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Arkansas hits road to take on Missouri State

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Arkansas hits road to take on Missouri State


FAYETTEVILLE — The College of Arkansas and Missouri State aren’t into altering baseball coaches.

The Razorbacks have had two coaches since 1970 with Norm DeBriyn and Dave Van Horn. Keith Guttin has been Missouri State’s coach since 1983.

So together with tonight’s Arkansas-Missouri State recreation at Hammons Subject in Springfield, Mo., the Razorbacks and Bears could have 3 coaches of their final 57 matchups over 41 seasons.

“You don’t actually see that very a lot any extra with the way in which guys transfer round,” Guttin mentioned. “However Norm and Dave are two legends down there in Arkansas, and I’ve simply occurred to remain right here for some time. So it’s all good.”

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DeBriyn and Van Horn are Arkansas Sports activities Corridor of Fame inductees. Guttin is a Missouri Sports activities Corridor of Fame inductee.

Mixed, the three have 3,672 victories as NCAA Division I head coaches with 1,362 at Missouri State for Guttin since 1983, 1,161 at Arkansas for DeBriyn and from 1970-2002 and 1,149 for Van Horn since 1995 at Northwestern (La.) State, Nebraska and Arkansas.

The Razorbacks are 36-20 towards Guttin’s Bears in a sequence that features Arkansas profitable 2 of three in an excellent regional in 2015 and Missouri State profitable 2 of three in a regional in 2018.

“Everytime you play Arkansas, whether or not it was Norm DeBriyn or now Dave Van Horn, you’re enjoying a very good group that’s proficient and well-coached,” Guttin mentioned. “That’s no matter what 12 months or who’s teaching them. That by no means adjustments.”

The Razorbacks (30-10, 11-7 SEC) are ranked No. 6 within the USA At present coaches’ ballot, however they convey a three-game dropping streak — their longest of the season —into tonight’s recreation after being swept at Georgia final weekend.

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The Bulldogs beat the Razorbacks 6-5, 7-3 and 9-8. Georgia scored 5 runs within the ninth inning of the sequence finale on Saturday to beat an 8-4 deficit and received on a grand slam by Connor Tate and a house run from Parks Harber within the final two at-bats.

Being swept at Georgia provides a way of urgency for the Razorbacks to win a mid-week nonconference recreation.

“After you lose like we did [Saturday] and lose three in a row on the street, it will be good to realize a bit of momentum earlier than [Texas] A&M is available in,” Van Horn mentioned of resuming SEC play towards the Aggies on Thursday night time at Baum-Walker Stadium. “As a result of A&M is enjoying rather well proper now.”

Texas A&M (25-15, 9-9), which performs Sam Houston State tonight, has received its final 4 SEC sequence towards Ole Miss, Auburn, Missouri and Kentucky.

Missouri State (22-16, 11-4 Missouri Valley Convention) is 9-2 in its final 11 video games with MVC sweeps of Bradley, Illinois-Chicago and Belmont and two losses to Missouri — 10-1 at dwelling and 7-6 on the street.

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The Bears began 12-5 earlier than being swept at East Carolina — ranked No. 14 on this week’s coaches’ ballot — in a three-game sequence, which started a seven-game dropping streak for Missouri State.

“I feel we’re enjoying higher,” Guttin mentioned. “We began off OK on the season. Then we went to East Carolina and bought swept by a great ballclub, and that put us in a funk for about two weeks.

“We’ve type of been working our approach out of it. So I actually really feel a bit of bit higher now than I did just a few weeks in the past.”

Missouri State sophomore middle fielder Spencer Nivens is batting .369 with 10 dwelling runs and 38 RBI. He hit a two-run dwelling run within the Bears’ 6-4 victory at Arkansas final season.

“He’s had a great season each on the plate and in middle discipline,” Guttin mentioned. “He’s type of a group chief by instance. Only a stable participant.”

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Freshman proper fielder Zach Stewart is batting .321 with 8 dwelling runs and 42 RBI for the Bears.

“He’s a man we thought may are available and influence the group offensively,” Guttin mentioned. “He hasn’t upset. He’s been as marketed.”

Van Horn’s Razorbacks are 20-10 towards Missouri State since 2003 when he changed DeBriyn.

“The Missouri State-Arkansas recreation is often a great mid-week recreation,” Van Horn mentioned. “It’s often very aggressive.

“Clearly, I feel Missouri State performs arduous. They’ve a great program. They work at it.”

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Van Horn thought extremely sufficient of the Missouri State program to rent Nate Thompson as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator in 2018 after he was an assistant for Guttin from 2015-17.

“I’ve lots of respect for Nate,” Guttin mentioned. “The job he did right here and the job he’s doing there.”



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Arkansas

New address, same issues: Why John Calipari's dismal start at Arkansas mirrors his fall from favor at Kentucky

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New address, same issues: Why John Calipari's dismal start at Arkansas mirrors his fall from favor at Kentucky


Jan 14, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari reacts after being defeated by the LSU Tigers at Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Give John Calipari credit for stumbling upon a foolproof way to avoid extending his streak of early-round NCAA tournament flameouts.

You can’t get Gohlked again if you’re watching from the couch.

Arkansas is in major jeopardy of missing the NCAA tournament in Calipari’s highly anticipated debut season after an unremarkable non-league showing and a nightmare start to SEC play. The preseason No. 16 Razorbacks lost 78-74 at previously struggling LSU on Tuesday night to fall to 11-6 overall and 0-4 in the SEC.

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It was concerning when then-No. 1 Tennessee outclassed Arkansas by 24 in Knoxville on the first Saturday of January. The warning signs grew more ominous when the Razorbacks followed that with back-to-back home losses against nationally ranked Ole Miss and Florida last week. Now it’s full-blown panic time in Hog Country after Arkansas went to Baton Rouge for an apparent get-right game against one of the SEC’s only non-NCAA tournament contenders and somehow lost that too.

Despite playing without its third- and fourth-leading scorers due to injury, LSU erased deficits of 12 points late in the first half and eight points a few minutes into the second half. The Tigers (12-5, 1-3) built a nine-point lead of their own with less than five minutes to go, then withstood full-court pressure and a late scoring flurry from standout Arkansas freshman Boogie Fland to close out the victory.

Calipari’s postgame news conference Tuesday night was reminiscent of many that he delivered after losses late in his Kentucky tenure. He shouldered the blame for not preparing his team well enough yet offered few specifics regarding adjustments he intended to make.

Twice, Calipari told reporters in Baton Rouge, “I’ve got to do a better job with my team.” Later, he described himself as disappointed he’s “not getting through to these guys” and claimed he “may have to drag them to the finish line in some of these close games.”

There’s still time for Arkansas to dig its way out of this midseason hole, but the Razorbacks’ road to the NCAA tournament is uphill and obstacle-laden. A neutral-court victory over Michigan is Arkansas’ lone Quadrant 1 or 2 victory this season in seven opportunities. The Razorbacks’ second-best win of the season is … Lipscomb? Troy? Maybe 4-13 ACC doormat Miami?

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The historic strength of the SEC could be Arkansas’ salvation or demise. On one hand, plenty of chances for marquee victories remain in a league with nine teams in the current AP Top 25. On the other hand, per Ken Pomeroy, the Razorbacks will only be favored in five of their remaining 14 conference games. At this point, Arkansas is more likely to finish in the bottom third of the SEC than to make the NCAA tournament.

That Calipari’s former program is flourishing in his absence only highlights Arkansas’ struggles. Kentucky coach Mark Pope didn’t inherit a single returning player from Calipari, yet the roster he rebuilt on the fly via the transfer portal is 14-3 overall and 3-1 in the SEC. Fueled by its sleek, modern offense, Kentucky boasts impressive victories over Duke, Gonzaga, Louisville, Florida, Mississippi State and Texas A&M. If the season ended today, the Wildcats would be no worse than a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Deep-pocketed Arkansas boosters envisioned a similar outcome when they plunked down big money to lure Calipari from Kentucky last spring. The fresh start appeared to be a win-win for both parties with Calipari in need of an offramp out of Lexington and Arkansas in search of a jolt of excitement.

Calipari’s tenure at Kentucky was perfect, until it wasn’t. For almost a decade, he fulfilled Big Blue Nation’s wildest dreams. The revolving door of one-and-done talent he recruited won SEC titles, made deep NCAA tournament runs and even captured the 2012 national title. But the program that was two wins away from a historic 40-0 season in 2015 never approached those heights again. The atmosphere in Lexington turned especially toxic after Calipari’s Wildcats lost to 15th-seeded St. Peters in the first round of the 2022 NCAA tournament and to 14th-seeded Oakland last year.

What observers have since learned is that a fresh start requires more than a change of address and an influx of red blazers and quarter-zip pullovers. You can’t hire a 65-year-old coach, allow him to bring over an assortment of longtime assistants and then expect different results.

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Armed with a war chest of NIL money that few other programs could match, Calipari assembled a roster that doesn’t mesh well with one-another or fit the modern game. Fland and fellow perimeter players DJ Wagner, Johnell Davis and Karter Knox can all hit a 3-pointer but are best with the ball in their hands attacking downhill. The spacing gets worse with forward Adou Thiero and center Jonas Aidoo in the frontcourt together, as neither are a threat from 3-point range.

Arkansas is shooting 33.7% from behind the arc as a team and is 248th nationally in percentage of points scored from 3-point range. Opposing defenses can afford to clog driving lanes, pack the paint and dare the Razorbacks to hoist contested jumpers early in the shot clock.

The hallmark of Calipari’s best Kentucky teams were long, athletic defenses that aggressively hounded 3-point shooters yet surrendered nothing easy at the rim. This Arkansas team is better defensively than some of Calipari’s most recent Kentucky teams, but it commits too many fouls and surrenders too many second-chance points to make up for the Razorbacks’ offensive woes.

Against LSU, it also didn’t help that a tough call went against Arkansas at a key juncture of the second half. LSU led 53-52 when referees called this a flagrant foul on Arkansas’ Trevon Brazile. The Razorbacks trailed 58-52 by the time they got the ball back.

How will Arkansas respond to a dismal SEC start made worse by the LSU loss? With effort and energy, Calipari says, despite a difficult upcoming schedule. Arkansas visits Missouri on Saturday, then hosts Georgia and Oklahoma. Matchups with Kentucky, Alabama, Auburn, Texas and Texas A&M await in February.

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“I told them after the game, ‘I’m not cracking so let’s just keep going,’” Calipari said Tuesday.

The Razorbacks have no choice.

Either they turn their disappointing season around now, or Calipari’s debut campaign in Fayetteville will end shy of the NCAA tournament.



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UL prepares to face Troy, Arkansas State twice in 11-day stretch

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UL prepares to face Troy, Arkansas State twice in 11-day stretch


LAFAYETTE — The Louisiana women’s basketball team is off to its best Sun Belt Conference start since 2020, holding a 4-1 record as they aim to replicate the success that led them to a regular-season title just three years ago.

However, the Cajuns face a critical 11-day stretch as the team will take on Arkansas State and Troy twice, both teams boasting potent offenses ranked second and fourth in the conference, respectively.

Head coach Garry Brodhead emphasizes that defense will be the key to weathering this challenging stretch.

“Anytime that you have any type of system, if the kids believe in it, it seems like it works a little bit better or a lot better,” Brodhead said. “On the road, that’s one of the things that we really, really preach. You know, we may not be making shots like we’re capable of… but you can always defend.”

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The coach acknowledged the difficulties posed by Arkansas State and Troy, pointing out changes in the Red Wolves’ system, which now prioritizes a faster pace, three-point shooting, and relentless pressing.

“Troy is a tough team to play,” Brodhead added. “Both games will be tough. Can we withstand that, especially from the first game to the second game?”

The Cajuns’ pivotal run begins Wednesday in Jonesboro, where they’ll face Arkansas State at 7 p.m. A strong showing could position Louisiana for second place in the standings, trailing only James Madison.
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Arkansas High School Boys Basketball Scores (1/14/2025)

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Arkansas High School Boys Basketball Scores (1/14/2025)


The Arkansas high school boys basketball season is in full swing, and High School On SI has scores for every team and classification. 

Keep track of Arkansas high school boys basketball scores below. 

Arkansas high school boys basketball scores 

ARKANSAS HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL STATEWIDE SCORES 

CLASS 6A

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CLASS 5A 

CLASS 4A

CLASS 3A 

CLASS 2A 

CLASS 1A 

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2024-25 ARKANSAS BOYS BASKETBALL SCHEDULES: FIND YOUR TEAM 

Follow High School On SI throughout the 2024 high school boys basketball season for Live Updates, the most up to date Schedules & Scores and complete coverage from the preseason through the state championships!

Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school boys basketball news.

High School On SI will serve as the premier destination for high school sports fans, delivering unparalleled coverage of high school athletics nationwide through in-depth stories, recruiting coverage, rankings, highlights and much more. The launch of a dedicated high school experience expands Sports Illustrated’s reach to even more local communities as fans can now truly follow athletes from “preps to the pros” on a single platform, bringing them closer to the action than ever before. For more information, visit si.com/high-school.

Download the SBLive App

To get live updates on your phone – as well as follow your favorite teams and top games – you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App| Download Android App

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— Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @highschoolonsi



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