I was doing a little digging on the Internet a few minutes ago to see how some former Arkansas players were doing in the NFL and if they had a chance of making the cut.

  Well, it appears that tight end Andrew Davie and Marcus Monk – who both play for the Carolina Panthers – could be looking for new teams after today.

  Here is an excerpt from a story recently published in The Charlotte Observer: 

  “The Panthers will cut five players – from 80 on the roster to 75 – Tuesday.

  Those five will likely come from this list: Defensive tackle Lorenzo Williams, guard C.J. Davis, tight end Andrew Davie, offensive tackle Gerald Cadogan, center Keith Gray, receiverMarcus Monk and receiver Larry Beavers.”

  If it ends up working out that way, maybe Davie and Monk will get opportunities with other teams. Monk has already been cut by the Chicago Bears and New York Giants, so it might be a tough blow for him to get cut by a third team in a year or so.

  Davie was picked up as an undrafted free agent by the New York Jets, then traded to Carolina. Maybe another team will be in the need for a blocking tight end and give him a chance to play pro ball. 

  I’ll try to post any updates on the blog and Twitter (@NWAAlex).

  Curious to see how Marcus Monk looks catching passes in a Carolina Panthers jersey?

  If so, then you’ve come to the right place. If not, sorry about that. We’ll find a way to make it up to you.

  Anyway, I was messing around on the Internet when I stumbled across a small post on the Panthers’ official Web site about the former Arkansas wide receiver. In case you missed it, Carolina signed Monk as a free agent after the NFL Draft in late April.

  Here is what was written about Monk on panthers.com on May 29 and the photos that accompanied the small blurb on him. (Maybe Monk will have a longer stay in Carolina than he did with the Chicago Bears and New York Giants last year).

  EVERY TIME I SEE wide receiver Marcus Monk, it seems as though he’s reaching up to grab a pass, using every inch of his 6-foot-4 frame and his prodigious wingspan. His frame is that of a basketball player — appropriate, since he played a few games at Arkansas this past winter — and he figures that if he’s got the size, he might as well use it to the hilt.

  ”I try to use it to my advantage by catching the ball at the highest point,” Monk said.

  Monk was one of the players Carolina signed in the days after the draft, but he isn’t a rookie; he was a seventh-round pick of the Bears last year and spent a week on the practice squad before returning to Arkansas. He was able to latch on with the Razorbacks’ hoops team because his professional experience wasn’t in that sport, so he used it to stay in shape while finishing courses for one bachelor’s degree and taking classes toward another.

  So I was searching the Internet a few minutes ago to pass the time when I stumbled across a bit of news on former Arkansas wide receiver Marcus Monk.

  Turns out, Monk has been given a second chance in the NFL by the Carolina Panthers.

  The Panthers have agreed to a free-agent deal with Monk, who was selected by the Chicago Bears in the seventh round of last year’s draft. The Bears cut the wide receiver, and he was unable to earn a spot with the New York Giants after they picked him up following his brief stint in Chicago.

  

  Monk returned to Arkansas and made the unorthodox decision to play basketball. He was an effective backup forward for part of last season, but he was eventually ruled ineligible to play when questions came up about money he had received from a third party.

  Monk had hoped to get another shot at the NFL, and he caught passes during Arkansas’ Pro Day in early March. It appears he will soon be back in a training camp.

  Are you in need of a used car with 26-inch rims and a custom paint job? Are you such a big Arkansas fan that you want to own a car driven by one of the more popular football players in recent years. And do you like your car to have a Razorback painted on the side?

  If you answered yes to all those questions and have at least $13,700 to spend, then former Arkansas wide receiver and basketball player Marcus Monk has just the car for you.

  It seems Monk has put his 2001 Grand Marquis up for auction on eBay.com. The car is definitely an attention-grabber, and it was easy to spot Monk driving around Fayetteville over the past few years in his candy red sedan with massive tires and a mural of a Razorback and the No. 85 painted on one side.

  Here is a link to Monk’s car on eBay, and the advertisement includes photos and descriptions of perhaps the second-most popular car in recent Arkansas history. Who could forget Darren McFadden’s ride after all? Granted, his car looked a lot like Monk’s.

 

The University of Arkansas had its spring break last week, allowing John Pelphrey’s basketball players to spend a few days at home with their families. Pelphrey hit the road, as well, looking to add to his 2009-10 recruiting class. Back in Fayetteville on Monday, he took a few minutes to meet with reporters and discuss Arkansas’ offseason plans.

First and foremost, the media expressed an interest in getting an update regarding junior forward Michael Washington, a second-team all-SEC pick who may turn pro. Pelphrey said that he hadn’t spoken much with Washington but that during their brief conversations, he could tell Washington was conflicted.

While insisting that this is a “Mike and his family decision,” Pelphrey also revealed that he would give Washington an accurate assessment of what would be wise to do.

“We’ll support him in making the best decision possible,” Pelphrey said. “I think he would like to come back for his senior year, but I think he does want to see what interest is out there. … My sense has been that if he can be a first-round draft pick, that’s one thing. If not, let’s come back and work and see if he can’t become a first-round draft pick.”

Pelphrey addressed plenty of other topics. Among them, he commented …

• On oft-suspended freshman Jason Henry: “He’s still day to day. He’s make some strides. I believe (he is doing the right things to get back in good standing). There was a breakfast check this morning and he was there. That’s a good start. He’s on the team. I don’t anticipate taking him off the team.”

• On the chances of his three recruits — Jemal Farmer, Marshawn Powell and Anthony Borden — taking care of their academic work and enrolling at Arkansas: “We’re optimistic. We’re hopeful that at least one of them, maybe more, will come to summer school.”

• On the type of player he’s trying to find during spring recruiting: “Guys that can help. Big wings. Bigger, athletic guys. Also, we need another ball-handler at the point guard spot. We’re going to sign some people in the spring. How many of them, I don’t know.”

• On the most important areas in which he wants to see progress: “For me right now, a focus is I want to see these young men take ownership in their basketball team. I want to see them take responsibility for each other and have honor and respect amongst the team, and police themselves so to speak. I get a chance to hear all the time what we want to do, where we want to go, all these types of things. Now you need to show me.”

• On the NCAA asking Arkansas for information on some of the school’s basketball recruiting practices: “From my understanding, it is an inquiry. I don’t really forsee any issues with that. I know that myself and the coaching staff (find it) important to follow the rules and guidelines that were put into play, and in doing things the right way.
I’m not too concerned that there’s anything other there than what they say it is.”

• On whether he plans to make changes to his coaching staff: “Not from my side of it. I don’t know if those guys might have the chance to move up the ladder.”

• On what exactly caused Arkansas’ struggles this past season: “I don’t think I have enough time to sit here and go through all of it. I’ve thought about that a lot. I don’t think there’s an easy one word answer there. I don’t want to sit here and make a bunch of excuses, either. I understood who we were coming into this season and knew it would be a challenging deal, losing six seniors and Patrick (Beverley), and … then Marcus (Monk) … We just didn’t play well enough at the right times.”

Pelphrey also stated that Arkansas would play Texas at home and travel to Oklahoma next season. He said he couldn’t comment on other games because contracts haven’t been finalized.

The Arkansas athletic department just released a statement saying senior forward Marcus Monk would not return to basketball competition.

The former football player playd in eight games for the Razorbacks this season as he took graduate classes at the university. Arkansas held him out of competition the last six games as it investigated a matter it thought would affect his eligibility.

Now, he is done, and the university is releasing few details.

Here is the link to the release.

Obviously, we’ll be digging in to this matter further …

For an audio preview of tonight’s contest, click here to hear the Gameday Insider with Morning News sports writers Nathan Allen and Ryan Malashock.

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Well, if you’re an Arkansas student still without power (and, if so, I guess you’d be reading this at a local coffeeshop or a friend’s house), here’s some good news: You can go to tonight’s Alabama-Arkansas game without paying a dime.

The UA athletic department just released a statement saying students are welcome to Bud Walton Arena free of charge. There are a limited number of these free tickets for students, who can begin claiming them at 5 p.m.

Maybe that can help John Pelphrey’s young Razorbacks notch their first Southeastern Conference victory this season.

The Hogs are 0-4 in the league, and truthfully, they haven’t come close to winning in any of the losses. They’ve stuck around deep into the second half against Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Florida and Auburn. But consistency has been lacking, and not having freshman forward Brandon Moore (suspension) and possibly senior forward Marcus Monk (eligibility issue) and freshman guard Jason Henry (right knee) won’t help matters.

At least Arkansas looks to reclaim its identity tonight against a Crimson Tide team going through perhaps even more internal issues than the Razorbacks.

Alabama (12-7, 2-3) at Arkansas (12-5, 0-4)
When: 8:05 p.m.
Where: Bud Walton Arena, Fayetteville
TV: ESPN (Cox channel 25, Cox HD channel 732)
Radio: 107.9-FM, 92.1-FM, 105.3-FM, 1290-AM for those in our readership area
Line: Arkansas by 5
Series: Arkansas leads 25-21 (12-5 in Fayetteville)
Last Meeting: Alabama beat Arkansas 59-56 on February 27, 2008, in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

About Alabama

So, the Crimson Tide comes to Fayetteville tonight without two key individuals — point guard Ronald Steele and now-former coach Mark Gottfried. Steele quit the team last week, originally citing an injury but speculation is rampant that he and Gottfried couldn’t co-exist. Then, Gottfried stepped down under pressure on Monday.

All that said, Alabama still brings a talented team to Bud Walton Arena. Don’t expect much to change under interim coach (and longtime Gottfried assistant) Philip Pearson. And as LSU proved last season with a 5-4 finish after John Brady’s dismissal, a mid-season coaching change doesn’t guarantee that a team will fall apart.

Players To Watch

Arkansas
Michael Washington, 6-9, 239-pound junior forward
The Razorbacks need Washington to return to early-season form. Sure, the McGehee native hasn’t been terrible lately. He has still averaged 12.0 points and 9.3 rebounds over the past three contets. But those numbers fall below his season average, and he has succumbed to foul trouble in all three of those games.
Alabama
Alonzo Gee, 6-6, 219-pound senior guard
Arkansas fans probably feel like Gee has competed for Alabama for the past decade. That’s because he has played such an integral role for the Crimson Tide throughout his four seasons in Tuscaloosa. Gee, a difficult matchup for Arkansas junior guard Stefan Welsh, leads the Tide in scoring and can score inside and out.

Gameday Links
• Well, the situation at the Morning News has been chaotic lately. Our Springdale office still has no power, and it’s been difficult to update our Web site. So … we have no stories online as of yet. I’ll post what we had in tonight’s print edition below the other links.
• The Birmingham News has several Alabama basketball-related articles out in today’s edition. There’s Mike Bolton’s piece on Pearson and Ian Rapoport’s stories on the Tide moving past Gottfried’s departure and on athletic director Mal Moore’s coaching-search mindset. Also, check out Ian’s well-done, often-updated blog for more on the Tide.
• Watch out for LSU. Seems like Arkansas will see the Tigers on Saturday as they’re playing their best basketball of the season. John Adams of the Knoxville News-Sentinel chronicles the SEC Western Division-leader’s latest conquest, a 79-73 win at Tennessee.
• Oh, and Dennis Felton is out at Georgia, as revealed by Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

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Razorbacks Sporting Different Look Lately
By Ryan Malashock
The Morning News
rmalashock@nwaonline.net
FAYETTEVILLE — Throughout their 10-game winning streak, several characteristics defined the Arkansas Razorbacks. Among them, two stood out the most.

They collectively hounded opponents with their intense half-court and full-court defensive pressure. And they constantly burned their foes in transition with freshman point guard Courtney Fortson directing numerous fast breaks.

But during their recent four-game losing streak, the Hogs haven’t exhibited these traits, at least not with any consistency. Injuries, suspensions and overall inexperience have contributed to Arkansas’ demise heading into tonight’s nationally-televised contest against Alabama.

Second-year coach John Pelphrey realizes a return to the Razorbacks’ two staple qualities gives them the best chance to notch their first SEC victory.

“I want to see these guys overachieve,” Pelphrey said. “We’re not just going to walk out there with our wonderful talent level and win basketball games. We have to have a phenomenal attitude and play hard in our style.

“We can’t flinch. We have to do it for the whole 40 minutes.”

As much as Pelphrey would like for his team to play up-tempo basketball during tonight’s entire game, certain realities will keep Arkansas from doing so. Most notably, it’s hard to repeatedly press in the backcourt with such a shrinking roster.

The Razorbacks haven’t pressed as often the past four games for the simple reason that they haven’t scored as many points.

“I think it’s hard to press when the ball’s not going into the basket,” Pelphrey said.

But beyond that reason, they couldn’t afford to tire out their own players.

Pelphrey may only have nine players available tonight, junior guard (and former UA golfer) Stephen Cox and senior walk-on John Paul Noland included. Freshman forward Brandon Moore is still suspended, an eligibility issue might again keep senior forward Marcus Monk out and freshman guard Jason Henry is questionable with a sore right knee.

“We love to press because it brings fatigue into the game,” assistant coach Rob Evans said. “You saw how much that helped in some of our big wins. But with our short numbers, we just can’t do it. We want to fatigue other teams, not ourselves.”

Arkansas’ lack of depth doesn’t directly impact its failure to convert fast breaks into points, however. During their unprecedented 0-4 SEC start, the Razorbacks have struggled to execute in their half-court sets, making the absence of fast break points all the more costly.

In two of the Hogs’ SEC losses, they haven’t even scored one fast break point. Pelphrey didn’t sound too worried about the lack of transition offense. His message: It’s only a matter of time.

“We were terrific (Monday) in practice, as good as we’ve been in awhile,” Pelphrey said. “We’ve looked at it. We’ve talked about it. Really, we were out on the break several times against Auburn. We just didn’t convert anything.

“We threw it into the stands. We missed wide-open shots. We couldn’t convert close.”

To the player who directs the Razorbacks’ fast breaks, the key to converting more often doesn’t lie only with better offense.

“I think our defense has to get tougher,” Fortson said. “We have to come down with more defensive rebounds and get out on the break before the defense gets set.”

Gimme 5

1. Play With Urgency
Arkansas can’t start in the same manner as its first four Southeastern Conference games. The Razorbacks have faced early deficits in each defeat, and another sluggish start would hinder their chances of gaining some much-needed confidence.

Also, playing “desperate” as coach John Pelphrey implored this week in practice ranks as important on Arkansas’ to-do list as a successful start.

“So far, we haven’t responded well to adversity,” junior guard Stefan Welsh said. “We have plenty more chances to make up for those losses, but we ‘re running out of chances. Everyone is well aware of that.”

2. Intense Defense
The Razorbacks have shown little intensity on the defensive end throughout their sluggish SEC start.

They show flashes of the type of fierce defense that fueled them to their 10-game winning streak. But most of the time since beating Texas on Jan. 6, the Hogs haven’t been able to consistently guard their opponents.

The biggest tangible example Arkansas’ defensive ineptitude: Its SEC opponents are 39-for-99 from 3-point range. Hey, at least tonight’s foe, Alabama, ranks last in the league in 3-point accuracy.

3. Make More Shots
Sounds simple, right? Well, the task has proved difficult for Arkansas the past four games.
The Razorbacks are 13-for-75 from beyond the 3-point arc. They even struggled from the free throw line during their loss Saturday to Auburn, making only eight of their 16 tries.

To defeat Alabama tonight, the Hogs better shooting from the outside, especially from Welsh and freshman guard Rotnei Clarke.

4. Hit The Boards
One of Arkansas’ early-season strengths has quickly turned into one of its most glaring weaknesses.

Arkansas still ranks fourth in the SEC in rebounding margin (plus-5.9). But the Razorbacks have been outrebounded in their last three games and five of their last six contests.

Pelphrey said the Razorbacks’ inability to routinely secure defensive rebounds has played a part in their defensive 3-point struggles.

5. Stop JaMychal
Alabama forward JaMychal Green should be right in the mix for Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year along with Arkansas point guard Courtney Fortson.

While still raw in many areas, Green should pose problems for Arkansas’ frontcourt because of his athleticism. He was named SEC Freshman of the Week on Monday after leading the Crimson Tide in scoring in games against Ole Miss and Kentucky.

— Ryan Malashock

Scouting Report

Alonzo Gee

6-6 • Senior • Riviera Beach, Fla.

Arkansas coach John Pelphrey didn’t bother hiding his admiration for Gee. When asked how he plans to contain the versatile guard, Pelphrey simply sighed and said, “Good question.”

Gee doesn’t fit the mold of a typical guard. The 6-foot-6, 219-pound senior has the size and ability to score from the perimeter, drive to the basket or mix it up in the paint.

Along with being Alabama’s leading scorer (13.9 points per game), Gee is also the team’s top rebounder (7.5 rebounds per game).

“He’s an explosive scorer (and) has been for a long, long time,” Pelphrey said. “I know he has had games where he scored 30 (points), and he could do it from the 3-point line. He could do it from kind of like quick, one-dribble drives, posting up and then just an outstanding offensive rebounder.”

How To Play Him
Gee has struggled over the past few games, and it would come as no surprise if Arkansas’ coaches took a look at what Kentucky did to contain him.

The Wildcats held Gee to just eight points, including none in the second half of their 61-51 win on Saturday. He shot 3-of-10 from the floor, snapping his streak of 16 consecutive games of scoring in double figures.

Pelphrey said he wasn’t sure which Arkansas player will be called on to defend Gee, though he admitted that Gee “is a problem.”

Strengths
Gee has shown during his four years at Alabama that he’s more than just a scorer, which explains why he has started 84 consecutive games dating back to the 2006-07 season.

He ranks 14th in the Southeastern Conference in scoring and eighth in rebounding. And while his numbers are down lately, he remains a multi-talented threat.

“Probably the first 15, 16 games, I thought he played really, really well,” former Alabama coach Mark Gottfried said Monday. “His shot selection, his shooting percentages, you know everything, I think was at a peak level.”

Weaknesses

Gee’s shooting percentage has taken a dip over the past three games, which has seen him hit only 11-of-37 shots from the floor.

During that stretch, the senior scored 10 points on 2-of-12 shooting in a loss at Auburn and eight points against Kentucky. Those performances were sandwiched around a 15-point, 6-rebound effort in a win over Ole Miss on Jan. 21.

Gottfried said he believed Gee’s recent struggles are due in part to junior Mikhail Torrance taking over as the starting point guard.

“I do think (Gee) maybe in those last couple of games hasn’t played as well,” Gottfried said. “Some of that is due to the fact that we’re playing a different point guard now, and that sometimes will throw somebody out of their rhythm a little bit.”

The Skinny
In order to break its winless start in the SEC, Arkansas could use another lackluster performance from Gee.

The Razorbacks have struggled defensively during its four-game losing streak, and they would benefit from Gee playing like he has lately compared to how he was only a few weeks ago.
Still, Pelphrey knows what he’s up against.

“Gee is an outstanding player,” he said.

— Alex Abrams

We’ve got some big news before tip-off. And it’s not good news for the Razorbacks.

Forward Marcus Monk is being held out of today’s game because of eligibility issues. The school released a statement that says Monk is out “pending a review of an issue that could affect his eligibility.” He is in street clothes and will sit on the bench today. He also will continue to practice while the situation is reviewed, but will not be eligible for competition.

Those are all the details we have right now. The school said it is trying to bring resolution to the matter as quickly as possible and will not have any further comment until then.

Immediately, this is a big blow to Arkansas’ frontcourt. It means they have three players — Michael Washington, Michael Sanchez and Andre Clark for today’s game. The good news: If there’s a game to be down two players in the frontcourt, it’s today. Auburn uses a four-guard lineup. So expect to see plenty of guards on the floor today. And maybe Jason Henry playing the four.

For an audio preview of tonight’s contest, click here to hear the Gameday Insider with Morning News sports writers Nathan Allen and Ryan Malashock.

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Remember when John Pelphrey’s young Razorbacks were considered one of the hottest teams in college basketball? Recall when every NCAA “mock bracket” had the the Hogs in the tourney field? Kind of hard, isn’t it?

After going seven weeks without a loss, Arkansas hasn’t won a game in 18 days. So needless to say, the Razorbacks desperately need a W over the Auburn Tigers today.

Auburn (11-7, 1-3) at Arkansas (12-4, 0-3)
When: 12:05 p.m.
Where: Bud Walton Arena, Fayetteville
TV: KHOG (Cox Ch. 7, CoxHD Ch. 707)
Radio: 107.9-FM, 92.1-FM, 105.3-FM, 1290-AM for those in our readership area
Line: Arkansas by 4.5
Series: Arkansas 23-13 (15-2 in Fayetteville)
Last Meeting: Arkansas beat Auburn 77-64 on March 8, 2008, in Fayetteville

About Auburn

This is another team built to give Arkansas problems. Jeff Lebo puts four guards on the floor around senior big man Korvotney Barber, making defensive life miserable for opponents’ power forwards. Translation: Good luck, Michael Sanchez, Marcus Monk and Andre Clark. The Tigers certainly have talent, but they still haven’t been able to develop any consistency under Lebo, their fifth-year coach who could be fighting for his job. Auburn’s only SEC victory came over short-handed rival Alabama last Saturday.

Players To Watch

Arkansas
Stefan Welsh, 6-3, 185-pound junior guard
This week in practice, Welsh has increased the intensity. Pelphrey said no one outworked Welsh, who has tried as much as possible to embrace his leadership role for the Razorbacks. Now, the question is: Can Welsh produce on the court like a leader. He hasn’t scored in double figures since Arkansas’ last victory, shooting 8-for-29 during the Razorbacks’ three-game slide.
Auburn
Quantez Robertson, 6-3, 200-pound senior guard
So, what has happened to Robertson? Not sure if anyone knows, even himself or Lebo. Throughout his Auburn career, Robertson has been a go-to guy. He has been an above-average shooter and an on- and off-the-court leader. But this season, Robertson has slumped. He is averaging only 6.7 points per game and shooting only 37.4 percent from the field and 20.5 percent from 3-point range.

Gameday Links
• In today’s Morning News, my story takes a look at Arkansas’ struggling 3-point defense.
• Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News states that today’s game is another tough road contest for Auburn.
• Evan Woodbury of the Mobile Press-Register wonders which Arkansas team will show up today in Bud Walton Arena.

For an audio preview of tonight’s contest, click here to hear Gameday Insider with Morning News sports writers Nathan Allen and Ryan Malashock.

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Ole Miss has no Chris Warren, no Eniel Polynice, no Trevor Gaskins. All three of those Rebels were starters before going down with injuries this season. But if history teaches us anything, it’s that the Arkansas Razorbacks won’t have an easy time tonight at the Tad Pad.
The Hogs have won only once the past 12 seasons in Oxford, Miss. Plus, Arkansas coach John Pelphrey brings six freshmen with him to Ole Miss for their first Southeastern Conference road contest. This may be only the Razorbacks’ second SEC game, but it’s significance can’t be underestimated.
They surely won’t want to head to Florida on Saturday with an 0-2 mark in the league.

Arkansas (12-2, 0-1) at Ole Miss (9-6, 0-2)
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Tad Smith Coliseum, Oxford
TV: None
Radio: 107.9-FM, 92.1-FM, 105.3-FM, 1290-AM for those in our readership area
Line: Ole Miss by 2.5

About Ole Miss

As discussed above, third-year coach Andy Kennedy is without three of his most talented players. In fact, they were his top three point guards, leaving that duty to freshman Will Bogan, an expected redshirt this season. Still, Kennedy’s team has shown a willingness to continue fighting. Led by junior guard David Huertas, sophomore guard Zach Graham and freshman forward Murphy Holloway, the Rebels rallied to give Florida a game last Saturday before losing by 10 points. The Rebels are 5-5 over their last 10 games, alternating wins and losses during that span. The defeats have come to West Virginia, at New Mexico, vs. Louisville, vs. Southern Mississippi and at Florida.

Players To Watch

Arkansas
Courtney Fortson, 5-11, 180-pound freshman point guard
It’s bounce-back time for Fortson, who had his worst game as a Razorback in Arkansas’ 70-56 loss Saturday night against Mississippi State. Fortson was 2-for-13 from the field for five points, missing all five of his 3-pointers and three of his four free throws. He also had four turnovers. Fortson must set the tone tonight on both ends of the floor.
Ole Miss
David Huertas, 6-5, 200-pound junior guard
Heading into the season, Huertas’ role for the Rebels was expected to be substantial. But with Warren, Polynice and Gaskins out, Huertas is now being counted on as Ole Miss’ main scoring threat. And he has come through. Huertas ranks second in the SEC in scoring with an average of 19.9 points per game. He is fifth in free throw percentage (79.0) and third in 3-point percentage (41.3).

Gameday Links
• In today’s Morning News, I had a story about the advice Stefan Welsh and Marcus Monk had for Arkansas’ six freshmen regarding their first road trip. Also, here are my keys to victory for UA and a scouting report on Huertas from Robbie Neiswanger.
• David Brandt of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger examined the increased ways in which Graham is being asked to contribute.
• In case you didn’t see it, Kentucky’s Jodie Meeks went off for a school-record 54 points last night at Tennessee. Jerry Tipton of the Lexington Herald-Leader has the details.