Hogs need to junk clunker, move on

FAYETTEVILLE — If the Razorbacks play a first half and early second half against Texas A&M like they did against Mississippi State last Saturday in Fayetteville and allow A&M to play a first half like it did Saturday in Baton Rouge, La., then likely a losing Wednesday night awaits Arkansas in College Station, Texas.

Coach Eric Musselman’s Arkansas Razorbacks, (17-8 overall, 6-6 in the SEC) and Coach Buzz Williams’ Texas A&M Aggies (18-7, 10-2) tip off at 8 p.m. on ESPN2 in Wednesday’s SEC game at A&M’s Reed Arena.

Arkansas had won five consecutive SEC games including 81-70 over the Aggies on Jan. 31 at Walton Arena.

Saturday at Walton Arena the Hogs played a clunker down 34-25 first half then trailed by a peak 16 points at 15:56 in the second half of their eventual 70-64 loss to Mississippi State.

In Baton Rouge the Aggies blistered LSU with a 41-17 first half of their eventual 74-62 triumph.

The Razorbacks, whittling the Aggies’ 16- points lead down to three points but no lower, and LSU, four times whittling A&M’s peak 29-points first half lead to eight, played better second halves.

But strong Mississippi State and Texas A&M teams, like Arkansas contending for NCAA Tournament admittance, built advantages too big to be overtaken even on the road.

Especially on a SEC Saturday when 5 of 6 road teams prevailed.

Mississippi State’s Bulldogs, 17-8 overall, stand 5-7 in the SEC after a 1-7 start. Their 5-game winning streak commenced beating 11thranked TCU during the SEC vs. Big 12 Challenge.

“I think when you get down 16, that’s a lot to overcome with a team that’s playing with confidence,” Musselman said. “And they (Mississippi State) are certainly a team that’s playing with confidence.”

Arkansas seemed brimming with confidence coming off Tuesday’s 88-73 triumph at SEC preseason favorite Kentucky, but the Bulldogs bullish defense never allowed the Hogs an offensive rhythm until too late.

“They’re one of the best defensive teams in college basketball,” Musselman said. “They’re physical. Their defense bothered guys.”

Except Arkansas point guard Anthony Black scoring a game-leading 23 points.

Most stunning, the notoriously poor 3-point shooting Bulldogs hit 6 of 10 threes.

Arkansas shot 2 for 11 first-half threes and 4 of 18 for the game and was outrebounded 20-12 in the first half.

“I didn’t think we defended like we are capable of,” Musselman on radio told the Razorbacks Sports Network. “You know 6 of 10 from three, that’s just not guarding at the rate we need to guard. Outrebounding us - and obviously you look at our shooting such a low percentage in the first half - too much to overcome. We took a step backwards defensively and also offensively.”

And A&M strides forward on a 3-game SEC roll.

“We have to get a lot better before we go to College Station and improve,” Musselman said.