Lessons learned in Starkville
No doubt the Arkansas Razorbacks were victims of foul play in Tuesday night’s 78-75 SEC loss to Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss.
Poor shooting at the free throw line unquestionably did in the Razorbacks who sank five of 12 foul shots compared to the victorious Bulldogs, who shot 40 times and hit 24, at Humphrey Coliseum even on a night Arkansas shot 32-for62, 51.6 percent, from the field compared to Mississippi State’s
25-for-59, 42.4 percent. “Very very disappointing,” Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said after the game in Starkville. “When I look at these stats, the one that really sticks out is free throws. You want to be even or right there in the park with them.”
Statistically, the Razorbacks played dead even on the boards, 39-39, but Mississippi State’s 17 offensive rebounds induced foul after foul and a 16-9 edge in second-chance points.
“Rebounding, we were even with them,” Anderson said. “But those offensive rebounds, they were really critical. I thought that was the big difference in this game going down the stretch.
“But give credit to Mississippi State, it was a game that we had a chance to really pull away; we just didn’t do all the things we’ve got to do. We had some miscues and turnovers and not running the plays that we were trying to run to get to the free throw line and stop the clock.”
In the final 1:38, Arkansas took a 75-72 lead on Jaylen Barford’s 3-pointer, but MSU’s Quinndary Weatherspoon tied it 75-75 with a trey at 1:20. Barford was called for pushing off with his arm, depriving Arkansas of a chance to go ahead with 58 seconds on the clock.
Bulldog big man Abul Ado hit a big jumper with 39 seconds left to put the Bulldogs up
77-75. Barford missed a shot and the rebound was collected by Nick Weatherspoon, the freshman point guard and younger brother of junior shooting guard Quinndary Weatherspoon, who received the ball and was fouled with 21 seconds left. He made one of his two free throws.
Arkansas senior guard Daryl Macon had 33 points in the 9593 overtime victory over Tennessee Saturday at Bud Walton Arena to open the Hogs’ Southeastern Conference slate. He scored a game-high 24 points in Starkville and made a move toward attempting a game-tying three late in the game Tuesday, but he was called for traveling.
Nick Weatherspoon gave Arkansas another chance when he missed two free throws that would have clinched it with six seconds remaining, but Anton Beard’s buzzer try at for a tie was off the mark. The loss dropped Arkansas to 11-3 overall and 1-1 in SEC play in the first game after cracking the Associated Press’ Top 25 since 2015.
Quinndary Weatherspoon, who had a game-high 25 points when coach Ben Howland’s Bulldogs beat Arkansas last season in Fayetteville, and Nick Weatherspoon proved spoonfuls that Arkansas couldn’t handle in Starkville. Each scored 22 points, with Quinndary netting seven rebounds and three steals. His younger brother added four rebounds and two steals.
The turnover margin, most times in Arkansas’ favor, was best handled by Mississippi State, who committed seven turnovers to Arkansas’ 13. The Bulldogs outscored the Razorbacks a critical 16-9 off miscues.
Ironically, Arkansas did some things much better in the loss at Starkville than in the
victory over the No. 19 Tennessee Volunteers in Fayetteville, including dishing 17 assists to just nine against Tennessee. Also, Mississippi State controlled the first-half tempo, leading 32-28 at intermission, but Arkansas controlled a faster pace to take an eight-point lead in the second half before faltering at the finish.
“We had 17 assists, and that’s more like our basketball team,” Anderson said. “We shot the ball well. We shared the ball well. You look at the things that were taking place here, we did everything but win the game.
“But the stat that hurts in my mind are those second-chance points, where we fouled and put them on the line. There are a lot of little things that we’ve got to clean up and get better at and learn how to finish on the road. We just didn’t finish and we were right there.”
It might seem the Razorbacks’ road gets easier visiting the Auburn Tigers Saturday whom against whom Arkansas is 5-0 at Auburn, Ala., dating back to coach John Pelphrey’s final season in 2010–11, followed by Anderson’s Razorbacks winning at Auburn in 2012.
Think again. Coach Bruce Pearl’s Auburn Tigers have won 11 consecutive games, including opening SEC play Tuesday night by upsetting the now No. 23 Tennessee Vols, 94-88, at Tennessee in Knoxville.