Arkansas Razorbacks Basketball

John Pelphrey’s tenure as the Arkansas Razorbacks head basketball coach has been anything but calm. From dealing with the fallout of a dangerously low Academic Progress Rate (APR), to numerous player changes and extraordinary suspensions, Pelphrey has not had a lack of issues to address.

Right or wrong, in his philosophy of team discipline, Pelphrey has been consistent. The performance of the basketball team has been anything but. In the 2008-2009 season, the Razorbacks showed their youth with an impressive 12-1 record in non-conference play only to seemingly hit a wall in conference play, winning only two games—against Alabama and Georgia.  

A 2-14 league record is tough to swallow for any fan base, but particularly for Arkansas fans that remember the “Glory Days” of Razorback basketball. In the minds of many, 2-14 was stretching the limits of what was expected to be a rebuilding year.

In 2009-2010, the Razorbacks, fueled by the return of Courtney Fortson, seem determined to shake off their ugly non-conference start (7-8) and treat SEC play as a new season (4-3).

On Wednesday’s game against Georgia, the Razorbacks appeared sluggish and unmotivated during the first half, and Georgia garnered a 15 point halftime lead going into the locker room.

After seeing it all during the ups and downs of his short Arkansas coaching career, Pelphrey trod into the visitor’s locker room and addressed his unpredictable squad: “I told the guys at halftime, tonight’s just not going to be our night. We’re not going to be able to get it done. Just go ahead and keep it close and we’ll try to get back in.”

According to Rotnei Clarke, that provoked some anger in the team.

Georgia fans saw a different Arkansas team emerge for the second half. Although the offense picked up (Arkansas scored 50 points in the second half as opposed to only 22 in the first half), the real difference was on the defensive side of the ball, as the Razorbacks crowded the lane and began attacking Georgia’s dribble.

One thing is certain—if Pelphrey’s unconventional coaching approach continues to bring SEC wins, it will be applauded instead of questioned.

What remains to be seen is whether this team can overcome a weak SEC West and win some quality games against SEC East opponents in the SEC Tournament. Two consecutive road wins was an important first step, the next step is to put together a complete, 40-minute game against Auburn at home.

This article was written by Darius Pourceau of Born Hog Wild.
Follow Born Hog Wild on Twitter @BornHogWild

The Arkansas Razorback basketball team was behind before the season ever started.

Mass suspensions led the team to play with single digit scholarship players for most of the first half of the season, and before you knew it, the Hogs had dug themselves into a deep hole heading into SEC play.

Arkansas came into SEC play with a sub .500 record and right out of the gate, their first seven games would be the toughest portion of their league schedule. Talk about kicking someone when they're down, right?

Four games into the stretch, the Hogs sat at 1-3 and it looked like the Hogs were going to repeat their 2-14 league performance of a year ago, but not so fast.

The Hogs have since won three games straight, with two on the road, to position themselves at the top of the SEC West at 4-3.

The two road wins came after the Hogs failed to win a single SEC road game last year—now Arkansas has won two straight.

In each of the Hogs four SEC victories, they trailed in the second half and by large double digit deficits in three of them.

What has been even more impressive is that each comeback has been made in different ways.

In one game, Rotnei Clarke made big shots to lead the Razorbacks to a victory.

In another, Courtney Fortson puts the team on his back and becomes a one man wrecking crew.

Next, the struggling Michael Washington wills the Razorbacks to a win with his experience.

Also, you have a true freshman in Marshawn Powell pounding out victories with his raw talent.

Yes, the Razorbacks (and many Arkansas fans scared to watch right now) may not know it yet, but this group is becoming a basketball team. A team that is capable of winning ball games in a variety of ways.

If four wins can come in so many different ways, you have the makings of a team with trust and growing confidence. Trust and confidence in each other and that the man next to you will make the shot that will lead the team to a victory.

The Hogs' fight and determination are likely traits of John Pelphrey rubbing off on the young, but maturing group of players.

A large group of "Fire John" enthusiasts are not going to like this assumption, but it often is the case of players to take on traits of their head coach during times of adversity.

Pelphrey knows a thing or two about dealing with adversity as a player because of his part on a team Kentucky Wildcat fans dubbed "The Unforgettables."

This infamous Kentucky group of players led the Wildcats deep into the NCAA tournament in 1992, where they fell to Duke in what many call the greatest college basketball game of all time. 

Pelphrey and three other Kentucky seniors, all from small Kentucky towns, composed this group that fought through some of the leanest years in Kentucky basketball history due to scandal and sanctions.

Pelphrey's experience in such situations could be a blessing in disguise as the Arkansas basketball program is attempting to come out of some of its darkest years.

There is no crystal ball to tell us if the Razorbacks can keep making improbable comeback victories night after night in SEC play. It may be cliche', but on any given night you can lose in the SEC.

If the Razorbacks continue to play with the heart they have shown against all the odds they have faced so far in this season, it  may very well end up being a special season. Win or lose, if they show that determination, they will find a place in the hearts of all the Razorback fans that watch them.

Saturday, the Razorbacks host the Auburn Tigers at Bud Walton Arena. Attendance has been its lowest in years with the Razorbacks early season struggles, but expect to see the largest crowd of the year on hand to give it up for their "comeback kids."

Whether the Razorbacks can keep it up the rest of the season is all up to them, but heart and winning gets butts back in the seats.

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This article was written by Blake Stansbery of Born Hog Wild.

Follow Born Hog Wild on Twitter @BornHogWild.

Just a week ago it seemed that Razorback basketball could not get any worse. The Hogs were coming off their worst SEC lost in history when Kentucky thrashed them 101-70 and were sitting at 1-3 in conference play.

But what a difference a week can make. Since the embarrassing loss to Kentucky the Razorbacks have bounced back to beat Mississippi State and No. 18 Ole Miss in consecutive games. Both teams sat at the top of the SEC West at the time the Hogs knocked them off.

The two wins couldn't be any more different.

Thursday as the Hogs rallied to come back to beat Mississippi State it was all on the shoulders of embattled point guard Courtney Fortson. Fortson scored 33 second half points in leading the Hogs to the upset. The Hogs pulled off the win in front of the smallest Bud Walton Arena crowd of the season as winter weather hit the Arkansas area.

On Sunday after the Hogs game with Ole Miss had been postponed from Saturday because of the ice storms, the Razorbacks went into Oxford and beat the ranked Rebels with their inside game. Michael Washington and Marshawn Powell took over the second half in leading the Hogs to another come back win.

The win over Ole Miss gave the Razorbacks their first SEC road win in two years, and likely will give the Hogs confidence that they can take with them the rest of the season.

The Razorbacks have taken their lumps this season, and they have a 10-11 overall record to show for it. However, since the return of Courtney Fortson, and the other Razorback players that started the year suspended, the Razorbacks have been a competitive team.

The Hogs are 3-3 in SEC play and are about to enter the softest part of their SEC schedule. If the Hogs let up they will not get good results, but if the team continues to play hard and improve their next seven games are all truly winnable.

It all will start on the road with Georgia on Wednesday. Then the Hogs have Auburn and LSU both in Arkansas. Then the Hogs will have good contests with South Carolina and Alabama in the center of this schedule followed by rematches with LSU and Auburn. If the Hogs get on a tear in this portion of the schedule they can contend for the SEC West.

Winning the West when the Hogs were picked fifth would be a huge accomplishment. The Hogs would likely have to settle for an NIT gig because of how badly they played to begin the season when they were shorthanded, but you never know what the NCAA selection committee will think if Arkansas wins their division and plays well in the SEC tournament. There is still an outside chance, while not a likely one.

One thing that is for certain is that this scrappy group of Razorbacks is fighting hard, and they want to win. The last two wins are a testament to this fact, and the hard work has given this basketball team new life for the remainder of the season as they are in the thick of things in the SEC West.

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This article was written by Blake Stansbery of Born Hog Wild.

Follow Born Hog Wild on Twitter @BornHogWild.

It was an icy evening in Northwest Arkansas and only about 3,000 people were in attendance (at the almost 20,000 seat Bud Walton Arena) to watch the Razorbacks overcome a huge first half deficit to beat Mississippi State 67-62.

Arkansas started off cold, really cold, scoring only 21 points in the first half, a season low for the Hogs.

To make things worse, Courtney Fortson appeared to roll his ankle in the first few minutes of play and was taken off the court only to reappear a few moments later to single-handedly lead Arkansas to a late victory by scoring a career-high 35 points in 36 minutes.

Hands down, the greatest half of basketball ever played by a Razorback (at least in the last decade).

Stephan Welsh, the only other Razorback to score in double figures, added 12 points on 4 of 10 shooting.

Ravern Johnson led Mississippi State in scoring with 19 points while the rest of the team went 5 of 26 from the 3-point line. Barry Stewart added 11 points for the Bulldogs.

One thing in particular caught my eye during the upset tonight and I have a few questions that need answered:

What happened during the second half when Fortson and Pelphrey appeared upset with each other on the sideline? What was said during that brief discussion that would cause Fortson to go off for 37 points? I am a Pelphrey supporter and I know he wants the best for the team, but does he need to swallow his pride a little and let the oft-suspended (by his coach) Fortson play a little?

Even Jimmy Dikes, who provided commentary for ESPN2, remarked at the quasi-altercation, which seemed to continue for the rest of the game.

I have it from a great source (a board of trustees member) that the University of Arkansas literally cannot afford to fire Pelphrey. They do not have enough money to buy out his contract. Which is fine by me, I love Pelphrey. Like many fans, however, if I am forced to choose between him or Fortson, I am going with Fortson. He wins games.

While the rest of the team appeared dazed by being blown out by Kentucky, Fortson fought through defender after defender. It was as if, half way through the game, he decided he was not going to help his team mates if they were not going to help him taking it upon himself to beat the Bulldogs.

Courtney scored as many points as the entire Mississippi State team in the second half.

Pelphrey did not speak on the confrontation with Fortson during the post game show, instead playing to the crowd still in Bud Walton who greeted him with cheering, but something was obviously bothering the coach. Even after we won the game - arguably the biggest of the season - his reaction seemed lethargic. It seemed like he was disappointed with the outcome.

Anyway, that was on my mind during the game tonight. Please comment below! I would love to hear what you are thinking.

Tonight on ESPN at 8pm CST the Arkansas Razorbacks will host the Florida Gators at Bud Walton Arena.

This will be a pivotal SEC match-up early in the season for both teams. Florida is 1-2 in SEC play and a loss would be another shot to the gut of a team that came out of the gates this season on fire that has recently gone cold.

The Razorbacks are 1-1 in SEC play after an awful non-conference stretch, but the Hogs are playing their best basketball of the year with starting point guard Courtney Fortson back in the lineup.

A win over the Gators, would send the Hogs into Lexington, KY on Saturday with more confidence and would position them nicely in the SEC early on in the season.

This game is pivotal for both teams to get going in the direction that they want to take for the remainder of the season and in SEC play. There are three areas that I believe will have an impact on who wins or loses this game:

First, is who wins the turnover battle. The Gators will try to pressure the Razorbacks into making mistakes and converting those into easy buckets, so the Hogs must take care of the basketball. Fortson has been a spark to the team, but has averaged just over five turnovers per game since his return.

On the flip side, the Razorbacks will also try to apply pressure to Florida in spots, because the Gators are playing some young guards at times. Whoever can take care of the ball in this game, will have an upper-hand on the scoreboard.

The next key is who can control the boards. The Razorbacks win over Alabama last week was largely due to the Hogs winning the battle of the boards. Against Florida, the Hogs will need to attack the glass with the same intensity.

Florida has not been a great rebounding team, especially when they switch to their smaller lineup. Rebounding could very well be the difference in who wins and loses this game.

The final key is home court advantage. Lately, Bud Walton Arena has not been as hostile to the opposing squad like in past years. The crowds have been at record lows this season, but the Hogs improved play as of late has more fans buzzing.

In their win over Alabama Saturday, the Hogs drew their largest crowd of the season. and the crowd had a big impact on the game. Tonight against Florida, expect the Hogs to draw an even larger crowd and for the crowd to be loud and rowdy.

The Razorbacks have won the last two times Florida has come to Bud Walton Arena.

It is never easy to go on the road and win, but Florida is 2-1 on the road so far this season. For the Gators to come out of Bud Walton Arena with a win, they will likely need to win both in turnovers and rebounding. They could take the crowd out of the game early, but that is not likely.

At the end of the night the team that comes out on top will be sitting in good shape early in SEC play, but the team that losses will be in a hole to start league play. That is why this game is pivotal for such an early SEC match-up.

Ask anyone with a brain and they will tell you that Arkansas will lose on Saturday to should-be-number-one Kentucky. Take last year for instance, the Wildcats came to Bud Walton and thumped the Razorbacks 79-63. Fortson was weirdly suspended for that one game by John Pelphrey and the Hogs had to rely on Welsh who tied with Washington for a game high 14 points.

Look, we all know Steph means well, but when he leads our team in scoring Arkansas is probably not playing their best “team” basketball. Plus, Arkansas was going through a rough patch last year after losing Marcus Monk and dealing with disciplinary issues.

Now, a few things strike me about this year's matchup. First of all, Courtney Fortson will not be suspended (barring anything completely weird and unexpected) and with him on the floor, Arkansas has the most creative player in the league. Throw Rotnei Clarke into the mix and suddenly Arkansas has the best 3-point shooter in the league and a player averaging more points that John Wall. Not to mention the addition of Marshawn Powell to help Michael Washington contain Patrick Patterson.

I am not saying that any of the players on the Arkansas roster are anywhere close to being the caliber player that John Wall is. What I am saying is this: while Welsh is not going to beat Kentucky single handed, with all the pieces in place, Arkansas can beat Kentucky as a team.

Just Maybe.

Marcus Britt, who I believe to be the best backcourt defensive player on the Arkansas roster, will play a huge role in containing the mighty John Wall on defense. Chances are, he will get the start again in place of Farmer and... well, talk about the biggest assignment of the year (it might actually be the best player Britt will ever defend in his life).

Of course, Arkansas has to be careful during the first few minutes of the game in such a hostile environment. As we saw in the Mississippi State game, the Razorbacks have a tendency to get phased by playing on the road.

Playing the best team in the nation is a big deal. The last time Arkansas played no. 1 was during the 2007/2008 season when North Carolina handed the team a loss on their way to winning the NCAA tournament. Before that, you have to go way back in the stats to the 1995/1996 season when the Razorbacks played top-ranked Massachusetts.

Maybe I am getting ahead of myself. We still have to see what happens when the Hogs take on Florida tomorrow in Fayetteville. If we win, my personal expectations for the Kentucky game dramatically increase.

Since the return of Courtney Fortson, the Arkansas Razorback basketball team has stepped up their level of play.

The record of 1-2 over that time does not reflect how well the Hogs have played over the three game stretch with Fortson in the lineup.

But when the Hogs can take No. 1 Texas the distance, then give Mississippi State a run for their money on the road, and then beat a talented Alabama team something has changed.

Remember that earlier this season the Razorbacks lost to Morgan State, East Tennessee State, and South Alabama all in a row.

This past Saturday, in the Hogs win over Alabama, four players scored in double figures and an astonishing three players finished with a double-double.

Michael Washington, Marshawn Powell, and Courtney Fortson all recorded double-doubles and Rotnei Clarke dropped 17 points to join the group as the fourth player to score in double figures for the Hogs in the win.

The Razorbacks picked up the SEC win in front of the seasons largest crowd at Bud Walton Arena, announced as 13,332.

Also in attendance was a large group of Arkansas football recruits on their official visits.

Having one player get a double-double is good. Having two players achieve this is great, but having three players leaves me a bit lost for words.

However, the Hogs top four players are head and shoulders above the rest of their teammates. Stefan Welsh, Marcus Britt, Jemal Farmer, Glenn Bryant, and the rest of the Arkansas bench have a long way to come.

So while having three players get double-doubles may be rare, it likely is something the Hogs need to see on a routine basis for this season to continue to improve.

John Pelphrey's best chance at getting a solid fifth player to chip in is his Juco transfer Jemal Farmer. Farmer has had flashes of brilliance in his first season on the hill, but his scoring and rebounding have to pick up. Saturday Farmer played only eight minutes and totaled zero points and two rebounds.

The Hogs resume SEC play Thursday when they host the Florida Gators at Bud Walton Arena and then have to turn right around and visit Kentucky in Lexington on Saturday.

Arkansas will be an underdog in both these games, but if the Hogs can get a split they will sit at 2-2 in SEC play.

If the Hogs were to find a way to pull off an upset in both games, then at 3-1 people would begin to talk about the Hogs having a chance to win the SEC West.

The Hogs entered SEC play with an overall record of 7-8. The worst non-conference record in the entire SEC, but the Hogs see SEC play as an all new season.

Fortson gives the team a totally different look and he has only played three games this season. As he knocks the rust off, expect to see even better play from the Hogs.

For the Hogs to make it to any post season tournament finished near the top of the SEC West is a must. If the first two games of SEC play tell us anything, it is that the Hogs will compete.

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This article was written by Blake Stansbery of Born Hog Wild.

Follow Born Hog Wild on Twitter @BornHogWild

The Razorback basketball team currently is on a four-game losing streak, and things only get tougher for the Hogs now that they are in SEC play.

The latest loss came last night to SEC West favorite Mississippi State, extending the Hogs' road SEC losing streak to 14 games.

The Razorbacks trailed by as much as 19, but showed heart and determination in coming back, just to fall short 82-80.

It was a cold shooting night for the Razorbacks' star shooting guard Rotnei Clarke. Clarke could not find his shot, going just 2-for-9 from the field and scoring only six points.

The Hogs still had their chances to win the game though, as they rode the back of freshman  power forward sensation Marshawn Powell. But three careless turnovers in the last two minutes sealed their fate.

Consistency, or a lack thereof, has plagued the Hogs all season long. They show themsevles to be a very improved and talented team at times, and at other times they appear lost on the floor.

When the Hogs' top players are taken out of the ballgame they seem to buckle under the pressure. It has been better since the return of Courtney Fortson, who balls hard no matter how the game is playing out, but as a whole the Razorbacks need to maintain a consistent level of play for 40 minutes. They have yet to do so this entire season.

Today the Razorbacks have to make a quick turnaround and prepare to face Alabama at Bud Walton Arena on Saturday.

The Hogs 7-9 record is bad, but if the Hogs can find a way to get the W over the Crimson Tide and get on an SEC winning streak, the season could turn out to not be a total loss.

The Razorbacks are a very young team with Michael Washington, Stefan Welsh, and Marcus Britt being the only upperclassman veteran players. It is important that the young Hogs show improvement, and a desire to get better.

So far while struggling in the win column, the Hogs have been able to show that no quit attitude. They have given Texas, Baylor, UAB, and Mississippi State all good fights. Yet, the Hogs have not be able to pull off the upset of any of these solid teams they have faced.

At the end of the day winning is what matters most. Coach John Pelphrey does not appear to be in the hot seat with AD Jeff Long, yet.

Long, as well as anyone, understands the mess the basketball program was in when he and Pelphrey arrived at Arkansas.

The Hogs are a far cry from their glory years under Eddie Sutton and Nolan Richardson, but Long has faith that Pelphrey is the man to get the job done at Arkansas and restore the school to its former glory.

For the Razorbacks, the time to show improvement and to start winning games is now. Otherwise fan interest (already at an all-time low) is likely to drop more, at which point Long will have no choice but to consider firing Pelphrey and going in a different direction.

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This article was written by Blake Stansbery of Born Hog Wild.

"Fortson is here! He's going to play!" I yelled into the mouthpiece of my phone as they announced the guard's name in a semi-full Bud Walton Arena. The crowd seemed pretty happy the 5' 11" sophomore was back and the cheering brought about by the announcement was making my phone call almost impossible. As Courtney Fortson swaggered into the court for the first time this season, many people in the arena and around the state breathed a sigh of relief knowing that the Razorbacks had a chance to knock off the second best team in the nation.

Pelphrey, decked out in his red suit coat, a fashion faux pas we Hog fans shamelessly encourage, was coaching like there was no tomorrow. He understands the team has a long way to go and Fortson's suspension is part of the rebuilding process. Perhaps if the season was going better, Fortson's return would have been delayed. But a savvy coach understands when enough is enough.

Courtney is not just the best basketball player on the Arkansas roster, he is the leader of an otherwise ragamuffin team. Without him, the Razorbacks are left searching for an identity and the Texas game would have been hopelessly in favor of the Longhorns. With him, Arkansas managed to lead by 6 points in the first half and make a run that would put them within two points during the final minutes of the game.

Fortson did not take any questions after the Texas game, but issued this statement:

"First off I want to thank my teammates, my fans, the school, the administration for sticking behind me through this rough situation. Most of all I want to thank coach [John] Pelphrey [for] being there outside of basketball, just being in my personal life. Coach [Damon] Jones. Coach [Tom] Ostrum. My mom. You know I owe it to all y'all. Thank y'all for letting me come back, letting me be a part of the Razorbacks."

 

"That's it. Thank you."

 

Balancing the disciplinary duties of a head coach, the pressure of fans who only want to win and a losing season (thus far) has been handled perfectly by coach Pel. If it was anyone else standing on the sideline as the coach, they would have been fired by now. But Pelphrey continues to dance around the criticism often associated with the high expectations of being coach here and suddenly fans are talking about a post-season.

Fortson's return has reignited excitement in Razorback fans and the team itself. At the same time, Pelphrey has made his point and hopefully Courtney has learned his lesson. Arkansas may deserve a disciplined basketball team, but we want to beat Texas more. John Pelphrey understands that.

This week Arkansas basketball fans got the biggest news they have received in over a year when it was announced that Courtney Fortson would be back in the lineup against Texas.

It was just a short time before the game that it was announced and came as a big surprise to everyone since coach John Pelphrey had stated the day before that Fortson would not be in the lineup.

So far this season the Hogs have not given fans much to cheer for, but even in the midst of a three-game losing streak, fans' hopes are now at the highest they have been all season.

All of that can be attributed to one man: Courtney Fortson.

Fortson is the driving force on this young Hog basketball team. His energy and abilities are not available from any other player on the team. That energy seems contagious among his teammates the moment he steps on the floor.

As Fortson made his return against Texas, so did the hope that the Razorbacks can salvage this season.

Yes, the Hogs are sitting at 7-8, but fans of the Razorbacks and college basketball as a whole took notice of the way the Razorbacks played against Texas on Tuesday night with Fortson back on the court.

Moral victories are something that I usually would prefer to ignore, but for the young players on the Razorback basketball team that struggled through the first 14 games of the season, they can see a different second half of the season playing out now with Fortson running the point for the Hogs.

Having Courtney Fortson back could be the spark the Hogs need, much in the same way Joe Johnson was able to lead the Razorbacks in 2000 to a SEC Tournament Championship after a rough start to the season.

The Razorbacks have until Thursday the 14th before they open their SEC play at Mississippi State.

With Fortson back and the positive changes they made in their play against No. 2-ranked Texas, the Hogs should be emotionally fired up to take it right to the Bulldogs.

Even some of the most critical fans and analysts have changed their tune with Fortson back on the court for the Hogs. Message boards and stories that have been all doom and gloom so far this season are beginning to have a positive tone.

However, the Hogs must capitalize on this emotion right away. When SEC play begins, they must get on a hot streak. The Razorbacks cannot afford to continue to struggle and have more losses mount up if they have any hopes of any type of postseason tournament play.

Fortson needs to continue to understand that there is no I in team, but that there sure is an I in assist. His passing ability and ability to create and find the open man is what the Hogs must have to win ball games. But it is off the court and in his personal life where Arkansas needs Fortson to be on point and avoid any further setbacks.

The Razorbacks finally have a full lineup, and their depth and talent is better than a year ago, when they lost a ton of very close ball games in SEC play.

Newcomer Marshawn Powell has shown he can take over a ball game on any given night and appears to be the Razorbacks' best frontcourt player as a true freshman, even over senior Michael Washington, who has been plagued by a back injury all year.

The Razorbacks will need to see continued improvement from their other newcomers as well. Delvon Johnson has shown improved play as of late, and Jemal Farmer has the talent and ability to begin to make a much bigger difference in both the Hogs offense and pressure defense.

Glenn Bryant needs to continue to be that energy guy that comes off the bench and comes up with a key block or rebound, and Julysses Nobles needs to be able to relax and watch Fortson and learn quickly. Nobles will need to get past the wall he has hit and start to contribute again like he did to start the season for the Razorbacks.

Fortson makes all of these players better when he is on the floor with his ability to drive and open up shots on the perimeter and to create passing lanes in the paint.

The Hogs have pieces now in place to show improvement over last season where they started strong and finished terribly. A true reversal of fortunes could be the case for the Hogs in SEC play.

Arkansas fans need to look at SEC play and the rest of the season as the start to the Razorbacks season, because with Fortson in the lineup they are a completely different team.

Courtney Fortson makes the Arkansas Razorbacks a very dangerous and good team to look out for the rest of the season.