Arkansas forward Michael Washington has put his name in for the NBA Draft, but he has not signed with an agent. That keeps open the possibility of returning for his senior year.

The university released a statement Friday afternoon revealing Washington’s decision.

“Michael has put his name in the draft to test the waters, but he is not hiring an agent,” Arkansas coach John Pelphrey said in the statement. “We will continue to work with Michael to help make certain he has the best information available and makes an informed decision regarding his future. He is working out and continuing to work hard in school to finish the semester strong.”

Washington, the first Arkansas player to lead the SEC in rebounding since 1999, averaged 15.5 points and 9.8 boards this season for the 14-16 Razorbacks. He also ranked third in the SEC with a 55.1 field goal percentage.

By declaring the way he did, Washington can work out for NBA teams and get an idea of where he may, or may not, get drafted — without jeopardizing his eligibility.

Back on March 23, Pelphrey said he would support Washington leaving Arkansas if he believed he would be drafted in the first round of the draft. ESPN.com ranks him at No. 55 on its list of prospects for this summer’s draft.

“My sense has been is that if he can be a first-round draft pick, that’s one thing,” Pelphrey said at the time. “But if not, come back and let’s work and see if we can’t develop into that.”

The deadline for underclassmen to remove their names from the draft is 4 p.m. on June 15. The 2009 NBA Draft takes place on June 25 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

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.

I’ll be heading to the baseball game in a little while, but here’s a couple other Arkansas related items to share with you this afternoon:

• Arkansas forward Michael Washington was named a second-team, all-SEC performer by The Associated Press today. It comes one week after he was named a second-team selection by the SEC coaches. Washington averaged 15.5 points and 9.8 rebounds for the Razorbacks.

It’s still not clear if he’ll be returning to the team. Washington was pretty vague when asked about the prospects of entering the NBA Draft last week. The situation still seems unresolved.

But back on topic, the All-SEC first team consisted of Marcus Thornton (LSU), Devan Downey (South Carolina), Jodie Meeks (Kentucky), Tyler Smith (Tennessee), Jarvis Varnado (MSU), Nick Calathes (Florida) and Tasmin Mitchell (LSU). In addition to Washington, Korvotney Barber (Auburn), Patrick Patterson (Kentucky), Alonzo Gee (Alabama), David Huertas (Ole Miss), Terrico White (Ole Miss) were second-teamers.

Thornton was the SEC Player of the Year. White was Freshman of the Year. LSU’s Trent Johnson was named Coach of the Year.

• The Arkansas football team, which is a little thin at quarterback, got some help at the position today.

Derek Hatcher of Ridgeview High in Florida, has decided he will join the Razorbacks as a “preferred walk-on” in hopes of earning a scholarship down the road. The story, which is at firstcoastnews.com, can be found by clicking this link.

According to the story, Hatcher got interest but no scholarship offers from bigger schools. Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino first learned of Hatcher thanks to a punter from the same area who is friends with the quarterback. The punter, who has since decided to walk-on elsewhere, came on an official visit and delivered some game film of Hatcher as well. The rest, as they say, is history.

Hatcher will join Brandon Mitchell as incoming quarterbacks this fall. The Razorbacks have Ryan Mallett, Tyler Wilson and Jim Youngblood on scholarship now and the three will handle the snaps during spring practice. Arkansas was hoping to have more quarterbacks, but Nathan Dick transferred in the offseason and Will Secord backed out of his oral commitment and signed with Florida State.

The Southeastern Conference unveiled its coaches’ postseason basketball awards on Tuesday morning, and Arkansas’ Michael Washington and Courtney Fortson each earned a distinction.

Washington, a 6-9 junior forward, was named second-team all-SEC, and Fortson, a 5-11 freshman point guard, was put on the conference’s all-freshman team. Washington ranks 10th in the league with 15.5 points per game and second with 9.5 rebounds. Fortson trails only Florida’s Nick Calathes in SEC assists.

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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Many Arkansas fans weren’t even alive the last time the Razorback basketball program lost 9 of 10 games. The year was 1972, in fact, and current coach John Pelphrey hadn’t yet turned 4 years old when the Larry Van Eman-coached Hogs lost again to drop 10 of 11. A similar fate awaits Arkansas tonight when No. 23 LSU visits Bud Walton arena if the Razorbacks don’t overachieve in every way.

No. 23 LSU (21-4, 9-1) at Arkansas (13-10, 1-9)
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Bud Walton Arena, Fayetteville
TV: None
Radio: 107.9-FM, 92.1-FM, 105.3-FM, 97.9-FM, 1290-AM in our readership area
Line: LSU by 4.5
Series: Arkansas leads 28-19 (Arkansas leads 13-4 in Fayetteville)
Last Meeting: LSU beat Arkansas 79-69 on Jan. 31 in Baton Rouge, La.

About LSU

Under-manned Arkansas outplayed LSU for 15 of the last 20 minutes on Jan. 31, when the Tigers beat the Hogs 79-69 in Baton Rouge, La. But fueled by Bo Spencer, Marcus Thornton, Tasmin Mitchell and Chris Johnson, LSU simply overwhelmed Arkansas in the first half. And the Tigers have only gotten better since then.

LSU, the only ranked Southeastern Conference team, has won six straight under first-year coach Trent Johnson. The Tigers 4-1 on the road in the SEC, but will be without Spencer, the sophomore point guard who made 5 of his 6 shots from 3-point range in the teams’ first meeting.

The Tigers did struggle in nonconference losses to Texas A&M, Utah and Xavier. But Thornton (21.4 points per SEC game) and Mitchell (20.6) have scored at a phenomenal pace during league play.

Players To Watch

Arkansas
Michael Washington, 6-9, 239-pound junior forward

It’s time for the McGehee native to lead Arkansas to a victory. Washington has been solid all season — as his stats indicate (16.4 points, 9.7 rebounds) — but he hasn’t been as productive in his last three games. Washington had one of his better SEC efforts against LSU, scoring 24 points on 11-of-21 shooting and grabbing five rebounds.

LSU
Terry Martin, 6-6, 210-pound senior guard

The Tigers actually gain experience with the loss of Spencer. Martin, normally LSU’s sixth man, shifted to the starting lineup with Spencer out against Ole Miss on Saturday. He is known most for his 3-point shooting ability. Martin has made only 5 of his 20 shots from 3-point range but tallied 11 points Saturday.

Gameday Links

• Here’s my story in today’s Morning News on LSU’s success on the road. Robbie Neiswanger has the scouting report on Mitchell, the Tigers’ surging scorer, and here are my keys to an Arkansas victory.

• Gary Laney of the Baton Rouge Advocate describes how LSU won’t let his Tigers underestimate Arkansas. Laney also writes about the lack of depth behind Spencer.

• LSU’s quality bench play is the topic of Jim Kleinpeter’s story in the New Orleans Times Picayune.

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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Maybe a trip to The Hump is just what the Arkansas Razorbacks need right now. That might sound a tad crazy to you, because, yes, the Razorbacks haven’t won in Starkville, Miss., since 2000. But little else has worked for the Hogs lately, who enter today’s contest at Mississippi State at 1-6 in the SEC, good for last place in the Western Division.

So maybe a step far out of their comfort zone will somehow benefit John Pelphrey’s Razorbacks. I still contend that Arkansas matches up with Mississippi State better than perhaps any other team in the West. The Hogs are at only a very minor size disadvantage, and their main problem recently has been erratic rebounding.

The Bulldogs ranks last in the SEC in rebounding margin.

If the Razorbacks can neutralize Jarvis Varnado, guard the 3-point shot, make a few of their own and have Courtney Fortson outplay State’s Dee Bost for the first time this season, they have a chance.

Far easier said than done, especially for such a young, inexperienced team.

Arkansas (13-7, 1-6) at Mississippi State (15-7, 5-2)
When: 2:05 p.m.
Where: Humphrey Coliseum, Starkville, Miss.
TV: Raycom/KHOG (Cox channel 7, Cox HD channel 707)
Radio: 107.9-FM, 92.1-FM, 105.3-FM, 1290-AM for those in our readership area
Line: Mississippi State by 7
Series: Arkansas leads 26-20 (Mississippi State leads 15-5 in Starkville)
Last Meeting: Mississippi State beat Arkansas 70-56 on Jan. 10 in Fayetteville

About Mississippi State

There may not be a more surprising team in the SEC this season, other than maybe South Carolina over in the Eastern Division. Rick Stansbury will draw serious league coach of the year consideration if Mississippi State keeps this up.

Despite being less-tested than most teams around the country, the Bulldogs have won five of their first seven conference games, including contests at Arkansas, Georgia and Kentucky. Their 70-56 victory at Arkansas on Jan. 10 — the conference-opener for both teams — sparked the hot streak (and sent the Razorbacks spiraling).

The only true blemish on State’s league slate is a surprising home loss to Ole Miss. Varnado, a 6-foot-9 junior, leads the country in blocked shots (4.8 per game), and the Bulldogs play four guards around him, as Arkansas will do today around 6-9 junior Michael Washington.

State nailed 11 3-pointers against the Hogs in Bud Walton Arena and connected on 14 in its upset win Tuesday at Kentucky.

Players To Watch

Arkansas

Courtney Fortson, 5-11, 180-pound freshman point guard

For some reason, it feels like it’s about that time for Fortson to carry Arkansas to a road win. That’s what great point guards do, and Fortson acts like he wants to be put in that category. Fortson has scored in double figures in five of his last six games and has 24 assists and only 10 turnovers in his last three.

Mississippi State

Ravern Johnson, 6-7, 175-pound guard/forward

As one of four State guards in Stansbury’s starting lineup, Johnson is averaging 19.3 points in his past three games. In those three contests, he has made 14 of 24 shots from 3-point range.

Gameday Links

• Here’s my story in today’s Morning News on just how inexperienced the rosters of Arkansas and Mississippi State are. Robbie Neiswanger has the scouting report on Bost, the Bulldogs’ freshman point guard, and here are my keys to Arkansas victory.

• Kyle Veazey of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger writes about the toughness 6-3 Phil Turner brings to the “power forward” position for State. Also, here’s a link to Kyle’s blog.

• The Bulldogs’ recent 3-point binge is the topic of Brad Locke’s story today in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

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

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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So now that John Pelphrey’s young Razorbacks have finished the nonconference portion of their schedule with 12 wins and only one loss, expectations have risen for Southeastern Conference play. Predicted to finish last in the SEC Western Division by the league’s coaches and media, Arkansas now seems more likely to finish atop the division than at the bottom.

Their quest for a division title begins tonight with a visit from Mississippi State, and shot-blocking terror Jarvis Varnado. Arkansas would like to open conference play with a victory, of course. But beginning 1-0 in the SEC is even more important when next week’s schedule is considered. The Hogs face road tests at Ole Miss on Wednesday and at Florida next Saturday.

Mississippi State (10-5) vs. Arkansas (12-1)
When: 7:06 p.m.
Where: Bud Walton Arena, Fayetteville
TV: Fox Sports Net (Cox Ch. 27)
Radio: 107.9-FM, 92.1-FM, 105.3-FM, 1290-AM for those in our readership area
Line: Arkansas by 6

About Mississippi State

Rick Stansbury’s team may finally have found an identity. Mississippi State always knew it had Varnado to rely on. Beyond that, however, the Bulldogs struggled to follow their roles as defined by Stansbury. After winning their first five games, Mississippi State lost back-to-back contests to Washington State and Texas Tech. Losses to Charlotte, Cincinnati and San Diego dropped the Bulldogs to 8-5.

But in the past week, Mississippi State has looked confident pounding Houston and Western Kentucky sporting a new four-guard lineup, which could either help or hamper the ’Dogs against Arkansas. When teamed up with Varnado, guards Dee Bost, Barry Stewart, Phil Turner and Ravern Johnson have thrived at the start of games.

Players To Watch

Arkansas
Stefan Welsh, 6-3, 180-pound junior guard
Pelphrey kept Welsh out of the starting lineup for two straight games in mid-December, hoping to ignite one of his team’s leaders. Well, mission accomplished. Welsh has scored in double figures in Arkansas’ last six games and has averaged 21.5 points in the Hogs’ last four. Welsh had 20 points in the Tuesday’s upset win over No. 7 Texas.
Mississippi State
Ravern Johnson, 6-7, 175-pound sophomore guard/forward
There isn’t a hotter 3-point shooter right now in the Southeastern Conference, perhaps in all of college basketball. Johnson has hit 35 of his 71 shots from beyond the arc, good for 49.3 percent, first in the SEC. Johnson nailed 6 of his 7 long-range attempts against Western Kentucky on Monday night and finished with a career-high 26 points.

Gameday Links
• Check out this story on the matchup between Varnado and Arkansas junior forward Michael Washington, which ran in today’s Morning News.
• Also in today’s Morning News, here are keys to an Arkansas victory and a scouting report on Stewart, a sophomore guard for the Bulldogs.
• Kyle Veazey of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger describes how Stansbury is finally sold on his four-guard lineup. Also, check out Kyle’s blog here. Great stuff.
• With a win today, maybe even with a loss, Arkansas should move into both national college basketball polls. Luke Winn of Sports Illustrated came out with an early version on Thursday. He reluctantly put Arkansas at No. 12 in his power rankings.
• Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com has Pelphrey on his early national coach of the year list, the only SEC coach on his list of 15.
• For a full listing of SEC games, click here.

It’s the morning after the Texas game. The morning after a late, late night. Who knew a basketball game could last nearly as long as a football game?

But since we’re awake and in the office already (What am I doing here?) we might as well hit some of the links from Arkansas’ 67-61 win against the Longhorns. Which, as we all know now, was the Razorbacks’ second in eight days against top 10 teams.

• First, here is Ryan Malashock’s game story centering on how the Hogs won a game that didn’t suit their style.

• Next, we’ve got an Alex Abrams sidebar on Michael Washington’s big night, which was capped by a big dunk. In fact, the play was No. 2 on ESPN’s Top 10 plays last night.

• Third, here is another sidebar on Texas guard A.J. Abrams’ off night written by the man in charge of this operation, Chip Souza.

• And finally, some notes from yours truly. The lead note is on Eddie Sutton’s return to Fayetteville to watch the Hogs.

• What does the nation think about the win? Well, Gary Parrish of CBSSportsline.com weighed in a little more on the Razorbacks and their second big win of the season on his blog last night. Check it out by clicking here.

Next up for the Razorbacks is the Southeastern Conference opener at Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are 10-5 and coming off an impressive win of their own against Western Kentucky on Monday night. What’s going on with MSU? Well, we’ve got the place to look.

• Our good friend Kyle Veazey of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger says Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury believes his team is entering SEC play with confidence because of back-to-back wins against Houston and Western Kentucky.

• And if you’re looking for more news on the Bulldogs, make sure you check out Veazey’s excellent blog by clicking here. Notice all the comments on Veazey’s blog posts. Hmmm … comments from readers? Interesting.

It isn’t a bitter rivalry anymore, as much as fans fond of old Southwest Conference times want it to be. But this Arkansas-Texas basketball game, at this time, with this young, exciting Razorback team, needs no rivalry history to make it worthy of grand importance.Their records are 22-3 combined. Texas is No. 7 in the this week’s AP poll, making it the highest-ranked two-loss team in college basketball.
Bud Walton Arena should be packed. Two great point guards will battle back and forth. NBA talent exists on both sides. Seriously, rivalry shmivalry. This game is huge. Oh, and by the way, Las Vegas oddsmakers made the Longhorns a 6-point favorite over Arkansas, which looks to put its winning steak into double digits.

No. 7 Texas (11-2) vs. Arkansas (11-1)
When: 8:05 p.m.
Where: Bud Walton Arena, Fayetteville
TV: ESPN2 (Cox Ch. 24, CoxHD Ch. 733)
Radio: 107.9-FM, 92.1-FM, 105.3-FM, 1290-AM for those in our readership area
Line: Texas by 6

About Texas

Coach Rich Barnes has his team easily on pace to going to the NCAA Tournament for the 11th straight time at Texas. Arkansas coach John Pelphrey pretty much indicated that he thought the Longhorns possessed more depth and talent than Oklahoma did. You can see why Pelphrey said Texas could go to the Final Four and compete for the national championship. Their only losses have come by one point to Notre Dame in Hawaii and by four points to Michigan State in Houston. The Horns own big wins over UCLA, Villanova and Wisconsin. Those last two were away from home, so Texas won’t be intimidated by any means by a packed Bud Walton Arena. Texas is undoubtedly led by senior point guard A.J. Abrams, who truly is more of a scorer. He paced the Longhorns with a 19.0 scoring average and shoots about 45 percent from 3-point range.

Players To Watch

Arkansas
Courtney Fortson, 5-11, 180-pound freshman point guard
The Razorbacks’ gritty leader has passed every test presented to him thus far this season. Tonight’s matchup with Abrams and an otherwise athletic Texas backcourt might be his stiffest challenge. Fortson has simply shined over the last seven games, posting 64 assists to only 25 turnovers. He was as inconsistent as he has been all season in Arkansas’ win over North Texas on Saturday, with five assists and several lazy defensive possessions. So how he reacts to that performance could determine tonight’s outcome.
Texas
Damion James, 6-7, 222-pound junior forward
Abrams is the heart and soul of this Texas team. But James may provide the biggest matchup problems for the Razorbacks. James has a power forward mentality and the budding skills of an NBA small forward. At 6-7, he is four inches taller than the two players who usually play the ‘3’ spot for Arkansas — junior Stefan Welsh and sophomore Marcus Britt. James averages 14.4 points and 8.9 rebounds, but those numbers have risen to 15.7 points and 12.7 rebounds over the past three games.

Keys For An Arkansas Victory

1. Starting Fast
Arkansas had Oklahoma in a 25-8 hole. The Razorbacks must come out hot again if they want a chance to knock off a Top 10 opponent for the second time in eight days.
2. On The Glass
The Hogs lead the Southeastern Conference in rebounding. That’s a quite a feat, especially when you consider how little depth they have in the frontcourt. They must continue that and beat Texas on the glass tonight
3. Mike Washington
This guy just seems to get better and better. Washington was the SEC player of the week after going off for 58 points and 22 rebounds in wins over OU and North Texas. He’ll have a lot attention on him tonight. But that hasn’t bothered him thus far this season.
4. Guarding James
As alluded to above, the Razorbacks need to contain James. It should be a collective effort, and Pelphrey may even opt to play some zone to try and corral him.
5. Use The Crowd
Bud Walton Arena will again be packed, and the Razorbacks will need to feed off of the crowd’s energy. That means producing enough hustle plays that will involve the crowd early and often.

Gameday Links
• For today’s Morning News, my story focused on Fortson and Texas freshman Varez Ward, basketball teammates and best friends since the eighth grade.
• Mark Rosner of the Austin American Statesman takes a look at Barnes’ quest for Longhorn consistency.
• Upset that the Razorbacks didn’t crack the Top 25 in either poll? Click here to see how each AP pollster voted. The coaches poll, unfortunately, is conducted in total secrecy.
• And finally, CBSSports.com’s Gary Parrish jokingly thinks Washington should get a car or something for his effort Saturday in North Little Rock.