Phil Elson & Tye Richardson hit on the hogs losing at home, QB’s in the transfer portal, plus Bill Bender of Sporting News joins the POD!
Second-half surge not enough to lift Razorbacks past Tigers
COLUMBIA, Mo. — A second half surge was not enough as Arkansas suffered a 71-53 loss at Missouri in Southeastern Conference play on Thursday.
A cold start for the Razorbacks (12-5, 1-2 SEC) included a 19% performance from the floor and no points from Arkansas’ leading scorers in Chelsea Dungee and Malica Monk in the first half. The duo was a combined 0-14.
In addition, Missouri (14-3, 3-0 SEC) dominated the boards in the first 20 minutes, 32-10, and scored 18 second-chance points to open the game.
The Razorbacks heated up in the second half winning the third and fourth quarters as Dungee and Monk got into the scoring column. Dungee finished with 15 points and six rebounds. Jailyn Mason added seven points followed by six from Alexis Tolefree. Monk, Kiara Williams, Raven Northcross-Baker and Bailey Zimmerman had five points each in the loss.
Notes
• Arkansas Starters: Alexis Tolefree, Malica Monk, Kiara Williams, Jailyn Mason, Chelsea Dungee
• Arkansas’ nine first quarter points is a season-low in the opening frame. It was also a season-low at the half with 14 points.
• Chelsea Dungee and Malica Monk were held scoreless in the first 20 minutes.
• The Razorbacks have forced double figure turnovers by opponents in every game.
• Arkansas won the third quarter, 16-15, for the ninth time this season, and the fourth quarter, 23-22, for the 14th time this year.
Up Next
Arkansas returns home hosting Vanderbilt on Sunday at 2 p.m. The Razorbacks have a bye on Thursday and travel to No. 10 Tennessee for a Big Monday matchup on Jan. 21.
Allen’s clutch shooting kills Hogs’ rally in Florida’s 57-51 win
FAYETTEVILLE — Mason Jones scored a career-high 30 points and played a key role in a 15-2 run late in the game to get Arkansas within two (53-51) with 1:02 left, but Florida made four free throws inside the final 12 seconds to get a 57-51 victory.
Arkansas was down 15 (51-36) with 6:11 left before Jones scored 11 points (six free throws, a jumper and a 3-pointer) to trim the Razorbacks’ deficit to two, 53-51.
Jones capped the 15-2 run with two free throws with 1:02 left.
On the ensuing possession, Arkansas’ defense got a stop on the defensive end as Daniel Gafford pulled down his 12th rebound of the contest. The Razorbacks then had two chances to tie the game, but Jones’ jumper missed with 24 seconds left and Adrio Bailey’s put-back rimmed out.
Arkansas was forced to foul and Kevaughn Allen sank two free throws with 12 seconds left to give the Gators a four-point lead. Arkansas came up empty again before Allen made two more from the charity stripe to secure the six-point win (57-51).
Allen finished with 18 points, including 11-of-12 at the free throw line. Overall, Florida was 15-of-19 while Arkansas was 15-of-26.
Arkansas will stay home to face LSU on Saturday (Jan. 12). Tip-off is set for 5:00 pm and the game will be telecast on the SEC Network.
FIRST HALF: Arkansas 22 – Florida 33
• Arkansas got off to a quick start – leading 6-2 – but went 7:30 without scoring. However, Arkansas’ defense kept the Razorbacks in the game as Florida only led 12-6 with 8:20 left. Daniel Gafford ended the drought with a made free throw to make it a five-point game, 12-7.
• Mason Jones hit back-to-back 3-pointers to get the Razorbacks to within one twice, 15-14 and 18-17.
• Both teams struggled offensively in the first half with Florida shooting 31.3 percent with just four assists and Arkansas shot 28 percent with six assists.
• Mason Jones led Arkansas with 13 first-half points while Daniel Gafford had seven rebounds.
SECOND HALF: Arkansas cuts 16-point deficit to two with 1:02 left.
• Arkansas was down by 16 (48-32) with 9:13 left. The Razorbacks were also down 15 (51-36) with 6:11 left.
• From that 15-point deficit, Mason Jones scored 11 points in a 15-2 run to make the score 53-51 in Florida’s favor with 1:02 left.
• Jones made six free throws and two field goals during the run while Adrio Bailey and Daniel Gafford each added lay-ups.
GAME NOTES:
• Arkansas’ starters were Isaiah Joe (G) – Jalen Harris (G) – Mason Jones (G) – Adrio Bailey (F) – Daniel Gafford (F). This has been the starting lineup in 13 of Arkansas’ 14 games.
• Florida controlled the tip. Daniel Gafford scored the first points of the game, a lay-in off a Jalen Harris pass at 18:54.
• Beginning its 28th season in the Southeastern Conference, Arkansas is 18-10 all-time in SEC home openers.
• The 51 points were the lowest by the Razorbacks in the Mike Anderson era and the lowest over since falling to Auburn 73-51 on Jan. 24, 2009 in Bud Walton Arena.
• Arkansas’ bench did not score a point, marking the first time that has occurred since the Razorbacks joined the SEC (HogStats.com).
• In scoring his career high 30 points, Mason Jones made a career-high seven field goals and set career highs in free throws made (12) and attempted (13).
• For the third time this season, Jones led the team in both scoring (30) and assists (3, tied) in the same game. Overall, he has led the team in scoring a team-best six times and led the team in assists four times.
• Jones in the second Razorback to score at least 30 points this season, joining Isaiah Joe’s 34 versus FIU. It is the 119th time a Razorback has scored at least 30 and Jones is the 47th Razorback to accomplish the feat.
• Gabe Osabuohien had a career-high eight rebounds in 14 minutes of play before fouling out with 6:57 left in the game.
• Isaiah Joe took two charges to give him 10 for the season, tying Gabe Osabuohien for the team lead.
• Gabe Osabuohien was the first sub off the bench. He has been the first sub (solo or tied) in 12 of the 14 games this season.
• For the first time this year, both Isaiah Joe (6 points) and Daniel Gafford (9 points) did not reach double digits in scoring. Both Joe and Gafford had scored in double figures in each of the first 13 games.
Anderson on Hogs’ poor shooting night against Florida
Hogs coach Mike Anderson called it “an ugly game” as they battled back from a 16-point deficit but couldn’t hit shot at end in 57-51 loss to Gators on Wednesday night.
Gators coach on bouncing back from home loss for win
Florida coach Mike White was glad to see his team bounce back from Saturday’s loss to South Carolina for the 57-51 win over the Hogs, despite nearly blowing a big lead.
Jones talks about loss to Florida, despite scoring 30 points
Arkansas’ Mason Jones had 30 points against the Gators, but everybody else had just 21 in a 57-51 loss Wednesday night at Bud Walton Arena.
Reports say Storey has put name in NCAA transfer portal
According to reports Arkansas quarterback Ty Storey has put his name into the NCAA’s transfer portal, making him eligible to leave the team.
SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic first reported it Wednesday afternoon, attributing to an unidentified source
Storey, from Charleston, would be a fifth-year senior in 2019. He started nine games last season and completed 143 of 250 passes for 1,584 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Being in the portal does not mean a player cannot return to his school, just that he is exploring transfer options.
If Storey leaves, the only quarterback on the roster with returning experience would be sophomore Connor Noland from Greenwood.
Hogs start 2019 season ranked No. 13 in ‘Perfect Game’ poll
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Arkansas earned a spot at No. 13 in the Perfect Game Preseason Poll that was released earlier today.
The Razorbacks join seven other SEC teams in the top 25, five of which they will face at some point during the season.
Coming off its first national runner-up finish since 1979, Arkansas will once again begin its season as one of the best teams in the nation.
Of the five SEC teams that are ranked and will face the Razorbacks this year, three will be coming to Fayetteville including: No. 10 Ole Miss (March 29-31), No. 17 Mississippi State (April 18-20) and No. 1 LSU (May 9-11).
Arkansas will also go on the road to face No. 3 Vanderbilt (April 12-14) and No. 15 Auburn (April 4-6).
Entering his 17th season at the helm, head coach Dave Van Horn returns 14 letterwinners from a year ago and will be looking to continue the success seen last year where the Razorbacks reached the College World Series for the ninth time in school history.
Offensively, the Hogs return a potent lineup including two of the top freshman hitters in the nation from a year ago.
Reigning SEC Freshman of the Year Heston Kjerstad is back for his sophomore season after hitting .332 while setting the Arkansas freshman record with 87 hits, 14 home runs and 58 RBIs.
As for infielder Casey Martin, the Lonoke, Arkansas native has already racked up two preseason All-American honors and will look to improve on his team-leading .345 batting average, which led all freshmen in the SEC.
Martin was a tough out at the College World Series, hitting .357 with 10 of his 19 NCAA Tournament hits coming in Omaha.
Arkansas is scheduled to open the 2019 season against Eastern Illinois on Friday, Feb. 15 with first pitch at 3 p.m. at Baum Stadium.
2019 Perfect Game NCAA Division I Baseball Preseason Poll
| Rank | Team (2018 Final Record) | 2018 Finish |
| 1 | LSU (39-27) | Corvallis Regional |
| 2 | Oregon State (55-12-1) | College World Series Champions |
| 3 | Vanderbilt (35-27) | Nashville Super Regional |
| 4 | UCLA (38-21) | Minneapolis Regional |
| 5 | Texas Tech (45-20) | College World Series |
| 6 | North Carolina (44-20) | College World Series |
| 7 | Stanford (46-12) | Stanford Regional |
| 8 | Louisville (45-19) | Lubbock Regional |
| 9 | Florida (49-21) | College World Series |
| 10 | Ole Miss (48-17) | Oxford Regional |
| 11 | East Carolina (44-18) | Greenville Regional |
| 12 | Baylor (37-21) | Stanford Regional |
| 13 | Arkansas (48-21) | College World Series Runner-Up |
| 14 | Florida State (43-19) | Tallahassee Regional |
| 15 | Auburn (43-23) | Gainesville Super Regional |
| 16 | TCU (33-23) | Did not make postseason |
| 17 | Mississippi St. (39-29) | College World Series |
| 18 | Oklahoma State (31-26-1) | Deland Regional |
| 19 | Michigan (33-21) | Did not make postseason |
| 20 | UConn (37-22-1) | Conway Regional |
| 21 | NC State (42-18) | Raleigh Regional |
| 22 | Georgia (39-21) | Athens Regional |
| 23 | UC Irvine (32-24) | Did not make postseason |
| 24 | Clemson (47-16) | Clemson Regional |
| 25 | Coastal Carolina (43-19) | Conway Regional |
???? Wednesday Halftime Pod — featuring Derek Ruscin
Phil & Tye discuss Jordan Phillips transferring, Arkansas-Florida, interview Derek Ruscin and more!
Neighbors previews road matchup with Missouri on Thursday night
After getting rid of the loss against Mississippi State, Arkansas rebounded with a 30-point win on road against Ole Miss and face Missouri on Thursday night in another road game.
