Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Moody continues to excel
FAYETTEVILLE — Freshman Moses Moody had another strong game for the University of Arkansas on Saturday.
Moody, a 6-6 guard from Little Rock, led the Razorbacks with 18 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists in their 86-50 victory over Lipscomb.
It was the second consecutive game in which Moody has been Arkansas’ top scorer and rebounder. He recorded 24 and nine on Wednesday night when the Razorbacks beat TexasArlington 72-60.
“I mean, it is what it is,” Moody said. “I’m glad you guys are getting a chance to see a little bit of that, but I’ve been putting in the work behind the scenes. So I’ve just got to trust the process, trust the work I put in. The outcome will be what it is.”
Moody has hit 14 of 20 shots in the last two games, including 7 of 8 on Saturday.
“I think he definitely feels more comfortable,” Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman said. “I think that happens when you’re a freshman and you’re getting to start and getting a lot of minutes. But he’s earned it.”
Double duty for Z
Matt Zimmerman, a spotter for Arkansas’ radio broadcasts of football games and color analyst for basketball games, managed to work both sports Saturday.
When the start time for the Arkansas-Lipscomb game was moved to 4 p.m. from 5 p.m. and the Razorbacks’ football game at Missouri lasted nearly four hours — the Tigers won 50-48 — and didn’t end until about 3 p.m., it was impossible for Zimmerman to make it to Walton Arena for tipoff.
But he made it before halftime. He was seated at his spot for the broadcast with 2:30 left in the first half.
“The hustle of Zimm was insane today,” Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman said. “In pregame, I really worried about how he was going to get back here and how creative he could be. But he got here and contributed.”
Zimmerman flew from Columbia, Mo., to Fayetteville immediately after the football game on a private plane with Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek and senior associate athletic director Jon Fagg.
Phil Elson, who calls Arkansas baseball and women’s basketball games on the radio, filled in for Chuck Barrett on play-byplay for the basketball game.
Before the tipoff time change, it already was decided that Barrett wouldn’t travel back to Fayetteville with Yurachek, Fagg and Zimmerman because he had to interview Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman for the football postgame radio show and then host a taping of Pittman’s TV show that will air tonight.
The flight from Columbia to Fayetteville took 35 minutes.
Jackson better
Arkansas senior forward Vance Jackson scored 10 points off the bench against Lipscomb after being scoreless — and shooting 0 of 7 from the field — in the previous two games.
Jackson hit 2 of 7 threepointers, but also scored a basket inside and was fouled on a move at the basket and hit two free throws.
“He’s a really good post-up player as long as he doesn’t rely solely on his turnaround jump shot,” Coach Eric Musselman said. “He’s really crafty around the rim and he’s got great foot work, and certainly he was way more aggressive than he was the last two games.”
All 4 freshmen
During a three-minute stretch late in the first half, all four of Arkansas’ freshmen — Moses Moody, Jaylin Williams, Khalen Robinson and Davonte Davis — were on the court together with junior Ethan Henderson.
“In my head I was like, ‘Man, it would be cool if all four of us would come out here at the same time,’ ” Moody said. “I guess Coach [Eric Musselman] was thinking the same thing. So that was definitely fun and just a moment to capture.
“I know earlier in the year we’d have some practices where it’s the young guys versus the older guys, and we’ve got to come together, stick together against them. It was fun to have that same matchup in the game.”
T on Asadullah
Lipscomb center Ahsan Asadullah was called for a technical foul with 14:58 left in the second half and Arkansas leading 58-29. Asadullah said something to an official that led to the technical.
Moses Moody hit both free throws resulting from the technical, then JD Notae hit a jumper, making it a four-point trip for the Razorbacks as they went ahead 62-29.
That’s two
Arkansas improved to 2-0 against Lipscomb. The Razorbacks beat the Bisons 83-54 in the teams’ first meeting on Dec. 20, 2004.