Arkansas guard JD Notae talked with the media Tuesday afternoon about being picked as the top sixth man in the SEC this season.
Smith says ‘it’s kinda crazy to be where we’re at’ in strange season
Arkansas’ Justin Smith previewed the SEC Tournament that starts this week and Nashville and reflected on how team got to this point.
Chavanelle looking at running back depth, defensive line as spring starts
HawgBeat’s Nikki Chavanelle on Halftime about what she’s looking for in spring practice as the Razorbacks started Tuesday afternoon.
Moody named All-SEC by coaches; Notae top sixth man
Arkansas guard Moses Moody picked up three honors by the SEC coaches, including SEC Freshman of the Year, and JD Notae was voted the SEC Sixth-Man of the Year, the league announced today.
In addition to being selected SEC Freshman of the Year, Moody was named first team All-SEC and elected to the SEC All-Freshman team.
Moody:
• Is just the second Razorback freshman to be named first team All-SEC, joining Scotty Thurman (1993).
• Is just the second Razorback to be named SEC Freshman of the Year, joining Patrick Beverley (2007).
• Is the 11th Razorback (15 total honors) to earn first-team All-SEC by the coaches.
• Gives Arkansas its 19th member of the SEC All-Freshman team.
• Was named to the SEC Men’s Basketball Community Service team last week.
Notae, a redshirt junior, becomes the second Razorback to be tabbed SEC Sixth-Man of the Year, joining Eric Ferguson (2006).
Moses Moody season highlights
• A three-time SEC Freshman of the Week
• Ranks third in the SEC in scoring and third among NCAA freshmen in scoring (17.5 ppg)
• 1 of 3 freshmen in the NCAA to average at least 15.0 points and 5.0 rebounds
• 1 of 2 SEC players – the only freshman – to average 16.0 points and 5.5 rebounds
• 1 of 3 SEC players – the only freshman – to rank among the league’s top 20 in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage, free throw percentage and 3-point percentage
• 1 of 4 SEC players – the only freshman – to shoot at least 42 percent from the field, 35 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent from the free throw line
• Ranks eighth in the NCAA in free throws made while setting an Arkansas freshman record for free throws made despite a pandemic-shortened season
• Led the team in scoring 10 times (best on the team) and rebounding six times (second-best on the team) while leading the team in scoring and rebounding in the same game a team-best three times
• Becomes the sixth Razorback freshman ever to lead his team in scoring for a season (George Kok at 18.7 in 1944-45; Scotty Thurman at 17.4 in 1992-93; Joe Johnson at 16.0 in 1999-00; Jonathon Modica at 11.5 in 2002-03 and Patrick Beverley at 13.9 in 2006-07)
• Scored a season-high 28 points three times (at Alabama and back-to-back wins over South Carolina and Texas A&M to close the regular season)
• Scored 20-plus points eight times (six times in SEC play) and grabbed at least five rebounds 19 times
• During Arkansas’ 11-game SEC win streak, Moody led the team in scoring (17.4) and was second in both rebounds (5.7) and blocked shots (9) while having the third-best totals in assists (24) and steals (12).
JD Notae season highlights
• Was the team’s first substitute off the bench 12 times and Arkansas was 11-1 in such games
• Ranks second on the team in scoring (12.9) and averaged 12.2 points in SEC games
• Ranks ninth in the SEC in free throws made (79), 12th in the SEC in field goals made, 12th in the SEC in 3-pointers made (44), 13th In the SEC in steals and 13th in total points (335)
• Has led the team in assists seven times (tied for tops on the team) and scoring five times (second-best on the team)
• At South Carolina, he scored 21 points with five rebounds, five assists and five steals – the first Hog to do so since 1997
• Shot 20 percentage points better from 3-point range in SEC games (.347) than he did for the season (.328)
• Made a strong push down the stretch by averaging 15 points, 4.3 rebounds 2.8 assists and 3.0 steals over the final four games.
2021 SEC hONORS (Coaches)
First Team All-SEC
Herbert Jones, Alabama
John Petty Jr., Alabama
Moses Moody, Arkansas
Tre Mann, Florida
Cameron Thomas, LSU
Devontae Shuler, Ole Miss
Dru Smith, Missouri
Scotty Pippen Jr., Vanderbilt
Second Team All-SEC
Jaden Shackelford, Alabama
Colin Castleton, Florida
Sahvir Wheeler, Georgia
Javonte Smart, LSU
Trendon Watford, LSU
D.J. Stewart Jr., Mississippi State
Jeremiah Tilmon, Missouri
AJ Lawson, South Carolina
All-Freshman Team
Joshua Primo, Alabama
Moses Moody, Arkansas
Sharife Cooper, Auburn
KD Johnson, Georgia
Isaiah Jackson, Kentucky
Cameron Thomas, LSU
Keon Johnson, Tennessee
Jaden Springer, Tennessee
All-Defensive Team
Herbert Jones, Alabama
Isaiah Jackson, Kentucky
Abdul Ado, Mississippi State
Dru Smith, Missouri
Yves Pons, Tennessee
• Coach of the Year: Nate Oats, Alabama
• Player of the Year: Herbert Jones, Alabama
• Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Dylan Disu, Vanderbilt
• Freshman of the Year: Moses Moody, Arkansas
• Sixth-Man of the Year: JD Notae, Arkansas
• Defensive Player of the Year: Herbert Jones, Alabama
Bud Light Seltzer Morning Rush Podcast – QB 1…. for now
Tye & Tommy on the QB announcement, SEC awards, best Razorback nicknames and more!
Hambrick named co-gymnast in SEC for last week
Kennedy Hambrick, a junior from Pearland, Texas, was named SEC Co-Gymnast of the Week on Tuesday, as announced by the league office.
Hambrick won the all-around with a score of 39.700 to help the Gymbacks to a program-record team score of 197.425 in their win at No. 12 Auburn last Friday.
She also claimed her fourth vault title (9.950) and fourth all-around title in the performance.
Hambrick’s success helped lead Arkansas to its first 197+ on the road since 2012 and the first win at Auburn since 2017.
The win also helped Arkansas secure a spot in the evening session of the SEC Championships for the first time in program history.
Arkansas recorded a season-best 49.425 on the bars to start the meet, highlight by Hambrick’s season-best 9.925. The event total is the sixth-best in program history and highest ever on the road.
Midway through the meet, Arkansas held a 98.700-98.575 lead over the Tigers. The 98.700 is the highest two-rotation score for the Gymbacks this season.
Moved to the anchor spot on floor, Hambrick’s huge double-tuck first pass scored a 9.925 to close out the floor party on a high note.
The Gymbacks made sure to go out with a bang, as Hambrick signed off on the historical night with a stuck cartwheel-gainer stuck dismount and 9.900 from the judges.
It’s KJ’s turn … at least as spring practice gets under way
Whether KJ Jefferson is a rip-roaring success at quarterback for Arkansas is something we’ll know about Halloween and now it’s up to him.
But what a lot of people didn’t seem to grasp from Sam Pittman’s press conference Monday is that it’s not necessarily a tenured position.
“Right now KJ’s our starter and we certainly anticipate a really nice battle,” Pittman said.
He doesn’t have to say it’s “not a lifetime appointment” like the previous coach was fond of saying on numerous occasions. That goes without having to say it.
But it was good for Jefferson to see that. It’s hard to make a play when you’re thinking more about not screwing one up.
Jefferson is the only quarterback coming back that started a game last year. The hope is he’s actually more suited to offensive coordinator Kendal Briles’ ideal offense than Feleipe Franks was last year.
“Feleipe was what I’m going to call a surprising runner,” Pittman said. “He ran better than what I thought he would.”
That doesn’t necessarily mean anybody expects them to be a power runner. There’s no evidence any of them could hold up to be doing that.
Pittman stomped all over the place trying to explain that at one point.
“These other guys are certainly capable of being a running back as well,” he said. “So they all can throw or they wouldn’t be here. But I think it will be more of Kendal putting in everything in his offense that he can versus some of the the things he may not have had because of Feleipe and our depth chart.”
That was Pittspeak for saying they want the quarterback to be able to run the ball when they want to, not just have quick enough feet to run downfield after all the pass rushers ran past him in the pocket.
With Pittspeak, you’re always kinda guessing a little but that’s an educated guess of what he was trying to say.
Five of the six quarterbacks on the roster are listed at 6-foot-2 or better (John Stephen Jones the exception). They have the size to be able to run.
You can bet that doesn’t mean they expect the quarterback to be running 25 times a game or trying to run over people, but maybe some option plays or designed runs. Bless his heart, Feleipe looked like a stork trying to run down a beach at times.
These days in the SEC you’ll get a quarterback hurt badly trying to rely on him as the primary runner.
To win in the SEC your quarterback better be able to make great (and quick) decisions throwing the ball. If he can run well enough to pick up an occasional third-and-4 at midfield that makes your offense better.
Don’t compare today to 10 years ago. The players are bigger, faster and more athletic than they were just a decade ago.
You have to pass to win games and you need to run when you need to if you want to compete for championships and that is Pittman’s ultimate goal.
“They all can throw or they wouldn’t be here,” Pittman said.
The biggest thing at quarterback, though, is leadership. Pittman likes what he’s seen from Jefferson so far.
“His work ethic has been leadership in itself, and he’s becoming more vocal,” he said. “He’s vocal as he needs to be to be honest with you, and I’ll tell you Feleipe wasn’t a very vocal guy, either. But his work ethic was and that’s the same way with KJ.”
The last intangible is confidence. Pittman made it publicly clear Monday that Jefferson is No. 1 guy starting spring practice.
What he didn’t have to say is how long it stays that way is up to Jefferson.
Pittman on Hogs starting spring practice Tuesday
Arkansas coach Sam Pittman was pleased with the progress of the team during offseason drills heading into his first spring practice.
Moody’s big week leads to co-SEC Freshman of the Week
Arkansas guard Moses Moody scored 28 points in both wins — at South Carolina and against Texas A&M — to earn SEC Freshman of the Week honors for the second straight week and third time this season.
He shared the honor this week with LSU’s Cameron Thomas.
Moody joins elite company with Daniel Gafford (2017-18), Bobby Portis (2012-13) and Patrick Beverly (2006-07) as the only Razorbacks to be a three-time SEC Freshman of the Week honoree.
Moody helped Arkansas win its 11th straight SEC game, the best streak in the SEC this year and the program’s best streak since winning the final 11 regular-season SEC games of 1993-94.
He tied his career high by scoring 28 points in both wins while shooting 63 percent from the field and 52.9 percent from 3-point range (tying his career-high with four triples at USC only to top it with five versus Texas A&M) while playing 70 minutes with zero turnovers.
In addition to his impressive offensive performance, he made a key defensive play late in the Texas A&M game for his only blocked shot of the week.
At South Carolina (and in a pandemic-shortened season), Moody made his 117th free throw to break the school’s freshman record for free throws made.
Kareem Reid previously set the mark with 116 in 1995-96 (33 games). Moody has now made 128 free throws through 26 games.
Moses Moody highlights from the week
• Averaged 28.0 points and 6.0 rebounds.
• At South Carolina: 28 points – 7 rebounds – 2 assists – 2 steals
• Versus Texas A&M: 28 points – 5 rebounds – 2 assists – 2 steals
• Combined 19-of-30 (63.5%) from the field and 9-of-17 (52.9%) in the two games.
• At South Carolina, Moody scored 17 in the first half, thanks to 7-of-11 shooting, with six rebounds to give Arkansas a comfortable 17-point halftime lead … Only missed one shot in the second half in scoring 11 points … For the game, was 6-of-6 from inside the 3-point line, making 4-of-9 from beyond the arc, and was a perfect 4-of-4 at the line.
• Versus Texas A&M, Moody once again tied his career high with 28 points and was even more efficient shooting (9-of-15 from the field) and made a career-best five 3-pointers (on just eight attempts) … Made a 3-pointer for Arkansas’ first basket and his final 3-pointer with 56 seconds left gave Arkansas a lead it would not relinquish … Prior to that (with 1:30 left and the game tied) Texas A&M looked to have a dunk but Moody blocked it at the rim … In the second half, he was 4-of-6 shooting (3-of-4 from 3-point range) … Arkansas trailed by as much as 14 in the first half but Moody scored six in a 17-6 run to close the first half, including a finger role with two seconds left to make it a 3-point game at halftime.
