LSU hopes to spoil Hogs’ reunion
FAYETTEVILLE — With former President Bill Clinton on hand for ceremonies honoring the Razorbacks’ five NCAA Final Four teams, Arkansas ( 15- 9, 4- 7) and LSU ( 15- 8, 6- 5) complete their home- and- home Southeastern Conference series today at Walton Arena.
The 4 p. m. game airs on ESPNU and Arkansas Razorback Sports Network affiliates.
Arkansas lost 88- 74 at LSU Feb. 1, Tiger big men Johnny O’Bryant ( 23 points and nine rebounds) and Jordan Mickey ( 22 and 11) overwhelming the Hogs.
But of late, Arkansas is playing better while LSU, 0- 5 on the SEC road, has suffered doubledigit defeats at Georgia at Texas A& M.
Coach Mike Anderson’s Razorbacks beat Alabama at Walton Arena right after the loss to LSU, won their first SEC road game, 77- 75 at Vanderbilt, and had the last shot Thursday night at Missouri when Ky Madden’s drive to the hole rimmed out in the final seconds of an 86- 85 Arkansas loss.
Arkansas also lost to Missouri Jan. 28 at Walton Arena, 75- 71, but played far better in Columbia, Anderson said, than in Fayetteville.
“It was opposite of when we played them earlier in the year,” Anderson said on postgame radio. “I thought our guys played to win.. I don’t think they lost the game, I think we we just ran out of time. Give Mizzou credit, they made one more play than we did.”
Arkansas fell too far behind too fast in Baton Rouge to make that game come down to one more play but played an inspired second half that seemed to carry over, especially defensively, in the ensuing games against Alabama, Vanderbilt and Missouri.
The Hogs will need all the defense they can muster to stop O’Bryant and Mickey up front with a strong supporting cast.
“They’ve got some tremendous players,” Anderson said. “The guards, ( Anthony) Hickey and ( Andre) Stringer, have been around for a while. Coleman’s a very good player. As I talked about, Johnny O’Bryant, he’s having an all- conference year, as well as Mickey; he’s come in and really given them a shot- blocker, a guy that gets a lot of garbage around the basket.”
Arkansas sophomore guard Michael Qualls, with a game- winning three at Vanderbilt after a game- winning rebound stuff in overtime against Kentucky, and sophomore forward Alandise Haris ( 16 points at Missouri) were left behind on a one- game disciplinary suspension when the Hogs lost at LSU.
“Having those guys back gives us our full contingent,” Anderson said with a qualifier. Moses Kingsley, the Razorbacks’ 6- 10 freshman reserve center, injured his back during
the Missouri game. He was not expected to practice Friday, Anderson said, and will be re- evaluated before today’s game.
Anderson was asked about the game plan with the ball in point guard Ky Madden’s hands after Missouri guard Jabari Brown hit the go- ahead basketwith 10.2 seconds left.
“We wanted him to get there because he has been getting in there and doing a pretty good job,” Anderson said. “They came in and collapsed and you either get a foul or find someone spotting up, but he was able to get to the basket, and I thought he was going to knock it down, and I thought there was some contact but you are not going to get that on the road. We are not going to cry about that — we had every opportunity to fold and we didn’t. We kept fighting and fighting. I thought Mike Qualls came in and gave us some great, great energy and Alandise Harris — our bench played really, really well.”
Arkansas forward Bobby Portis rebounded Madden’s shot but the ball got knocked out of his hands and time ran out with both teams scrambling for the loose ball on the floor.
“I thought our defense was the difference when we got back in it,” Anderson said. “They got up 11 on us early but you could see our guys getting ready ready to surge. Right there at the end we got the ball up one and we didn’t get a shot off. That kind of put the ball back in their court and they made a play. But even on the last play I thought Ky had a nice drive to the basket and came up short. We even had the chance to have the ball in our hands for a rebound but again, close but no cigar, and we were in it to win it. We just ran out of time.”
Anderson said it will be wonderful for the Razorbacks and their fans to celebrate their Final Fours past with former players, national- championship coach Nolan Richardson and former President Clinton on hand, but “our focus is on LSU.”
Asked about his Tigers playing before such a gathering, LSU coach Johnny Jones said, ““It is going to be an unbelievable atmosphere. They do a tremendous job with their fans and creating the type of atmosphere you need for a great home crowd. … If we aren’t enough for them to create the atmosphere, they have some other incentives. That’s what you come to college for, to play in those types of environments and compete at the highest level.”