Hogs fading from NCAA picture

With the calendar turning to March Saturday, time and games are slipping away for the Arkansas Razorbacks and with them the opportunities to impress the NCAA Selection Committee.

In late January and early March, the Razorbacks had the look of a solid NCAA Tournament team about them. But that picture is fading fast.

With four losses in their last five games, the Razorbacks stand 18-9 on the season and 7-6 in Southeastern Conference play. They are not out of the NCAA Tournament hunt, but their momentum needs to shift 180 degrees.

The good news for the Razorbacks is that two of their final three regular-season games are at home, where the Razorbacks play much better than on the road. Five of the Hogs’ six conference losses have been away from the friendly confines of Bud Walton Arena.

Arkansas has the opportunity to begin a turnaround today; however, this afternoon’s 3 p.m. opponent may very well be the best team to visit Walton Arena this year.

Sizzling following their 72-69 upset of No. 1 Tennessee on Tuesday in Nashville, Tenn., the Vanderbilt Commodores (24-4, 9-4) bring a gaudy seven-game win streak to Fayetteville.

“We clearly have the opportunity to play the hottest team in our league and maybe the hottest team in the country,” Arkansas head coach John Pelphrey said of Vanderbilt. “They are a terrific team with a couple of terrific players.”

When speaking of terrific players in the SEC, Vanderbilt star Shan Foster has to be one of the first players mentioned.

He is averaging 19.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. He shoots with range, can drive to the basket and is a fine defender.

“Foster is a special player,” Pelphrey said. “He has good size for a perimeter guy and he can shoot that basketball. He has the special ability to make shots when you are on him or with him. To do that from behind the 3-point line makes him especially tough to defend.”

The 6-6 senior guard from Kenner, La., can do it all for the Commodores, but this season he hasn’t had to.

“Vanderbilt has some special pieces, but make no mistake, they are a team and play as one and that may be the most impressive thing about them,” Pelphrey said. “They have great spacing on offense and they move the basketball and share it very well.”

A big addition to Vanderbilt’s squad is 6-11 freshman center A.J. Ogilvy from Sydney, Australia. He averages 16.6 ppg and 6.8 rpg.

“He makes a big difference for them,” Pelphrey said. “He’s got a lot of poise for a young player. He’s special. He can drive the ball from that spot where they need him to.

“He’s blessed athletically. He’s 250 and moves well. He can be physical. He’s just one of those special players that comes through the door from time to time.”

Though his Commodores come into the game as clear favorites, coach Kevin Stallings takes nothing for granted against the Razorbacks. Vanderbilt has not beaten the Hogs since 2005, losing to Arkansas 78-66 in 2006 in Walton Arena, 82-67 at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., last year in the regular season and 72-71 in last year’s SEC Tournament at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

“We’re coming off a big win, but Arkansas has been a very difficult team for us to beat,” Stallings said. “Walton Arena is a tough place to play and they have played exceptionally well there this year.

“Arkansas is a talented, physical group. The have a long, tall presence around the rim, they are very quick on the perimeter and Sonny Weems has been a very tough player for them this year.”

Though Arkansas has lost four of its last five games, the Razorbacks have played well at home, defeating their last four home opponents — Mississippi State, Florida, Ole Miss and LSU — by 18.3 ppg.

Though Vandy has beefed up its inside game with Ogilvy, 6-9 forward Ross Neltner and 6-9 center Alan Metcalfe, Stallings is wary of the Razorbacks’ size and depth in the paint.

“Steven Hill is probably one of the best shot-blockers the league has ever had and when Townes comes in, he’s another big, long body you have to deal with at the basket, but he’s a better scorer,” Stallings said.

Townes was one of the few bright spots for the Hogs in their sloppy 59-56 loss to Alabama on Wednesday. The senior from Alexandria, Va., came off the bench to score 17 points and grab six rebounds against the Crimson Tide.

“Darian has played well for us all year,” Pelphrey said. “He played well at Alabama. But one player playing well is not enough. It’s about the team playing well together.”

Pelphrey said the Hogs would like to keep the tempo of the game at a high level, but said his team would have to do a better job converting than they did in the loss to Alabama.

“We would get to the basket and come away without points or a foul and the opponent would be going the other way,” Pelphrey said. “We can’t let that happen.”

Defensively the Razorbacks have to be sound all around.

“Vanderbilt is a very good, very smart and very poised basketball team,” Pelphrey said. “They will pick away at your weaknesses. They have excellent shooters on the perimeter, but if you over-play, they will drive and dish.

“They are a good basketball team and it’s going to take great effort and focus on the part of our team to have a chance to win.”

THE ROAD TO ATLANTA
Below is a breakdown of the 2008 SEC Tournament seeds and matchups if the season ended on Feb. 28.

SEC Champion: Tennessee (11-2)
SEC Eastern Division Champion: Tennessee (11-2)
SEC Western Division Champion: Mississippi State (10-3)*
*—Clinched a share of the West Division title

TOURNAMENT SEEDS (as of 2/28)
Eastern Division Games Remaining
1. Tennessee (11-2) UK, @UF, SC (3)
2. Kentucky (10-3) @UT, @SC, UF (3)
3. Vanderbilt (9-4) @AR, MS, @UA (3)
4. Florida (8-5) MS, UT, @UK (3)
5. South Carolina (4-9) @AU, UK, @UT (3)
6. Georgia (3-10) @LS, @AU, UM (3)
Western Division
1. Mississippi State (10-3) @UF, @VU, LS (3)
2. Arkansas (7-6) VU, @UM, AU (3)
3. Alabama (4-9)# @UM, @LS, VU (3)
4. Auburn (4-9)# SC, UG, @AR (3)
5. LSU (4-9)# UG, UA, @MS (3)
6. Ole Miss (4-9)# UA, AR, @UG (3)
Note: #—UA (3-1); AU (4-2); LS (2-3) and UM (1-4) are the records among the tied teams.

First Round Matchups
[W4] Auburn vs. [E5] South Carolina 1:00 ET
[E3] Vanderbilt vs. [W6] Ole Miss 3:15 ET
[E4] Florida vs. [W5] LSU 7:30 ET
[W3] Alabama vs. [E6] Georgia 9:45 ET
Byes: [E1] Tennessee, [W1] Mississippi State, [E2] Kentucky, [W2] Arkansas

Possible Seedings for the Tournament
(Based on tie-breaker scenarios)
1. East—Florida/Kentucky/Tennessee/Vanderbilt
2. East—Florida/Kentucky/Tennessee/Vanderbilt
3. East—Florida/Kentucky/Tennessee/Vanderbilt
4. East—Florida/Kentucky/Tennessee/Vanderbilt
5. East—Georgia/South Carolina
6. East—Georgia/South Carolina

1. West—Arkansas/Mississippi State
2. West—Arkansas/Mississippi State
3. West—Alabama/Auburn/LSU/Ole Miss
4. West—Alabama/Auburn/LSU/Ole Miss
5. West—Alabama/Auburn/LSU/Ole Miss
6. West—Alabama/Auburn/LSU/Ole Miss

Filed under: Arkansas Basketball by Terry Wood. Posted on: February 29, 2008 at 4:33 pm