Arkansas

It’s Time To Give Arkansas Baseball Fans More Games with Sizzle Factor in Central Arkansas

Published

2 years ago

May 3, 2023

It’s Time To Give Arkansas Baseball Fans More Games with Sizzle Factor in Central Arkansas

photograph credit score: Nick Wenger

NORTH LITTLE ROCK – I headed to Dickey-Stephens Park prepared to write down a column making the case for extra enticing College of Arkansas baseball video games to be performed in central Arkansas. The likes of Grambling State, Memphis and Tuesday night time’s opponent – Lipscomb – simply appear method too… blah.

Why couldn’t, often, DSP host an early-season sequence with a Energy 5 program, say possibly from the Huge 10 or Pac-12? Figuring out my angle, BOAS Grand Poohbah Evin Demirel began a textual content stream with he, I and BOAS ace reporter Andrew Hutchinson. What transpired was a mini “stadium debate” during which Evin delighted however irritated me as a result of I needed to string collectively multiple sentence on a textual content. (Insert mad emoji right here.)

After all, Andrew, a Northwest Arkansas man born and raised and UA alum, began to shoot holes in any prospects of a significant sport at Dickey-Stephens. One concerned head Hog Dave Van Horn not being pleased with taking part in earlier video games on the Double-A house of the Seattle Mariners as a result of the grass hadn’t matured, and it was exhausting to select up the ball on brown grass – so no early-season big-name opponents. Like so many NWA natives had made the case for with soccer video games in Little Rock, he noticed no “logical” cause to maneuver significant video games to North Little Rock.

Even so, the place there’s a will there’s a method. Whereas it’s actually not the present pattern, Arkansas has performed first rate opponents in central Arkansas for each soccer and basketball, so there’s priority. Generally it isn’t at all times about logistics or funds. It’s about doing the suitable factor for followers and alumni.

An Thought for Arkansas Baseball

Nevertheless, the UA brass know that followers are so starved to see one of the best Hogs program within the athletic division that in the event that they ran the Academy Village Beavers JV squad on the market, 10,000 devoted can be parked within the seats and pack the grass berm areas. Whoever Arkansas performs it’s a draw, and that’s handy for the athletic division.

I used to be going to go all into that and make a case for throwing the followers outdoors of NWA a meaty bone, however then a unique approach hit me in regards to the time I used to be caught in downtown Little Rock for 40 minutes ready to cross the Broadway Bridge to park and head to the ballpark, which had lengthy traces of followers ready to enter two hours earlier than the 6 p.m. first pitch.

The Razorbacks don’t simply must play a higher-profile opponent – they should play multiple sport. By the point I bought throughout the bridge with my two sons, we needed to park a half mile west down Broadway and missed the primary inning. We weren’t alone as so many different followers needed to wait a very long time to get their tickets scanned.

In an everyday season, school baseball groups compete in 56 video games, which is much more than what school basketball and soccer groups play. These Razorback applications do only one a 12 months in central Arkansas (on the most, since soccer now performs sporadically at Conflict Memorial). However there’s room within the baseball schedule to permit for multiple sport a 12 months within the state’s most populated metro space.

So, let’s pair Arkansas in opposition to one in-state group one night time and one other the subsequent. The Hogs have performed all of the state’s Division I colleges not too long ago and once more performed Little Rock and UCA this season. Play them later within the 12 months to fulfill Van Horn’s discipline situation considerations on back-to-back nights and permit 20,000 followers in all to get pleasure from one of many prime school applications in baseball. Or, if it’s lower than that, then the visitors jam challenge shall be alleviated.

Why it Makes Sense

Arkansas is dedicated to taking part in these groups anyway, so some form of in-state sequence appears to work nicely. The athletic division saves cash on the assure journey and people colleges nonetheless get to play an SEC group in a stellar atmosphere at a giant park. It’s additionally near dwelling for them.

Similar to the soccer coaches and taking part in at Conflict Memorial Stadium throughout the river from DSP, Van Horn has to verify it is sensible. The rub with taking part in video games at Conflict Memorial Stadium, traditionally, has been push-back from the top coach round giving up an opportunity to host recruits on campus.

Possibly there are different causes Van Horn wouldn’t wish to play multiple sport, however all indications are he likes taking his group to central Arkansas to deliver a style of the group to these followers. After a protracted session with the media on the sector, Van Horn was seen with a number of gamers signing autographs and taking footage with younger and previous alike. Neither coach nor gamers left till all ready had been accommodated.

That could be very elegant and exhibits that he understands the significance to those video games. He recruits the whole state from Bee Department to Dumas and is aware of that a few of these children ready to go to the group will be part of him in Fayetteville sometime. The curiosity in Arkansas baseball has hit a fever pitch regardless of the lack of the sport. Van Horn is aware of and understands that and appears joyful to oblige. In any case, Tuesday night time marked the twelfth time his membership has made the journey to central Arkansas.

However now could be the time to take a look at upping the ante. Reward these followers who present up on a faculty night time throughout the week with a greater sport or an in-state sequence. Whereas they may attempt to present as much as see the Hogs regardless, they deserve extra video games and extra fascinating opponents.

***

Extra protection of Arkansas baseball from BoAS…

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Arkansas

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

Published

7 hours ago

January 15, 2025

Press Room

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.

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?

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.

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.

“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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Arkansas

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

Published

15 hours ago

January 14, 2025

Press Room

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.”

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

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

Published

23 hours ago

January 14, 2025

Press Room

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

CLASS 5A

CLASS 4A

CLASS 3A

CLASS 2A

CLASS 1A

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.

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

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