Resolute Dykes says he’ll return
FAYETTEVILLE — Jimmy Dykes said he expects to continue coaching the Arkansas women’s basketball team next season.
The Razorbacks ( 13- 16, 2- 14 SEC) take a 10- game losing streak into their SEC Tournament opener against Florida today in Greenville, S. C., in Dykes’ third season on the job, but he spoke optimistically about the future earlier this week.
“I have no plans to do anything but continue to coach this team,” Dykes said. “I had a great career in TV, but I’m done with that. That’s behind me.
“I have no plans to go into administration. I have no desire to do anything other than what I’m doing right now. I know I’m exactly where God wants me to be.”
Dykes, who played at Fayetteville High School and was a walk- on at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, was hired as the Razorbacks’ coach in the spring of 2014 after working as a television analyst at ESPN for 15 years. He hadn’t coached since being an assistant men’s coach at Oklahoma State during the 1990- 1991 season.
Arkansas went to the NCAA Tournament in Dykes’ first season and finished 18- 14, including 6- 10 in the SEC.
After Dykes’ first season, he received a one- year contract extension through the 2019- 2020 season. His annual financial compensation is $ 500,000 and his total buyout on the remaining three years of the contract is $ 750,000.
The Razorbacks improved to 7- 9 in SEC play last season, but finished 1218 overall.
Arkansas’ 2- 14 SEC record this season is its worst winning percent (. 125) since joining the conference for the 1991- 1992 season. The previous worst winning percentage was .167 when the Razorbacks finished 2- 12 in 2007- 2008.
“I’m not happy at all — none of us are — with the fact that we won two SEC games and finished at the bottom of the league,” Dykes said. “But we’re not discouraged in terms of where we are in Year 3.
“I know we took a step backwards this season in the wins and losses, but I don’t think we took a step backwards in terms of growing our program and all the minutes our young kids played in the toughest league in women’s college basketball.”
Forward Jessica Jackson, averaging team- highs of 14.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, is the only senior in Arkansas’ starting lineup.
Dykes said he feels good about the future with sophomores Malica Monk, Keiryn Swenson and Bailey Zimmerman, junior Devin Cosper and freshmen Jailyn Mason and Aaliyah Wilson playing significant minutes this season.
Mason, a point guard, has started every game and is averaging 7.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Monk is averaging 9.2 points.
“For the most part, we’ve started two freshmen and two sophomores in conference play along with Jess,” Dykes said. “They’ve been very resilient.”
Dykes said he expects 6- 3 center Macy Weaver, a signee from Stillman Valley ( Ill.) High School, to be an impact player as a freshman next season.
“We think we’ve got a really, really good SEC post player coming in,” Dykes.
An Arkansas spokesman said Athletic Director Jeff Long doesn’t address a coach’s job status or evaluate programs during the season, but that he will meet with Dykes to review the women’s program after the season just as he does with coaches in every sport.
“I know Jeff Long and I will talk after the season, but it’s only our third year and there’s no quick fix in this league,” Dykes said. “There never has been and I don’t think there ever will be.”
Arkansas made one NCAA Tournament appearance, in 2012 under Coach Tom Collen, the 11 seasons prior to Dykes’ hiring.
“I think within the next two years we’re back in the NCAA Tournament again,” Dykes said. “If that’s the case, we’ve been to two NCAA Tournaments in our first five years, and now we’re starting to make the progress that I envisioned all along.”
Arkansas has lost nine SEC games this season by nine or fewer points, including 57- 53 at Florida. The Razorbacks lost at Texas A& M 90- 65 and at home to South Carolina 79- 49.
“There have been tears in our locker room after every game we’ve lost, but that’s good,” Dykes said. “That’s what I want to see. We hate losing.
“With the exception of the South Carolina and A& M games, we’ve been a hard team to beat, I will say that. That’s very encouraging.”