FAYETTEVILLE -- Ky Madden previously won big Southeastern Conference games for Arkansas at the finish only because teammates salvaged his short shots.
Saturday in Columbia, Mo. Madden won a big one late on his own.
Madden was the short-shot precursor of Michael Qualls' rebound and highlight film follow dunk that beat Kentucky 87-85 with :00.2 left in the game last season at Walton Arena. And it was a last-second Madden air-ball tipped up and in on Bobby Portis' highlight-film follow to beat Alabama 93-91 at the overtime buzzer Wednesday night in Fayetteville.
Saturday at Mizzou Arena, Madden scored the last basket and grabbed the last rebound of the Razorbacks' 61-60 escape againstthe Missouri Tigers. Arkansas trailed 60-59 when Madden's jumper connected with 1:24 left. Then when Missouri guard Wes Clark missed two free throws with 3.3 seconds left, Madden rebounded the second miss. Arkansas' senior combo guard from Lepanto via East Poinsett County High not only grabbed his career-high ninth rebound for a game but wafted the ball downcourt before he could be fouled. The ball still floated midair as time expired.
On postgame radio, Madden was the first Razorback that coach Mike Anderson praised.
"Ky had nine rebounds," Anderson said. "And no one was bigger than that one at the end and he had the smarts to throw it out there and let the clock run out."
Anderson also credited his senior guard, the only four-year senior on the team, during his postgame press conference after his radio interview.
"Ky hit a big shot for us going down the stretch," Anderson said. "We are down one and Ky makes a pivotal play. Those are key plays in a game like this, especially on the road."
The last rebound on Clark's miss was Madden's biggest, but the Hogs needed them all, especially in the second half. Outrebounded by 10 in the first half, which Missouri led 34-30, Arkansas outrebounded Missouri by 10 in the second half finishing dead even on the boards.
Bobby Portis 10 and Madden's nine accounted for 19 of Arkansas' 39.
"At half they had doubled on us on rebounds," Anderson said. "The message was at halftime the first five minutes are going to indicate what we want to do in this game. I thought we did a good job of going to the glass in the second half. Ky was really a key for us in this game going down the stretch."
It seemed like the Hogs celebrated Senior Day in Columbia. For their other senior, forward Alandise Harris (Little Rock Central) led Arkansas' scoring with 14 points. Harris was Arkansas' third-leading rebounder with five.
It marked the second consecutive start for the burly 6-6 forward.
"He gives us that aggressiveness," Anderson said. "He's a tough matchup, one of those tweeners that can get to the basket and gives us that physical presence. He got off to a good start and made some big plays for us going down the stretch."
Harris assessed before tip-off what would be required of him.
"I know I have got to play well on the road for us to win," Harris said.
That may sound presumptuous but so far on the SEC road it's true. Harris scored 15 points with five boards and a blocked shot and a steal when Arkansas (15-4, 4-2 SEC) opened league play winning 79-75 at Georgia. He posted another banner effort at Mizzou, but in between, after shooting 0 for 6 during a home victory over Vanderbilt, played but nine minutes in the 74-69 loss at Tennessee.
So Harris deems he has a score to settle with Tennessee coming Tuesday night to Walton.
"They beat us so we are going to be ready," Harris said. "We are going to be pumped."
Sports on 01/26/2015