Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Wednesday
John, Tommy, & Tye hit on Halloween festivities, WHAT’s YOUR BEEF WEDNESDAY, and more!
Fast start leads Razorbacks into seminfinals at SEC Tournament
ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — It only took seven minutes before the Razorback soccer team was up 3-0 on Ole Miss on Tuesday night at the Orange Beach Sportsplex.
That fast start helped fourth-seeded Arkansas cruise to a 4-0 win over the fifth-seeded Rebels, earning a spot in the SEC Tournament semifinals for the third-consecutive season.
Arkansas (12-4-3, 6-3-1 SEC) was the highest-seeded team to advance at the end of the SEC Tournament’s four-match day and will face eighth-seeded Florida on Thursday with a chance at its third-straight finals appearance.
Junior Tori Cannata and sophomore Taylor Malham were both part of the Razorbacks’ three-goal first half as they also got the help of an Ole Miss own goal in the fourth minute. Cannata’s header came in just the second minute of the match while Malham’s found the net in the seventh minute.
Senior Reece Christopherson also found the scoresheet early in the second half in her first game back since suffering an injury against LSU (Oct. 4).
Christopherson showed no signs of rust after the five-game layoff, playing 67 minutes in the midfield and helping limit Ole Miss to only three shots on goal.
The four goals scored by Arkansas is its largest goal output in an SEC Tournament match since netting four in a 4-0 win over Missouri in 2013. It’s also the second time this season that the Razorbacks have won by a four-goal margin as they defeated Kentucky earlier in the year, 4-0.
Cannata now takes over the team lead with eight goals on the season and also has 18 points. She doesn’t quite take over the team lead in points, though, as that goes to McKeon, who had a career-high three assists in the game.
She now has 19 points, which is one less than her season best of 20 from her freshman season.
From Head Coach Colby Hale
“It was a great start with three goals in the first seven or eight minutes. It, obviously, set the tone and that was a pretty complete performance by us. We’ve been starting games pretty quick, the shots just went in for us today. We’ve been creating a lot of chances and I think the players were hungry. I thought this was deserving today.”
Up Next
Arkansas moves on to the SEC Tournament semifinals where it will face eight-seed Florida on Thursday, just a week after finishing the regular season against each other.
A win for the Razorbacks would give the team it’s third-straight SEC Tournament final appearance.
Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at the Orange Beach Sportsplex and will be televised on the SEC Network.
Arkansas loses three-star offensive lineman commitment
Arkansas lost a commitment Tuesday when three-star offensive lineman Joseph Stone of Gulf Breeze, Florida, announced his decision via Twitter:
After praying and talking to my family I have decided to decommit from The University of Arkansas and reopening my recruitment.
— Joseph Stone (@Joseph_Stone00) October 30, 2018
Stone’s decommitting likely won’t affect the Razorbacks’ ranking nationally that much and it does free up a spot as Chad Morris and the staff are talking to numerous other offensive linemen, including some junior college players.
Monk named second team All-SEC in preseason coaches’ vote
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas senior Malica Monk was selected as a second-team All-Southeastern Conference honoree in a vote by the league’s coaches on Tuesday.
Monk, a senior from Little Rock, Arkansas, led the Razorbacks and was 12th in the SEC averaging 15.9 points per game a year ago.
Billed as one of the fastest players in the SEC, Monk also accounted for 3.4 rebounds per game, had a team-best 122 assists, made 38 3-pointers and went 114-146 from the line as a junior.
She had a “quiet” game in exhibition action in a blowout 115-54 win over Southwest Baptist on Monday scoring 12 points while shooting 5-for-8 with one 3-pointer in 15 minutes of play.
As a team, the Razorbacks were selected No. 11 overall. That matches the team’s finish (T-11) last season in the first year under head coach Mike Neighbors.
Neighbors, Monk and the Razorbacks return to the court on Thursday hosting East Central University in the final exhibition game of the season
They tip off the 2018-19 season hosting Northwestern State Friday, Nov. 9 at 10:30 a.m. in Bud Walton Arena.
Neighbors previews second exhibition game Thursday
Arkansas women’s basketball coach Mike Neighbors talked Tuesday about the second exhibition game Thursday night against East Central University.
???? Tuesday Halftime Pod — featuring Nikki Chavanelle
Phil Elson & Tye Richardson discuss the LSU-Arkansas possible game time, interview Nikki Chavanelle, Get Off My Lawn, and more!
Camden’s Wilkins leaving door open to flip from Oklahoma
Camden Fairview four-star offensive tackle Stacey Wilkins talked with me this week about whether he is still 100 percent committed to Oklahoma after his announcement back in the summer.
“Only time will tell.” Wilkins said.
He did say he is still interested in Arkansas.
• Will he officially visit Arkansas on November 10?: “I don’t know for sure yet.”
• What he is looking for if he takes his official visit to Arkansas: “Feeling a great family. A great atmosphere and feeling like its home.”
• The Hogs landing the nation’s No. 1 tight end when Pulaski Academy’s Hudson Henry recently committed: “It was a big one because he is the nation’s No. 1 tight end for a reason.”
• His relationship with the other Arkansas commitments: “I’m still good friends with everyone. I talk to them here and there.”
• What he likes most about Arkansas: “I like the fact that coach (Chad) Morris has hard work instilled in them. They never give up and they get better each and every week no matter the outcome.”
• What he likes most about Oklahoma: “I love the way the offensive line is playing right now and the way the offense is moving.”
• Wilkins’ relationship with the Arkansas coaching staff: “It is good. I still keep in touch with coach (Dustin) Fry and everyone and it’s good talking to them.”
• Wilkins’ senior season with the Cardinals: “My senior season is going good so far. We have senior night Friday and playing for the second seed in the 5A-South for the playoffs.”
Wilkins is currently committed to Oklahoma and is scheduled to officially visit Arkansas on November 10 for the LSU game.
Tweets, takeaways from busy weekend with the Razorbacks
What a week in Razorbacks sports.
Arkansas basketball got underway with its exhibition debut at Bud Walton Arena. The football team lost its seventh game of the year to officially eliminate itself from bowl eligibility. And even the softball team played a little fall tune-up against our Sooner neighbors to the west.
The hardwood Hogs may have started slow against Tusculum, however we did put them away somewhat easy. What? From where is Tusculum you ask?
Ask any random Kentucky Wildcats fan from where their exhibition opponents (the Transylvania Bat) hail, and you will probably receive the same form of baffled response.
Razorbacks football fans expecting a bowl game from Chad Morris in his freshman season fell short on their predictions, and that fate was sealed far too soon Saturday in a 45–31 loss at home to a very decent Vanderbilt team.
Some loyal fans took to Twitter in protest about the current regime:
https://twitter.com/LindyJo_74/status/1056263228429348866
While others were more forgiving of the new coaching staff:
https://twitter.com/House_Razor/status/1056300932156276737
Speaking of Morris, his comments made about seeing “who is on-board” has some wondering if there are players no longer invested in the program and its future successes. It is that expression from the coach which leads me to believe why Andy Hodges prosed the last three games may look that of spring practice.
Just to make light of the topics at hand, I give you the Morning Rush’s John Nabors adding a bit of humor to this season’s frustration:
https://twitter.com/RushJohnNabors/status/1056265903313162240
And, lastly, the softball team had a two-game fall exhibition hosting Oklahoma in which Game 1, unfortunately, was very similar to our match-up against them in the Softball World Series this past season. Game 2, however, was a push, ending in a 2 -2 tie.
https://twitter.com/RazorbackSB/status/1056664571778424833
Finally, with no mention above, I am ending on what may be a hopeful note for many fans as Tye Richardson wonders if Kelly Bryant will wind up at Arkansas. Enjoy this interview Bryant had with ESPN’s Maria Taylor.
For the record, I am more than happy with Ty Storey at the helm next year. Am I mistaken? Please feel free to express your thoughts as always.
Go HOGS!!!
Find me and all of my nonsense on ‘Twitter’: @PeterMorganWPS
