Top-ranked Razorbacks shooting for 12th straight title

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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COLLEGE STATION, Texas — It’s a new season for No. 1 Arkansas, but the mission remains the same — win the conference championship.

Lance Harter’s squad will pursue its 12th consecutive Southeastern Conference victory this weekend, taking on the 2018 SEC Indoor Championships in College Station on Feb. 24-25.

The event will be televised live on the SEC network for the first time beginning at 5 p.m. CT on Sunday, Feb. 25. Fans will be able to live stream Saturday’s action on the SEC Network plus beginning at 2:55 p.m. The broadcast talent includes Dwight Stones, Larry Rawson, Jill Montgomery and John Anderson.

Nationally Ranked SEC Teams

The SEC almost accounts for half of the USTFCCCA NCAA National Rankings top-25 list with 10 teams occupying spots in the most recent edition of the poll

The Razorbacks lead the way at No. 1 but are closely trailed by No. 3 Kentucky and No. 4 Georgia. Elsewhere inside the top-10, LSU, Texas A&M and Florida rank at 6-7-8, respectively.

Regional rival Missouri is at No. 12 trailed by No. 14 Tennessee and No. 17 Alabama, while Mississippi State rounds out the group at 24.

SEC Streak

A perpetually formidable team at the conference and national levels, Arkansas took hold of the league at the 2014 SEC Outdoor Championships and has yet to loosen its grip.

Harter’s 2017 cross country team began another charge for an SEC Triple Crown this past fall in College Station and his track and field team looks to keep it going.

A victory this weekend would put the Hogs on the path for their fourth-consecutive SEC Triple Crown.

  • 2016 SEC Indoor Results: Arkansas (110), LSU (67) | Margin of Victory: 43
  • 2017 SEC Indoor Results: Arkansas (98), Alabama (93) | Margin of Victory: 12.5

All-SEC Returners
Back from the 2017 conference roster are pentathlon runner-up Taliyah Brooks, pole vault champion Tori (Weeks) Hoggard, pole vault runner-up Lexi (Weeks) Jacobus and 5K champion and 3K runner-up Taylor Werner.

Arkansas will kick off the meet tomorrow at 11:15 a.m. with Brooks on a mission for gold this year in the pentathlon.

Events To Watch (Saturday):

• 11:15 a.m. / 4:30 p.m. | Heptathlon/Long Jump
Featured Razorback: Taliyah Brooks (PR: 4,580 points / 6.57m/21-6 3/4)

• 3 p.m. | Pole Vault
Featured Razorback: Lexi Jacobus (PR: 4.64m/15-2 3/4)

• 3:10 p.m. / 6:15 p.m. | 60 Meter Hurdles/200 Meters Prelims
Featured Razorback: Payton Chadwick (PR: 8.09/22.99)

• 3:35 p.m. | 60 Meters Prelims
Featured Razorback: Jada Baylark (PR: 7.22)

• 3:35 p.m. | Mile Prelims
Featured Razorback: Nikki Hiltz (PR: 4:33.44)

• 7:10 p.m. | 3,000 Meters
Featured Razorback: Taylor Werner (PR: 9:06.34)

Hogs look to get back on track on road at Alabama

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Entering the final stretch of the regular season, Arkansas travels to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Saturday in search of four straight wins against the Crimson Tide.

The Rundown
Opponent: Alabama Crimson Tide (17-11, 8-7 SEC)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 25
Site: Coleman Coliseum (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
Tip-off: 5:00 p.m. CT
TV: SEC Network | WatchESPN
Live Stats: Click Here
Sirius/XM Radio: 137/190

The #Fastest40 Facts

• The Razorbacks are searching for back-to-back road conference wins for the eighth time in the last five years.

• For the first time in 10 years, Arkansas is 3-0 in its last three games against ranked teams, including last Saturday’s 19-point win against No. 21 Texas A&M.

• Daniel Gafford earned his third SEC Freshman of the Week honor on Monday. He joins NBA players Bobby Portis and Patrick Beverley as the only Razorbacks to ever earn the honor three times.

• During the last five years, the Razorbacks have posted a 33-15 (.687) regular season record in the months of February and March.

• Arkansas has won 36 consecutive games in which it has led at halftime. During Mike Anderson era, the Razorbacks are 121-7 when leading at the intermission.

• Jaylen Barford and Daryl Macon are the only two players in the SEC to rank in the top 10 in points per game, three-point FG percentage and FG percentage.

• Daryl Macon has nine 20-point performances in the last 10 games. His streak of seven straight put him alongside Corliss Williamson as the only players to do so since the Razorbacks joined the SEC.

• Arkansas is 6-0 this season when Daryl Macon and Jaylen Barford both score 20+ points in the same game, including 5-0 in SEC play. The Razorbacks are 8-1 the duo combines for 40 points.

A Win Would…

• Give the Razorbacks back-to-back wins in Tuscaloosa for the first time in 21 years.

• Be Arkansas’ 2nd four-game winning streak (06-08) against Alabama in the all-time series that dates back to 1948.

• Be the Razorbacks’ ninth SEC road victory during the last two seasons.

• Give Arkansas 20+ wins in four of the last six years.

First postseason test coming up for third-ranked Razorbacks

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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COLLEGE STATION, Texas — No. 3 Arkansas will be in the hunt for its 23rd Southeastern Conference Indoor title this weekend in College Station, competing at the 2018 SEC Indoor Championships, Feb. 24-25, at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium.

The event will be televised live on the SEC network for the first time beginning at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 25. Fans will be able to live stream Saturday’s action on the SEC Network plus beginning at 2:55 p.m. The broadcast talent includes Dwight Stones, Larry Rawson, Jill Montgomery and John Anderson.

Nationally Ranked SEC Teams

In the most recent USTFCCCA NCAA National Rankings, eight SEC programs were among the top-25 best teams in the country led by No. 2 Florida, No. 3 Arkansas and No. 5 Georgia.

Just out of the top-five, Texas A&M checked in at No. 7, Alabama at No. 8 and Kentucky at No. 11. South Carolina and Auburn rounded out the list ranked 23rd and 25th, respectively.

Indoor Streak

Arkansas looks to extend it’s indoor conference dominance to three championships in-a-row, having won the 2016 crown at home in Fayetteville, Arkansas and last year’s crown on the road in Nashville.

• 2016 SEC Indoor Results: Arkansas (109), Texas A&M (85.83) | Margin of Victory: 23.17

• 2017 SEC Indoor Results: Arkansas (98), Alabama (93) | Margin of Victory: 5

All-SEC Returners

The Razorbacks return three individual All-SEC performers from the 2017 squad including Jack Bruce (3,000), Kenzo Cotton (60) and Obi Igbokwe (400).

Bruce won gold at 3,000 meters last year, collecting 10 points for Arkansas on the first day of competition.

He then went on to anchor Arkansas’ distance medley relay team to a silver medal to close out the meet.

Events To Watch (Saturday):

• 3:20 p.m. / 5:50 p.m. | 60/200 Meters Prelims
Featured Razorback: Kenzo Cotton (PR: 6.56/20.65)

• 4:20 p.m. | 400 Meters Prelims 
Featured Razorback: Obi Igbokwe (PR: 45.38)

• 4:30 p.m. | Long Jump 
Featured Razorback: Laquan Nairn (PR: 7.87m/25-10)

• 4:30 p.m. | High Jump 
Featured Razorback: Jah-Nhai Perinchief (PR: 2.22m/7-3 1/4)

• 6:45 p.m. | 3,000 Meters
Featured Razorback: Cameron Griffith (PR: 7:49.78)

Morning Rush Hour 3

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Friday

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Friday

Morning Rush Hour 2

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Morning Rush Hour 1

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Aggies thump Hogs in final home game of season

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas dropped its final home game of the season, 104-60, to No. 17 Texas A&M in Bud Walton Arena on Thursday.

The Razorbacks’ (12-16, 3-12 SEC) opening minutes forecasted a good game with the teams matching each other in pace and score.

But the Aggies (21-8, 10-5 SEC) sprinted out of the media timeout with an 8-0 run that Arkansas struggled to overcome for the rest of the contest.

The Razorbacks had three players in double figures paced by a 15-point effort from sophomore Jailyn Mason. Junior Malica Monk added 13 points and graduate student Devin Cosper dropped in 10 points in her final home game.

The Aggies had a significant height advantage and it show in a couple of key statistical areas as Arkansas was outrebounded 48-28 and gave up 44 points in the paint.

Notes

• Jailyn Mason scored 13 points in the first half. She finished with 15 points and has scored in double figures in 18 games this season and 28 games in her career.

• Texas A&M’s 55 first half points is the most given up in the opening frame this season.

• Malica Monk finished with 13 points, her 26th game of the year in double figures.

• Devin Cosper picked up her 18th game in double figures this season finishing with 10 points.

Up Next

The Razorbacks travel to Vanderbilt for the final game of the regular season on Sunday at 2 p.m. The game is available online on the SECN+.

Road gets tougher for Hogs at Tony Gwynn Invitational

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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SAN DIEGO, Calif. — After coming out on the winning side of a 1-0 pitchers’ duel against Arizona on Wednesday night, third-ranked Arkansas remains undefeated at 4-0 as it goes into the weekend’s Tony Gwynn Legacy Tournament.

The Razorbacks will face the likes of Cal Poly, San Diego State, and San Diego over the next three days.

Cal Poly will be Arkansas’ first opponent on Friday with first pitch at 3 p.m., followed by San Diego State on Saturday at 8 p.m.

The University of San Diego will be the Hogs’ final opponent on Sunday with first pitch at Noon. Both games against SDSU and USD will be played at each respective team’s home park.

Follow Live

All games will be televised regionally on Cox Sports Television with Brett Dolan (PXP) and Troy Eklund (Analyst) calling the action. Scott Inman (PXP) will have the radio call on the IMG Sports Network. COX SPORTS CHANNEL FINDER

Probable Starters

Fri. | 3 p.m. | (ARK) RHP Blaine Knight (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 4 SO, 2 BB) vs. (CP) RHP Michael Clark (0-0, 5.40 ERA, 3 SO, 2 BB)

Sat. | 8 p.m. | (ARK) RHP Isaiah Campbell (1-0, 2.25 ERA, 7 SO, 2 BB) vs. (SDSU) RHP Harrison Pyatt (0-0, 4.15 ERA, 4 SO, 1 BB)

Sun, | Noon | (ARK) TBA vs. (USD) TBA

Murphy And Kjerstad Will Hogs Past Wildcats — Playing a neutral site game as part of a warmup to the Tony Gwynn Legacy Tournament, Arkansas was able to gut out a 1-0 victory over PAC-12 power Arizona Wednesday night.

Junior pitcher Kacey Murphy showed no drop off from his strong 2017 postseason by throwing six scoreless innings and totaling six strikeouts on 73 pitches.

At the plate, freshman Heston Kjerstad continues to show he belongs by hitting the solo home run that provided the victory. Kjerstad has at least one hit in all four games this year and only one strikeout in 12 at-bats.

Van Horn Closing In On 600 Wins At Arkansas — With Wednesday’s win over Arizona, Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn is now just one win away from 600 as the head Hog.

Van Horn entered 2018 with the third-most wins by a current head coach in the SEC at their current school. With another win, Van Horn will join Vanderbilt’s Tim Corbin and Ole Miss’ Mike Bianco as the only coaches in the conference with 600 or more wins at their current institution.

Overall, Van Horn has 970 wins as a Division I head coach, good for eighth-most among all active coaches.

Knight Makes Third-Straight Opening Weekend Start — For the third-straight season, Bryant, Arkansas native Blaine Knight was part of Arkansas’ starting rotation for the first series of the year.

Knight held Bucknell hitless over five innings in a 14-2 victory. Combined in his three opening weekend starts, Knight has struck out 12 batters in 14 innings, while allowing just two runs and walking two batters.

After last week’s slate of games, Knight was the only starting pitcher in the SEC to not give up a single hit during their outing.

Hogs Plate 49 Runs On Bucknell — Arkansas cruised to a sweep over Bucknell on opening weekend. While the the three wins were impressive enough, it was the amount of runs that was astounding.

Forty-nine Razorback runs crossed the plate combined over the three games including 32 in Saturday’s game two. The 49 runs is the most in the first three games of of a season since 1997.

The sweep is the team’s fifth-straight dating back to 2014, while the 32 runs on Saturday was just one less than the school record for runs scored in a single-game (1984).

Soooieville Sluggers Year Two? — In 2017, Arkansas crushed an SEC-best 83 home runs. It was the most home runs by a Razorback team since 2010.

The Hogs picked up where they left off during opening weekend last week, hitting eight homers, including six in Saturday’s 32-4 victory over Bucknell.

Arkansas currently leads all SEC teams in home runs and is tops in the nation after week one.

Welcome Back Guys! — Multiple Razorbacks who were injured for most of 2017 made their returns last week including: pitchers Isaiah Campbell (bone spurs), Keaton McKinney (elbow), Cody Scroggins (elbow), and infielder Hunter Wilson (leg).

Campbell and McKinney were both part of the starting rotation, combining for six innings and nine strikeouts.

Campbell was able to earn the game two win, while McKinney was making his first competitive appearance since the 2016 season.

Anderson previews Tide matchup on Saturday

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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Arkansas coach Mike Anderson met with the media Thursday and talked about the matchup with another one of the league’s top teams on the road.

Hogs home for showdowns against Kansas, Purdue

ESPN Arkansas News Services
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FAYETTEVILLE — After a week without matches, Arkansas will return to George M. Billingsley Tennis Center this weekend to host No.15 Kansas and Purdue.

The Razorbacks (3-4) will face the Jayhawks (4-2) at 5 p.m. CT Friday and then the Boilermakers (5-3) at 11 a.m. CT Sunday.

Promotions
Admission is free. All matches will feature complimentary pizza, Keurig products, popcorn and Pepsi soft drinks for all fans in attendance.

Live Coverage
Fans can follow both matches through live scoring at RazorbackStats.com.

Previous Matches
Kansas edged Arkansas 4-3 earlier this season at ITA Kick-Off Weekend on Jan. 27. Last season, the Razorbacks beat Purdue 6-1 in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Series History
Arkansas leads the overall series against Kansas 12-9, but Purdue owns a 3-2 advantage against the Razorbacks.

In The Rankings
Junior Ana Oparenovic leads the way for Arkansas in singles at No. 76. In doubles, Oparenovic and freshman Tatum Rice are ranked No. 36, while Oparenovic is also ranked No. 55 with senior Mia Jurasic.

Notables
Arkansas has won the doubles point in each of its five matches this season … In singles, Pairone enters the weekend with a team-best 5-0 record, playing at the No. 2, 3 and 4 positions this season … Oparenovic and Rice are a team-best 6-0 in doubles with each win coming at the top spot.

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