FAYETTEVILLE -- Eight of the nine Vanderbilt Commodores besetting the Arkansas Razorbacks tonight have attempted from 22 to 136 3-point shots.
So it seems that to attain success the Razorbacks' inside track hinges on defending the outside in tonight's 6 p.m. SEC Network-televised SEC game at Vandy's Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn.
Arkansas, 15-4 overall and 4-3 in the SEC, surges into Nashville off a 3-game SEC winning streak after the Hogs were "torched," Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said, by Mississippi State's 12 treys and 84-78 victory at Walton Arena.
Though only 9-10 overall and 3-4 in the SEC, first-year Coach Bryce Drew's Commodores sail into tonight's game with as much or more momentum than the Hogs. Last Saturday at Florida they beat the Florida Gators that opened the SEC season beating Arkansas at Walton.
"It doesn't surprise me that they beat Florida because of some of the guys that they have," Anderson said. "They have a new coach, and it takes time, and now they are starting to play the way Bryce wants them to play. I am sure they are playing with confidence."
The new coach inherits old hands from departed to Pittsburgh longtime former coach Kevin Stallings. Senior 7-1 center Luke Kornet, and three guards, Riley LaChance, Matthew Fisher-Davis and Jeff Roberson, though only juniors, seem Nashville-entrenched longer than the Grand Ole Opry.
All, especially Fisher-Davis, 53 of 106 treys, and LaChance, 41 of 72 treys, can shoot the three as can supersub Cornell University transfer Nolan Cressler, 15 of 36 treys.
Kornet poses the most unique challenge. Obviously at 7-1 he's a force inside, but he's stepped out to attempt more threes, 29 of 77, than any Commodore except Fisher-Davis.
Arkansas 6-10 senior center Moses Kingsley recently has established a jump-shooting presence, including 4 of 5 treys for the season and one during his season-high 24 points against LSU last Saturday at Walton, but he's a Johnny Come Lately as a dual-threat big man compared to Kornet.
"We've got to be out there with him (Kornet)," Anderson said. "You can't sit there and let him spot up and think they're not going to make them. They've shown the capacity to make 3-point shots. We have to do a much better job of guarding the perimeter because we have had teams that really kind of torched us. We have done better as the season unwinds."
Vandy is doubly hard to guard, Anderson said because the Commodores also can drive to the hole against defenses spread defending the three.
Commanding the Commodores is one of Fayetteville's finest, starting freshman point guard and Fayetteville High grad Payton Willis.
"I have been knowing Payton for quite awhile," Anderson said, replying yes he did talk to Willis during the recruiting process. "He made his decision and went to Vanderbilt. He's a very good player. He's doing a very good job there."
Arkansas' defense, not good in achieving an AAU all-star game type 99-86 over LSU last Saturday, gets a boost with senior sixth-man guard Manuale Watkins back at practice Monday.
Because of illness, Watkins, a defensive specialist and surprising 3 of 3 3-point shooting star in the victory at A&M, played but two ineffectual first-half minutes against LSU and none thereafter.
Watkins will be another steady hand tonight with the unique benches on the opposite baseline configuration of Memorial Gym.
Junior 2-year letterman point guard Anton Beard of North Little Rock, superb against LSU with 16 points, seven assists and zero turnovers, also must show the ropes to JC transfer guards Jaylen Barford and Daryl Macon and new forwards Arlando Cook, Dustin Thomas and Adrio Bailey of the nuances of playing half the game out of earshot from their coaches.
"I keep kidding that my guys will probably like it that way they don't have to listen to me talk to them," Anderson said. "I've got to have a coach on the floor. When we've had success at Vanderbilt, we've had guys out on the floor that were actually getting us into things. They have got communicate. To me it makes our guys understand that they are going to be all they got."
Arkansas (15-4, 4-3 SEC)
Player Pts. Reb
F-Arlando Cook 6-8 junior 3.8 2.5
C-M. Kingsley 6-10 senior 12.3 8.1
G-Anton Beard 6-0 junior 9.4 2.4
G-Jaylen Barford 6-3 junior 10.2 3.6
G-Daryl Macon 6-3 junior 14.1 3.2
Vanderbilt (9-10, 3-4)
Player Pts. Reb
F-Jeff Roberson 6-6 junior 10.2 7.3
C-Luke Kornet 7-1 senior 13.4 6.2
G-P. Willis 6-4 freshman 6.6 1.9
G-Riley LaChance 6-2 junior 10.3 4.1
G-M. Fisher-Davis 6-5 junior 16.4 3.3
Sports on 01/24/2017