Bleacher Report - Little Rock Sports

Is This Arkansas Razorback Basketball's Darkest Hour?

Blake Stansbery — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 11:10:32 -0500

Arkansas basketball is having a hard time getting off the ground to start the 2009-2010 season. The Razorbacks are 2-3 coming off of losses to Morgan State and East Tennessee State. There are no excuses or positive spins to make following these losses to two teams that many Arkansas fans may mistake for exhibition teams.

As one who always works to rally the troops and show the glass as half-full I have to admit one thing; Hogs you are making my job almost impossible.

I have worked to put the spotlight on the newcomers playing well on this struggling team. I have written stories on the great newly signed 2010 recruiting class , and the great prospects of the 2011 class , and I will continue to do this very same thing because I do believe there are many signs that things are heading in the right direction.

But lets make no mistake this current Hog team is in a bad place, and the only people that can change anything is themselves, and unfortunately the Hogs are doing more than just losing games-they are losing fans, and fast.

John Pelphrey has worked very hard since arriving on campus and he has faced difficult odds since the day he took the job, but on a regular basis so far this season his team has been out-rebounded, outsmarted, and all around out-played. They have shown great effort, but more times than not they have been out-hustled by the opposing team.

The Hogs seem less prepared and less comfortable than they did to begin the season, and they look to be far worse than they were a year ago. Last season was already one of the worst in the history of Arkansas basketball when the Hogs only won two conference games.

So the question everyone is asking: is this the darkest hour or Arkansas basketball?

The answer is not simple. It may be, or it may not be. The Hogs have only played five games, but things do appear to be heading down a very dark and lonely road for John Pelphrey and this team if they keep it up the way they are playing and losing right now.

Pelphrey needs to pull a rabbit out of his hat or some sort of magic to get things going this season with his team. There is still hope that something will click and the Hogs will get it going. A lot of time remains in the season and this is a talented very young team that will be getting players back from suspension. When the Hogs get these players it will mark the first time all year they have been full strength.

However, when the Razorbacks lose back to back games to two teams easily mistaken for exhibitions people want to get down to the dirty truth. They do not want to hear how things may get better, or why to hope they get better.

So here it is...this is a very bad Arkansas basketball team, and this has the potential to be one very long and painful season. Understand it is early in the season, and there have been extraordinary struggles with suspensions and injuries, but right now excuses are just that to Arkansas fans. Excuses.

Like everyone else these losses and struggles by the Hogs makes me sick. I want to see them win, and I can see effort and talent in the youth on the Razorback team. Odds are against this team and they are short-handed, but the Hogs need to win and they need to do it now. It does not take a rocket-scientist to see that much.

Razorback fans attendance to the Arkansas games are at their lowest and will continue to drop if the Hogs lose games like these to inferior opponents. Recruiting has been looking great, but losing never helps strengthen your case or close a recruit. Losing also can instill bad habits in current players, and foster an environment of acceptance.

This team needs to show the determination and pride to win games and get people back in the stands, and more checks in the win column and turn this negative feeling across the Razorback Nation towards the basketball team around.

Yeah, I know it can be easier said than done, but it is as simple as that right now. The players and coaches need to light a fire among one another that enough is enough, and at least show that they are going to put up a fight for this season not to be a total waste.

It is possible that the team can catch fire and make some resemblance of a successful or improved season over last years awful season. It also is a possibility that the Hogs could continue their downward spiral and continue to have what could be one of the worst seasons in both recent and all-time program history.

Look I know this all seems harsh, especially coming from me, but it is the reality of the current moment. Arkansas basketball is not what the fans expect of Arkansas basketball right now, and it needs to be not what the Razorback players expect.

Many of my old-school family and friends talk about how the old Eddie-Sutton teams won games with less talent than their opponents on a regular basis all the time with fundamentals. It is about time that John Pelphrey finds a way to get the same thing done with his current team.

Better effort, fundamentals, focus, and preparation and this can happen. It has been done before and would not be the first time a team with their backs against the wall achieved what seemed impossible.

For the Razorbacks in 2009-2010 it appears it has come to either they achieve the impossible or this very well could be the programs darkest hour.

Image Courtesy of ESPN.com

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Arkansas Basketball 2011 Recruiting: Breaking Down the Top Class in the Nation

Blake Stansbery — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:39:40 -0500

It has been over 15 years since the Arkansas Razorbacks won their 1994 NCAA National Championship. The program that spent much of the nineties a top the nation has been down for quite some time. However, the Razorbacks are getting geared up to make a quick return to the ranks in the coming years. It has been a process, but hard work by John Pelphrey is beginning to pay off. The following are six 2011 recruits either committed or with high interest in the Arkansas Razorbacks that will return the Hogs to the forefront of college basketball.

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Arkansas Razorback Spotlight: Marshawn Powell Is the Real Deal

Blake Stansbery — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:28:09 -0500

The Arkansas Razorbacks are who everyone thought they would be to start the 2009-2010 season—and that is a mess.

Don't get caught up on that long though, because, in my ordinary fashion, I like to make sure that the positives going on with the Razorbacks come to light. So, I will be writing a series of articles about Arkansas newcomers and how well they are currently performing for the Razorbacks.

First on the list is freshman forward Marshawn Powell.

Powell was picked during the preseason by FoxSports.com to be one of the top impact freshmen this season. That was even before the Razorback suspensions were known, and before he was thrust into an immediate starting role.

Powell has not been one to disappoint.

He was a star recruit out of high school, ranked in the top 100, and seen as one of the top power forwards in the nation. The moment he visited Arkansas, he knew that he wanted to play John Pelphrey's style of basketball.

While the Razorbacks have been unable to play that up-tempo style, so far this season Powell is averaging just under a double-double at 20.3 ppg and 9.7 rpg. He is the second leading scorer on the team behind Rotnei Clarke, and he leads a talented group of newcomers all carrying the Razorbacks through their early season schedule.

Powell is doing all of this with a cast on his left hand, after breaking the hand just a few weeks before practices began. The hand is not yet fully healed, and the cast appears to hold him back some in his ball handling and on some jump shots.

Still, his numbers and performance give Razorback fans a reason to be hopeful for the future.

Powell is one of three newcomers currently starting for the short-handed Hogs, who are 2-1 after three games and currently only have seven scholarship basketball players available.

As the Hogs on suspension begin to return to the team, expect Powell to continue to start. He has outperformed Arkansas' returning All-SEC big man Michael Washington, and will continue to be one of the Razorbacks' most dangerous weapons.

Coach John Pelphrey has commented after each game that this is what is needed out of Powell. He was specifically recruited to come in and make an impact and contribute right off the bat.

Once his hand is fully healthy and the cast comes off, Powell will more than likely start to impress even more.

For a power forward, he has extremely good ball handling skills. In fact, even with his cast he has been the one inbounding nearly every ball and helping bring the ball up the court against pressure.

As he develops over the season, and begins to have more help and rest as the Razorbacks develop a bench, Powell could become one of the top players in the SEC—not just at Arkansas, and not just for freshmen, but the entire league.

The season is expected to be a long one for the Hogs, who are picked to finish fifth in the SEC West and go to the NIT.

Powell is a bright spot for the Hogs and a key component to the future.

As the Hogs build with their 2010 and 2011 recruiting classes they will build around Powell. The pieces for this are all starting to fall in place, but patience and support is needed from the Arkansas fanbase.

No matter how tough the season goes for Arkansas, one thing is for certain: Marshawn Powell is the Real Deal.

Continue to visit the Bleacher Report for updated news on the Arkansas Razorback Basketball team and their season.

Image Courtesy of ArkansasRazorbacks.com

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10 Reasons Every Arkansas Razorback Fan Should Be Thankful This Thanksgiving Season

Blake Stansbery — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:21:43 -0500

Arkansas Razorback fans have a lot to be thankful for in 2009. The Hogs are the most explosive offense in the SEC, and have improved greatly from 2008. It has been an inspirational year for the young Razorbacks. The following 10 things every Arkansas Razorback fan should give thanks for this Thanksgiving.

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Arkansas Improves to 7-4 With Win Over SEC Rival Mississippi State

Ashton Gilstrap — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:52:05 -0500

It ain't pretty, but we'll certainly take it.

The Razorbacks routed the Mississippi State Bulldogs 42-21 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on Saturday. The Razorbacks are now riding high on a four-game winning streak—the first in Bobby Petrino's two-year tenure here at Arkansas.

Having said this, unfortunately the game wasn't very pretty. Mallett, who had gone the entire season with only four interceptions, threw two in the first half. One of these interceptions happened on the very first drive of the game, and it led to MSU scoring the first touchdown.

The Hogs immediately answered, but for the few minutes in between, everyone held their breath. Were we going to throw a game against a team that we should beat? Are our bowl berths going to be limited because of a loss?

Looking at Mississippi State's stats, one would think that they would have been able to put up a few more points. Their rushing offense ran for 376 yards, with 151 of those coming in the third quarter alone. Anthony Dixon ran for 176 yards and two touchdowns by himself.

All that rushing, though, couldn't keep Mallett and his well-oiled offensive machine off the field long enough to upset the Razorbacks. Yes, Mallet threw two picks, but for the third time this year threw for five—yes—five touchdowns.

His completion rating wasn't what it has been in the past few games, but he still got the job done and had 313 yards in the air to show for it.

He was helped out by a breakout performance from freshman receiver Cobi Hamilton, who scampered for two long distance touchdowns of 58 and 64 yards. Mallett's throws were perfect, and once Hamilton had the ball, he would not be denied entry to the endzone.

What really tanked MSU's already slim chances of taking down Petrino's explosive Razorbacks, however, was their absolute inability to set up the pass game. Eight completions with only five attempts in the second half. Only 58 yards of passing against a high scoring offense just isn't going to cut it.

The Razorbacks will carry their four game winning streak into Baton Rouge this weekend to take on the Bayou Bengals. Expect fireworks, especially considering the Ole Miss Rebels' defeat of the Tigers this previous weekend.

Woo Pig.

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