Just wanted to post a link for the story that will appear in tomorrow’s edition of The Morning News.

  Well, it appears there is more bad news for Arkansas’ basketball team.

  According to a report by 40/29, Arkansas guard Stefan Welsh has been suspended indefinitely from the team for an undisclosed reason.

  The news of Welsh’s suspension comes only four days after Arkansas coach John Pelphrey announced that troubled guard/forward Jason Henry has left the team and will not return. Henry became the fourth member of last year’s six-person recruiting class to leave the Razorbacks since December.

   I spoke with Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long early this afternoon, and I asked him about the growing problems within the basketball program and the displeasure some fans have expressed about the direction of the team under Pelphrey.

  Here is what Long said:

  “I would say that coach Pelphrey has my confidence and he understands the kind of basketball program we want to build and run. He and I are on the same page about that, so I think the future is bright for our men’s basketball program.

  “Are we going to win instantly? No, but we’re building for the future. We’re building a strong program on and off the court and one that we can all be proud of.”

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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It’s time for the Arkansas Razorbacks to start protecting their home court. John Pelphrey always talks about how important winning in Fayetteville is, and his team needs to start producing. The Hogs are 1-2 in Bud Walton Arena against SEC foes, and Tennessee will be the most talented team to play there since Texas visited.

Tennessee (13-7, 4-2) at Arkansas (13-6, 1-5)
When: 7:05 p.m.
Where: Bud Walton Arena, Fayetteville
TV: 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: Tennessee by 4
Series: Tennessee leads 13-12 (Arkansas leads 5-3 in Fayetteville)
Last Meeting: Arkansas beat Tennessee 92-91 on March 15, 2008, in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament in Atlanta

About Tennessee

Before this season, Tennessee was unanimously picked to win the Southeastern Conference by the league’s coaches and media. At that time, coach Bruce Pearl wasn’t thrilled about being pegged as the conference favorite. He said his team wasn’t quite ready for that title, and for part of this season, he seemed right.

The Volunteers lost three of four home games, this after winning 37 straight in Knoxville. But Tennessee looks to maybe be settling in. The Vols drilled Florida by 16 points on Saturday night, and they still possess perhaps the most talented roster in the SEC.

With talents such as all-around forwards Tyler Smith and J.P. Prince, inside-outside big man Wayne Chism and long-distance bomber Scotty Hopson, the Razorbacks have plenty to worry about from a team that has victories over Georgetown and Marquette.

Players To Watch

Arkansas
Stefan Welsh, 6-3, 185-pound junior guard
So, the Razorbacks surely won’t get back on track without Welsh snapping out of his scoring funk. Welsh has scored in double figures only one time since SEC play began, when he scored 14 points against Auburn. He’s shooting only 28.1 percent from the field and 26.5 percent from 3-point range during league play.
Tennessee
Tyler Smith, 6-7, 215-pound junior forward
The versatile native of Pulaski, Tenn., wasn’t voted SEC preseason player of the year for no reason. Smith has shown off his multiple talents throughout a season Smith might consider a bit of a letdown. He is scoring 17.2 points per game but only hitting 44.5 percent of his shots, including only 27.1 percent of his 3-pointers.

Gameday Links

• Here’s my story in today’s Morning News on Arkansas’ power forward problems, as well as my five keys to an Arkansas victory. Robbie Neiswanger takes an extended look at Tyler Smith in the Morning News’ scouting report.

• Robbie also caught up with former UA coach Nolan Richardson at yesterday’s Northwest Arkansas Tip-Off Club event.

• Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News Sentinel relays that the Volunteers are puzzled as to what Arkansas team they’ll run into.

• Pearl and Tyler Smith told Bryan Mullen of The Tennessean that they were optimistic about being successful on consecutive road trips this week at Arkansas and Auburn.

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 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 the Gameday Insider with Morning News sports writers Nathan Allen and Ryan Malashock.

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Arkansas coach John Pelphrey returns to Gainesville, Fla., this afternoon, ready to enter the Stephen C. O’Connell Center for the first time since leaving the Gators in 2002.
Pelphrey spent six seasons as an assistant coach under Florida coach Billy Donovan before taking the South Alabama job. And he’d like nothing better than to improve to 2-1 lifetime against Donovan, his mentor/friend/golf buddy.
Plus, the Razorbacks could use an injection of positivity right about now. Last week at this time, they were poised to enter the Top 25. Now, two disappointing defeats later, Arkansas is simply hoping to avoid an 0-3 Southeastern Conference start.

Arkansas (12-3, 0-2) at Ole Miss (15-2, 2-0)
When: 1:05 p.m.
Where: Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, Fla.
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: Florida by 10.5
Series: Tied 10-10 (Florida leads 6-2 in Gainesville)
Last Meeting: Arkansas beat Florida 80-61 on Feb. 2, 2008, in Fayetteville

About Florida

The Gators are nearly as young as the Razorbacks. Donovan starts three sophomores, a junior and a senior, and all five of his top reserves are freshmen. So far, Florida’s collective inexperience hasn’t kept it from winning 15 of its first 17 games. The Gators’ talent is undeniable. Sophomore Nick Calathes has smoothly handled his transition to the point guard position. Sophomore center Alex Tyus has steadily improved at the center spot. And the Gators’ role players all understand, and embrace, their roles. Florida also takes great care of the ball, evident by its SEC-leading plus-1.42 assist-to-turnover ratio. The Gators’ only losses came to Syracuse in Kansas City and at Florida State, and their best wins have come over Bradley, Washington and Ole Miss.

Players To Watch

Arkansas
Rotnei Clarke, 6-0, 184-pound freshman guard
The sheer shock of the statstic — zero points — left Clarke speechless. The all-time leading scorer in Oklahoma high school history somehow managed to play 28 minutes without a point Wednesday night at Ole Miss. The Razorbacks must find a way to get Clarke, a 40.9 percent shooter from 3-point range, going today if they want to have any chance of winning.
Florida
Nick Calathes, 6-6, 194-pound sophomore point guard
Donovan’s new floor general may just be the best all-around player in the SEC. Calathes can simply do it all, proven by his averages of 17.1 points, 6.6 assists and 4.8 rebounds. He can shoot. He can pass. He can rebound. He can D up. He can run an offense efficiently, and he can take care of the basketball. Arkansas junior guard Stefan Welsh should draw the opening assignment on Calathes.

Gameday Links
• Check out the following in today’s Morning News: my preview discussing the way Arkansas’ trying to deal with failure and a scouting report on Calathes from Robbie Neiswanger.
• Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun describes how Florida is seeking stronger finishes. He also wrote his own “Gameday” article, which includes today’s SEC slate at the bottom.
• Oh, and today is a heck of a day for a college basketball fanatic. If you want to park your butt in front of the TV all day, here’s a nice viewing guide (top right) to help you satisfy your hoops fix — courtesy of ESPN.com.

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.

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 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.

Arkansas coach John Pelphrey met with the media Monday morning in Bud Walton Arena to discuss his team’s Tuesday night home tilt against No. 4 Oklahoma.

He spoke about the “tremendous respect” he had for the Sooners and coach Jeff Capel and said that Arkansas would have to overachieve if it wanted to hand Oklahoma its first loss. He raved about the skills of Oklahoma 6-foot-10 sophomore forward Blake Griffin, who many think could be picked first in the 2009 NBA Draft.

But he wouldn’t sell the rest of the Sooners’ starting lineup short. As for forward Taylor Griffin and guards Austin Johnson, Willie Warren and Tony Crocker, Pelphrey said, “When they go to figure up end of season (Big 12) awards, these guys will be on the list. They’ll be in the conversation.”

Pelphrey later commented on injured freshman Jason Henry, saying he’d know much more about the 6-6 guard’s status after Henry underwent arthroscopic surgery at about 3 p.m. this afternoon.

Henry injured his right knee during one of Arkansas’ two practices last Friday. He tried to continue through practice and even showed up intending to play Saturday in the Razorbacks’ 95-56 win over Northwestern State (La.). But Henry’s knee “kept locking up on him,” trainer Dave England said.

England said Henry needed to have some loose cartilage removed from the knee. A successful surgery, he said, would keep Henry out only two to three weeks.

Also, freshman point guard Courtney Fortson returns to the starting lineup Tuesday night after a one-game hiatus because of an undisclosed violation of team rules. Fortson’s absence allowed junior guard Stefan Welsh to start after opening up Arkansas’ two previous contests on the bench. Welsh responded with a career-high 27-point effort Saturday night against the Demons.

When asked, though, Pelphrey declined to say whether Welsh or sophomore guard Marcus Britt would start alongside Fortson, freshman guard Rotnei Clarke, junior forward Michael Washington and freshman forward Michael Sanchez. Pelphrey said both Welsh and Britt would see increased minutes with Henry out — just like in Saturday’s game.