Northcross-Baker paces Razorbacks to Sunday win
FAYETTEVILLE — Junior Raven Northcross-Baker dropped in a career-high 22 points, including six three-pointers, leading Arkansas to a 91-57 win over UT-Arlington in Bud Walton Arena on Sunday.
The win was fueled by some halftime adjustments and, oddly enough, a scoring run by the Mavericks.
Arkansas was up double figures at halftime but UTA came out of the locker room hitting six-of-seven field goals to cut the lead to single digits.Arkansas (8-3) got double figure scoring from four players, with Malica Monk netting 20 points, Jailyn Mason with 15 points and Keiryn Swenson with 10 points to join Northcross-Baker.
With the lead trimmed to eight points, 52-44, with 2:18 to play in the third period, the Mavericks controlled the tempo and energy brining life to their bench and fans.
The ruckus from the visitor’s bench seemed to inspire Arkansas who charged down the floor and got a 3-pointer from Swenson to regain a double-figure lead. Sophomore Kiara Williams got a steal and Mason ran the floor for a layup as Arkansas stretched the lead to 11 points.
Arkansas opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer from Swenson, a steal, and back-to-back three-pointers from Northcross-Baker. That run helped secure the win for Arkansas.
Northcross-Baker hit four 3-pointers in the fourth period scoring 12 points and helping the Razorbacks outscore UTA 28-11 in the final 10 minutes.
Notes
• Raven Northcross-Baker scored in double figures for the second time of the season with a career-best 22 points.
• Malica Monk recorded her 11th consecutive double-figure scoring game and her sixth 20+ point game.
• Arkansas forced double figure turnovers for the 10th time in 11 games.
• Career-best 12-for-12 from the line for Malica Monk. It is the fifth time this year she has been perfect from the line.
• It is the fourth time this year Arkansas has recorded double figure 3-pointers.
• Twelve 3-pointers is a season-best and the fourth time this year the Razorbacks have had double digit baskets from distance.
• Arkansas has outrebounded its opponent in five games including Sunday, 40-27, over UTA.
• Arkansas had season bests for field goals (30, 3-pointers (12), assists (19) and tied their season-best with 19 free throws.
Up Next
The Razorbacks travel to Arizona State for the final game before the holiday break. Arkansas returns hosting Grambling on Dec. 28 and opens Southeastern Conference play with Ole Miss in Bud Walton Arena on Dec. 31.
No need to panic; Ferrell commits to play for Hogs
Take a deep breath.
Arkansas fans have been burning up message boards with doom-and-gloom predictions after Chad Morris’ first big recruiting weekend ended and commitments weren’t pouring out of the twitter universe (which is where all of this seems to come from these days).
Before dark Sunday evening, Fordyce defensive lineman Billy Ferrell committed to the Hogs.
Proud to say that I am Committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks !!! #WooPig ????????⚪️????⚪️ pic.twitter.com/GNL18gFatm
— Bj (@7_Bjferrell) December 17, 2017
Ferrell told Otis Kirk of Hawgs247.com after his weekend visit:
“It went real good, it’s the place I want to be,” Ferrell said. “It felt like home coming up here. They accepted me as their brother. I feel like if I come here, we can all bond and make this stuff happen.
Ferrell had 63 tackles, eight tackles for loss, one sack, two pass deflections, two fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles in his senior season at Fordyce.
He was offered by Morris on his first day on the job. Without naming the recruit, Morris was elated with the Ferrell pledge.
Wooo Pig Sooie!!! Another big time baller locks arms with us on The Hill. #WPS #HammerDown #FullTiltBoogie @RazorbackFB @RazorbackFBRec pic.twitter.com/X7nN4X2QSn
— Chad Morris (@coachchadmorris) December 17, 2017
Ferrell chose the Hogs over Alabama, Louisville, Tennessee, Georgia, Wisconsin and others.
According to Danny West of HawgSports.com, he won’t be taking more visits.
Ferrell will no longer take those scheduled trips to Bama, UGA, Tennessee and Wisconsin next month. He's signing with #Arkansas on Wednesday and shutting it down. #HawgSports
— Danny West (@DannyWest1) December 17, 2017
But Sunday afternoon many Hogs fans, skeptical at their best, were virtually throwing up their hands in despair and thinking the worst.
Just relax.
Morris won’t recruit the Hogs into the Top 10 in the early signing period. The odds are they won’t finish there in February.
But they will win more than four games next season.
And they will get some more big-name targets.
Anderson pleased with Hogs’ energy in win
NORTH LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas coach Mike Anderson was pleased with the team’s energy, performance in 88-63 win over Troy on Saturday night.
Troy’s Cunningham after losing to Razorbacks by 25
NORTH LITTLE ROCK — Troy coach Phil Cunningham met with the media and talked about Arkansas’ dominating 88-63 win on Saturday night.
Hogs roll to easy win over Troy behind Macon’s 25
NORTH LITTLE ROCK — Behind a 25-point effort from the hometown kid Daryl Macon, Arkansas defeated Troy in its annual Central Arkansas game, 88-63.
It is Arkansas’ fifth win by 20 or more points this season.
Troy came out shooting, hitting its first three shots to take an early 8-2 lead. The Razorback defense rose to the occasion, forcing six straight misses by the Trojans, to go on a 15-3 run, including 13 straight.
Macon scored eight straight part of the run that gave Arkansas the lead, with back-to-back three-point baskets and a lay-up in transition off a steal. He led the team at half with 15 points, including four off of two steals. North Little Rock native Anton Beard went 4-of-5 from the floor in the first half, scoring nine points.
After grabbing the lead, Arkansas would start to take control of the game, using runs of 13, 13 and eight. The Razorbacks took a 20-point lead into the break, up 45-25. The Razorbacks shot 62.1 percent from the field in the first half, going 19-of-28, to give Arkansas their largest lead at halftime ever in Verizon Arena.
After trailing for four minutes, 10 seconds at the beginning of the game, Arkansas went on to lead for the final 35 minutes, 38 seconds. It is the eighth time this season Arkansas led by more than 30 minutes, seventh time leading by more than 35 minutes.
A key to victory for the Razorbacks was sharing the ball well. Arkansas had 19 assists to just six turnovers. Over the last three games, Arkansas has a combined 64 assists to 20 turnovers, good for a 3.2 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Macon finished the game with a team-high 25 points to go with three rebounds and five assists. It is Macon’s eighth game this season scoring in double figures, third scoring 20 or more. Macon’s 25 points is the second most by a Razorback in Verizon Arena, after Mike Washington had 34 against North Texas in 2009.
Freshman forward Daniel Gafford would finish with 10 points, six rebounds and three blocks. Beard would finish with 11 points, while sophomore Adrio Bailey added 10. Despite just scoring seven points, senior guard Jaylen Barford had a team high seven rebounds, tying his season high, to go along with five assists.
The Razorback dominated the paint, outscoring the Trojans 50-16 down low. 14 of those points came on seven dunks, the second-most in a game this season by Arkansas.
The Razorbacks return to Fayetteville on Tuesday to host Oral Roberts at 7 p.m. in Bud Walton Arena. The game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.
Game Notes
• Arkansas’ win improves the Razorbacks to 5-2 in North Little Rock under head coach Mike Anderson, including wins in five of the last six trips.
• Since the beginning of the 2016-17 season, the Razorbacks are 8-3 in neutral site games, including a 3-1 mark this season.
• For the first time in 24 years, Arkansas has scored 90+ points in seven of its first 10 games. That span dates back to the 1994 National Championship season.
• Arkansas has 24 runs of seven points or more in 10 games this season, compared to just 10 by opponents.
• The Razorbacks have multiple runs of seven points or more in eight of 10 games.
Macon, Beard talk about energy in Verizon in big win
Arkansas seniors Daryl Macon and Anton Beard talked about playing in front of back-to-back sellout crowds after the 88-63 win over Troy.
Hogs hosting 10 players on official visits; Morris’ goals
Arkansas coach Chad Morris made it very easy to understand what he’s wanting on the SEC Network’s Paul Finebaum show on Friday:
“It is a great time,” he said. “It is a great fit for me being the head coach here and we want to get this program back to where it’s been several years ago, winning championships and eventually build it into a prominent week-in and week-out top five, top two program in the country.”
Morris, who was officially hired Dec. 7, hit the ground running and hasn’t slowed up.
“They hired me on a Thursday,” he said on the Finebaum Show. “I have basically been here eight days and you are trying to get into people’s living rooms and get into schools with the guys that are committed, to hang onto the commits, to gather other guys and say ‘make sure and give me a chance to build a relationship.”
That starts with recruiting and this is a big weekend with 10 recruits in Fayetteville on official visits, according to reports.
According to Dudley Dawson at WholeHogSports.com on the recruits the Razorbacks are looking at this weekend:
They will try to flip another trio this weekend with Mississippi State safety commit Myles Mason (6-2, 205), Oklahoma athlete pledge Jaqualyn Crawford (5-10, 160) of Rockdale, Texas, and North Carolina defensive end commit Nick Fulwider (6-7, 245) of Tyrone, Ga., Sandy Creek.
Mason is among eight players who have arrived in Fayetteville. Crawford and Fulwider are due later tonight or Saturday.
Fordyce defensive lineman Billy Ferrell is taking his official visit along with five Arkansas commits – offensive linemen Luke Jones of Pulaski Academy and Noah Gatlin of Jonesboro, Springdale defensive end Isaiah Nichols, Charleston wide receiver/safety Sean Michael Flanagan, Bishop and Woods.
With the early signing date coming up Wednesday, Morris said he’s re-thinking his position on it after making the switch so close to the deadline.
“At the time, I think everybody thought it was a good idea, but what we are finding out, especially with the coaching changes right now, is that you are having to get into contact periods,” Morris said on the Finebaum Show.
He did say he is looking at somewhere around 50 percent of the Hogs’ signing class becoming official Wednesday.
“What you are going to find is it is going to be about 50-50,” Morris said. “You have got some guys that have been committed to the University of Arkansas, with the coaching change they are still committed, but they are wanting to build that relationship and make sure it is the right fit for them.
“And then you have some that we have had existing relationships with or they have a coach that knew me from a prior relationship along the way that can kind of vouch for the person I am and the staff we are going bring in that are ready to go on Wednesday.
“The way it is looking now I am seeing about 50-50 and that’s okay because if you are unsure we want to have a chance to build a relationship with you to give us a chance in January.”
