Drew Pember, UNC Asheville look to upset No. 10 Arkansas

Arkansas misplaced a key piece when Trevon Brazile sustained a season-ending knee harm two weeks in the past, however freshman Jordan Walsh has stepped up his recreation and seems to be an apt alternative.

Winners of six straight video games, the No. 10 Razorbacks (10-1) will play yet one more nonconference recreation earlier than Southeastern Convention play opens, dealing with UNC Asheville on Wednesday in Fayetteville, Ark.

A 6-foot-5 ahead, Walsh had an vital dialogue with coach Eric Musselman after Brazile — a 6-10 sophomore who was off to a effective begin — went down with a torn ACL in opposition to UNC Greensboro on Dec. 6.

“It gave me a number of confidence,” mentioned Walsh, who scored a career-high 18 factors in Arkansas’ 76-57 over visiting Bradley on Saturday. “Muss advised me earlier than the Oklahoma recreation, ‘Simply play with extra confidence.’ As quickly as he advised me that, I used to be like, ‘Oh, yeah, I am fixing to show up.’”

Walsh took that to coronary heart earlier than the competition in opposition to the Braves, the Razorbacks’ annual lone recreation in North Little Rock, Ark.

The Desoto, Texas, native was an ideal 7-for-7 from the sphere with a 3-pointer, plus he chalked up 4 steals, three rebounds and an help. He netted 16 of his game-high 18 factors within the first half, outscoring Bradley 16-14 within the opening 14:21.

Musselman seen the change in Walsh and is aware of the explanation why.

“Jordan Walsh simply retains getting higher,” the fourth-year coach mentioned. “You’ll be able to see his confidence proceed to develop every recreation. The final two video games the vitality that he is performed with has been actually, actually on one other degree. He is taking part in with nice confidence, No. 1.”

Razorbacks freshman standout Nick Smith Jr., who missed the primary six video games with a minor knee harm, went to the locker room early within the second half on Saturday, however Musselman mentioned the guard is okay and is anticipated to play in opposition to UNC Asheville.

The Bulldogs (8-4) are coming off a dramatic 74-73 win at East Tennessee State on Saturday wherein one among their go-to gamers — Drew Pember — stole the present on the buzzer.

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Together with his group trailing 73-71 and inbounding the ball from underneath its hoop with 1.2 seconds left, Pember sank a 3-pointer from six ft past the highest of the arc. The senior, who started his school profession at Tennessee, was then mobbed by teammates.

The Large South Convention’s Defensive Participant of the Yr a yr in the past and the convention’s Preseason Participant of the Yr as voted by coaches this season, the 6-foot-10 ahead is main the group in factors (19.7 per recreation), rebounds (9.5) and blocks (2.9) in one other standout marketing campaign.

Pember, sharpshooting guard Tajion Jones (14.8 factors per recreation) and swingman Jamon Battle (10.8 ppg) enable coach Mike Morrell to ship out a powerful offensive unit every evening.

Jones, an Oak Ridge, Tenn., product in his fifth yr, was concerned in two long-range data in the course of the Bulldogs’ 94-84 win at South Carolina State on Dec. 13. In his career-high-tying 30-point displaying, Jones made 8 of 10 3-point makes an attempt — matching a single-game faculty document for treys — and broke the all-time mark for many profession 3-pointers.

“It is actually an honor,” mentioned Jones. “I’ve put in a number of work since I have been right here … numerous hours of labor and further pictures at follow, within the morning, summers. Lot of labor that lastly paid off.”

Jones, who’s now as much as 300 profession 3-pointers, broke the old-fashioned mark of 296 held by Josh Kohn.

–Subject Degree Media