply saying you don’t have to be in your conference championship game, but if you do make it there you better win it.
They won’t, though. Just like they’re not really going to entertain any talk of expansion anytime soon.
“It’s going to be four teams for 12 years,” Hancock said back in 2014. We set this up on a 12-year contract because we want fans to know how it’s going to be.”
So don’t expect changes for awhile.
And whether you like it or not, that’s the way it’s going to be.
Which keeps you talking about the College Football Playoff. That drives interest, which drives sponsorship dollars and television ratings.
“Every school and every conference will benefit financially from this deal every year,” Hancock said back in 2014.
In case you’re wondering, that’s what really matters.
Joe’s 34 points lifts Razorbacks to 121-89 win over FIU
FAYETTEVILLE — Isaiah Joe made 10 3-pointers and scored a career-high 34 points — the second-best production by a freshman in school history — to lead Arkansas (5-1) to a 121-89 victory over Florida International (7-2) Saturday night at Bud Walton Arena.
Daniel Gafford (21 points and 10 rebounds) and Mason Jones (19 points and 10 rebounds) added double-doubles while Jalen Harris had 10 assists — the second time in three games he has registered at least 10 assists.
Over his last three games, Harris has dished out 27 assists while committing just three turnovers.
Overall, the Razorbacks had 26 assists and shot a season-high 60.9 percent from the field, including 67.7 percent in the second half, while making a season-best 52 percent from 3-point range.
The Razorback defense was just as impressive, holding FIU to just 37.3 percent shooting from the field and 16.7 percent from long range, the lowest by an Arkansas opponent this season.
Joe’s 10 3-pointers (on 13 attempts) ties for third on the school’s single-game list – becoming just the fifth Razorback to make as many double-digit treys (the school record is 13).
His 34 points were just one shy of the school record by a freshman as Bobby Portis scored 35 versus Alabama on Feb. 5, 2014.
This was the 16th time in school history Arkansas has scored at least 121 points and the most points by the program since claiming a 130-68 victory over Alcorn State on Nov. 13, 2009.
In the first half, Florida International cut a 13-point deficit to four midway through the period. However, Joe made a 3-pointer to spark a 19-5 run. Joe finished the half with 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting from 3-point range.
In the second half, FIU went on a mini-run and cut its deficit to 17. However, the Razorbacks answered with an 18-5 run over a three-minute span to put the game out of reach.
Arkansas will return to action and play its first true road game next Wednesday (Dec. 5) at Colorado State. Tip-off is set for 9 pm (CT)/8 pm (MT) and will be telecast on CBS Sports Network.
FIRST HALF: Arkansas 58 – FIU 35
• Arkansas’ Daniel Gafford controlled the tip and, eight seconds later, scored the first points of the game on a dunk.
• The Razorbacks scored the first five points of the game and led by 13 (22-9) at the 11:19 mark.
• The Panthers trimmed their deficit to four (24-20) with t 8:29 before Isaiah Joe drained a 3-pointer for a seven-point cushion.
• After that Joe three, the Razorback defense came alive and they went on a 19-5 run to lead 43-25 with 4:57 left in the half. More impressive was Arkansas was able to do so despite Daniel Gafford, Adrio Bailey, Reggie Chaney and Gabe Osabuohien each being whistled for two fouls.
• Isaiah Joe scored 11 points during the 19-5 run and ended the first half with team-high 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting from 3-point range.
• The Razorbacks shot 55.3 percent from the field, including 46.7 percent (7-of-15) from long range. On the other end, Arkansas held FIU to just 28.6 percent shooting from the field and just 16.7 percent (3-of-18) from beyond the arc.
SECOND HALF: Arkansas shot 67.7 percent from the field and used an 18-5 run to seal the win.
• The Razorbacks maintained at least a 20-point lead until FIU’s Willy Nunez Jr., hit a 3-pointer with 10:12 left as the Panthers trailed by 19, 85-68. The Panthers would cut their deficit to 17 twice.
• However, Arkansas answered with an 18-5 run over the next three minutes to take a 30-point lead.
• Ethan Henderson had a basket and made a free throw for his first three career points in a Razorback uniform.
GAME NOTES:
• Arkansas starters for the sixth straight game were Isaiah Joe (G) – Jalen Harris (G) – Mason Jones (G) – Adrio Bailey (F) – Daniel Gafford (F).
• Arkansas controlled the tip and Daniel Gafford scored the first points of the game on a dunk eight seconds into the game.
• This was the first ever meeting between Arkansas and FIU on the hardwood.
• Isaiah Joe, Daniel Gafford, Mason Jones and Adrio Bailey each scored in double figures. Joe and Gafford are the only two Razorbacks to score double-figures in all six games this season.
• Arkansas is 131-7 during the Mike Anderson era when leading at the half, including a streak of 45 consecutive wins.
• Arkansas broke the 100-point plateau on an Adrio Bailey layup with 6:23 left in the game. It was the Razorbacks first time to eclipse 100 points this season ad first time since defeating Oral Roberts 104-6 last Dec. 19.
• The Razorbacks are now 135-5 when scoring at least 100 points all time.
• Mike Anderson is now 24-1 as a head coach when his teams score at least 100 points, including an 11-0 mark at Arkansas.
• Arkansas had nine dunks, including six by Daniel Gafford. The nine team dunks are the second-best total this season and third-best by an Arkansas team in the Mike Anderson era.
• For his career, Gafford has made 210 field goals, 97 (or 46.2 percent) of which have been dunks.
Anderson pleased with overall play of team in Saturday’s win
Hogs coach Mike Anderson talked with the media after the 121-89 win over Florida International that had four players scoring in double figures in a game he said earlier would be exciting for fans.
Gafford, Joe recapping big win over FIU, career high night
Razorbacks Daniel Gafford (23 points) and Isaiah Joe (career-high 34 points) talked with the media after the game about the fast-scoring offense in the 121-89 victory.
FIU’s Ballard impressed with Joe, Hogs’ effort in game
Panthers’ coach Jeremy Ballard talked with the media after Arkansas’ 121-89 win Saturday night in a game that featured a lot of fast-moving action and high scoring from both teams.
The beginning of the end of the Gus Malzahn Era at Auburn
If Gus Malzahn used his flirtation or perceived flirtation with Arkansas last year to cash in at Auburn, that plan has backfired and his future at the school is iffy at best.
What a difference a year makes, huh? Especially in the SEC.
After Malzahn’s Tigers beat Georgia and Alabama in 2017, new Auburn president Steve Leath awarded the Fort Smith native with a $49 million contract over seven years with 75 percent guaranteed.
With the Tigers enjoying success to close the regular season and with Arkansas apparently ready to offer Malzahn eye-popping money after firing Bret Bielema, Leath backed up the Brinks truck to Malzahn’s front door.
However, Leath started feeling immediate regret as the Tigers lost a rematch to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, and then lost to Central Florida in the Peach Bowl.
Auburn started the 2018 season ranked No. 9 in the preseason Top 25 poll, and a Week 1 win against Washington was a good sign.
However, the season took a sharp dive when Auburn, who was favored in its first nine games, squandered an 11-point lead to LSU at home; lost 23-9 at Mississippi State and three-touchdown underdog Tennessee upset the Tigers 30-24 at Auburn.
Then there was a 27-10 rout at Georgia and the loss at the Crimson Tide.
Finishing 7-5 with that collapse was enough to prompt Leath to reportedly schedule a meeting with Malzahn Sunday giving him an ultimatum of reducing his $32.1 million buyout along with other stipulations to keep his job.
That’s an unprecedented move in the world of college football. Reports suggest Malzahn will accept the compromise.
In effect, Leath just heated up Malzahn’s seat sending a message that if there is not a significant improvement next year, he will be fired. That’s a humbling meeting in more ways than one.
It’s like getting called into your boss’s office and written up while also taking a pay cut. Not good.
So, Malzahn, the former Arkansas offensive coordinator, has been scolded by his boss and has lost millions, and there are reports that he is at odds with members of his coaching staff. He needs to do some patching up — and quick — or a year from now, he will be unemployed.
When he agreed to the deal, I predicted he’d be fired in less than three years. Auburn’s boosters and administration are delusional.
Malzahn’s teams have won a National Title and enjoyed a measure of success.
However, the standard on The Plains is beat Alabama every year (even though no team rarely does with regularity) and play for a National Championship.
There were boosters calling for Malzahn’s head last year before he finished the regular season with a bang.
They were out again after he lost the two postseason games. Not many coaches would want to deal with that criticism or could live up to those high of standards so it was easy to predict a quick end.
The consolation for Malzahn had been the monstrous buyout. He knew if he was fired hastily he’d walk away with a huge payday.
That is now most likely gone.
What I would love to know is if Malzahn wishes he’d have taken the Arkansas job. Like I said then, he would have been given at least four years or maybe five to rebuild the Hogs and would have been paid well to do it — job security and a big paycheck.
But I am not sure if the coach was ever even serious about the UA offer. Was it just another one of super-agent Jimmy Sexton’s schemes to up the ante? I think so.
I think after surveying the landscape, Malzahn surmised it would be a tougher job at Arkansas with more risk of not meeting the standards, even though they are lower, than taking a huge raise and taking a chance that his tenure would end in a firing, maybe sooner t than later.
Or maybe as some suggest that Malzahn’s ego is so large that he thought his Auburn teams would contend for the National Title for the remaining years of his deal.
Whatever the case, it doesn’t look like he will be at Auburn much longer, whether he is asked to leave or skips town to another job. Many in Arkansas will be following this saga closely.
Neighbors on facing No. 23 Iowa State in SEC-Big 12 Challenge
Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors met with the media Friday to talk about the matchup with the ranked Cyclones on Sunday that will be a big test against a much-taller team.
???? Friday Halftime Pod — featuring Brooks Ellis
Phil & Tye hit on the 2018 season, FOMO Friday and interview Brooks Ellis!
