Tye, Tommy and Chuck on the seniors impact, road updates in AR, change in SEC scheduling and more!
The Morning Rush is LIVE. Ole Miss has a huge distraction heading to Fayetteville
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Mike Neighbors, Razorbacks cruise to big win over Kent State
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas led for all but two minutes in Thursday’s game against Kent State cruising to an 80-59 victory.
That win marks Mike Neighbors’ 100th win at Arkansas to help the Razorbacks start the season 4-0 for the first time since 2019. Samara Spencer (22) and Erynn Barnum (20) both dropped 20-point games in the victory.
Kent State took an early lead, 6-3, three minutes into the game, but Spencer tied things up at six following a 3-pointer.
After another Kent layup, Arkansas scored six straight points to lead 11-8 at the media timeout. Arkansas extended its lead to seven, but that was short-lived, as Kent State went on a 7-2 run to cut it within two with 1:24 left in the first.
Rylee Langerman then hit a 3-pointer and Makayla Daniels followed with a layup, as Arkansas led 24-17 after the first quarter.
Arkansas started the second quarter on a 13-2 run, which put the Razorbacks ahead 37-19 four minutes into the frame.
Chrissy Carr helped get that run started with a jumper and her second 3-pointer of the game, while Spencer delivered layups on back-to-back possessions.
The Razorbacks outscored the Golden Flashes 22-12 in the second quarter, as Arkansas took a 46-29 advantage going into the half.
Following a Spencer layup to kick off the second half, Kent scored five straight layups and cut the lead to 14 with 6:12 left in the third, which would be the closest the Golden Flashes would get the rest of the game.
Barnum made layups on back-to-back possessions and the Razorbacks shot 5-for-6 from the charity stripe in the remainder of the quarter to take a 64-46 edge going into the final quarter.
Arkansas kept on putting their foot on the gas, as Spencer and Daniels drained 3-pointers back-to-back and Barnum kept on going to work in the paint. After another Daniels triple,
Arkansas went ahead by 27, their largest lead of the night, 75-48. Arkansas outscored Kent 16-13 in the fourth quarter, and the Razorbacks won by a convincing 21 points, 80-59.
Game Highlights
• Spencer paced the Razorbacks with her fourth career 20-point game. She delivered a solid stat line of 22 points, seven defensive rebounds and a career-high seven assists.
• Barnum’s first 20-point game of her career came on Monday, but she delivered her second consecutive 20-point game tonight. She ended with 20 points, six rebounds and a block.
• Carr showed fans glimpses of all she is capable of with 12 points off 4-of-7 shooting and four rebounds.
• Saylor Poffenbarger led the team in efficiency for the third straight game at +29. She pulled down six rebounds and blocked three shots.
• Daniels delivered nine rebounds, five assists and four steals. She surpassed Sarah Pfeifer on the all-time scoring list and is now at No. 28 with 1,060 career points.
• Eleven players saw action on Thursday night.
• Arkansas shot a season-best 45.5 percent from the field and drained nine 3-pointers.
• The Razorbacks registered 19 assists, which is also a season high.
• Neighbors achieved 100 wins on the Hill, becoming the fourth Arkansas coach to meet the century mark.
Next Game
Arkansas will wrap up its stint of three games in seven days on Sunday at Little Rock. Tipoff is set at 1 p.m. at the Jack Stephens Center. Coverage of the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Clay Henry of Hogs+ on Razorbacks’ focus on fundamentals in off week
Getting a bye week helped them get some things fixed on defense at least through a couple of games.
RECRUITING THURSDAY: Why Razorback football coaches face uphill battle
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Richard Davenport on how the coaching community views the Hogs’ football problems, especially in recruiting.
Democrat-Gazette’s Tom Murphy previewing Ole Miss game
Also breaking down why the defense had some success the past two weeks that will be challenged against Rebels.
Halftime is LIVE with Phil Elson, Matt Jones, Matt Travis, and Clay Henry
11:15 – Bob Holt
1:15 – Nate Olson
The Dunk heard round the USA! Dunking Hogs Take down Jacks; Pressure of Ole Miss Game Call or text, 877-377-6963
Bud Light Next Morning Rush Podcast: Keep Bud Walton Arena
Richard Davenport, Clay Henry and Tom Murphy join
The Morning Rush is LIVE after Arkansas defeats South Dakota State in Bud Walton last night
Call or text the show 877-377-6963
Ricky Council, Trevon Brazile pace Hogs past Jackrabbits
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Ricky Council led Arkansas in scoring for the third straight game and Trevon Brazile recorded his second career double-double of the season — and his career — (2-2) Wednesday night at Bud Walton Arena.
It was the 500th men’s basketball game played in this the 30th year of the facility.
Council scored a game-high 19 points (8-of-12 FG) and Brazile had 13 points and 10 rebounds while throwing down a highlight reel dunk that immediately went viral.
Davonte Davis also scored 13 points while Jordan Walsh had 10 points and three steals in 16 minutes before leaving the game early in the second half with an ankle injury.
For the third straight game, the Razorback defense was the story.
No player from SDSU scored in double figures and its leading scorer through two games – Matt Dentlinger (16.7 points per game) – was just 0-2 from the field with three points.
The Razorbacks have yet to surrender 60 points and held the Jackrabbits’s high-scoring attack in check. The Hogs held one of the top shooting teams in the nation from last year (No. 1 in the NCAA in overall field goal percentage and No. 2 in 3-pt percentage) to just 32.1% shooting overall and 18.6% (3-of-16) from 3-point range.
Arkansas used a 10-2 run to end the first half and an 11-1 run to start the second to push the lead to 22 points. The cushion would balloon to 27 (64-37 with 8:39 left).
South Dakota State made all 10 of its free throws from the 3:53 mark to the 1:38 mark and hit a 3-pointer with two seconds left in the game to work the final deficit down to 15.
Next Arkansas will travel to Hawai’i to play in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational Monday-Wednesday next week.
The Razorbacks will face Louisville in the opener at 4 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPN2.
FIRST HALF: Arkansas: 41 – South Dakota State: 29
• The 41 points are the most by the Razorbacks in the first half this season.
Up three, Arkansas used an 8-0 run to take a 24-13 lead.
• The Jackrabbits answered with a 14-8 run, including an 8-0 spurt, to cut their deficit to four, 31-27, to force a Razorback timeout.
• Arkansas came out of the timeout and put together a 10-0 run to lead 41-27.
SDSU scored with seven seconds left to provide the 41-29 halftime score.
Arkansas shot 54.5% while holding SDSU to 39.3%, including 28.6% (2-of-7) from 3-point range.
• Arkansas had 10 assists and seven steals. SDSU had 11 turnovers with just six assists and three steals. With that, Arkansas scored 17 points off turnovers compared to five for SDSU.
• Arkansas leaders: Ricky Council IV with 11 points; Jalen Graham with six rebounds; Jordan Walsh with three steals and Anthony Black with four assists.
SECOND HALF: Arkansas: 30 – South Dakota State: 27
Arkansas was 7-of-10 at the free throw line in the second half.
Arkansas opened the second half with a 21-7 run. Council had eight points in the run.
Game Notes
• Tonight marked the 500th men’s basketball game played in Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas is 409-91 (.818) in the building. The Hogs have won 12 straight in BWA dating back to last season and have won 31 consecutive non-conference games in the building.
• Arkansas’ starting lineup was Anthony Black, Davonte Davis, Ricky Council, Jordan Walsh and Makhi Mitchell for the second game in a row.
• Arkansas won the tip.
• Jordan Walsh scored the game’s first points on a steal and layup at 19:36.
Trevon Brazile was the first Razorback sub for the third straight game.
• Arkansas entered the game #9 in the AP poll. The last time Arkansas hosted a game ranked in single-digits in the AP poll was the 1994-95 home finale versus Auburn. (Note: Arkansas hosted UCA and Little Rock last season when ranked No. 9 in the coaches poll.)
• This was the first meeting with South Dakota State. Arkansas is now 21-2 all-time versus current members of the Summit League. Coach Musselman is a perfect 6-0 versus the league in his two head coaching stints.
• Arkansas only had three players make a 3-pointer in the first two games combined (6-of-28). The Razorbacks had five players make a 3-pointer vs SDSU and were 7-of-22 for the game.
• Anthony Black was impressive across the board with five points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals.
Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman with final personnel update before Ole Miss game
Complete press conference with Hogs’ coach before Saturday night’s game with the Rebels at a cold Razorback Stadium.
