FAYETTEVILLE -- The baker's dozen or so NBA scouts attending Saturday's game at Bud Walton Arena did not cook Arkansas' goose.
Western Kentucky (5-4) did with Arkansas (6-2) lacking the energy here and missed free throws there to alter the outcome, Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson surmised at his radio show Monday night at Sassy's Barbecue Grill in Fayetteville. The Hilltoppers edged the Hogs, 78-77.
Anderson was asked Monday if the squadron of scouts inspecting Arkansas star sophomore center Daniel Gafford and Western Kentucky freshman star center Charles Bassey affected the Razorbacks' play.
"I don't think so," Anderson said. "Western Kentucky had a lot more energy. I've always said I want to see how well we perform those nights we don't shoot the ball well. We didn't play our best basketball, but at the same time had the opportunity to finish off that game."
Arkansas did not execute well and and Western Kentucky pushed the tempo with a zone defense.
"Western Kentucky is a very talented basketball team," Anderson said. "They went to the Final Four of the NIT last year. So, that team came with right mindset and our guys were kind of full of themselves over some of the things that had taken place.
"Our guys had won six in a row and were playing pretty good basketball and were coming off a big win at Colorado State and they got brought back to earth pretty quick. I think that caught up with us, but at that it still came down to a couple of free throws. But the people there, I don't think that affected our basketball team."
Anderson said the team played decidedly lower at home than they did in a 98-74 win on the road in Fort Collins, Colo., against Colorado State (5-5) three days prior.
"That old pat on the back," Anderson said. "I talk about it that sometimes it sets you back.
"You've got to understand you've got to bring it each and every day. So, these are lessons these guys have to learn. I will say, in Monday's practice, they responded well and that they've done a pretty good job in the classroom up to this point."
Student-athletes are involved in semester exams this week. The team is scheduled to visit Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock on Friday before meeting UT-San Antonio (3-6) on Saturday at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock.
"They had a day to get away from it Sunday," Anderson said of the mandated off-day. "We got back on the floor Monday and we got right back to that good, hard work and started playing that hard defense we've got to get back to."
Like he did two weeks ago when the Hogs had a full week of practice before a game, freshman guard Jordan Phillips seems to be making up for lost time. Phillips has played catchup upon missing half of Arkansas' first eight games trying to come back from torn meniscus knee surgery in October.
"'ll tell you somebody who today looked more and more comfortable is Jordan Phillips," Anderson said Monday night. "I'm really excited about him. We just want to see him take these practices to the game."
Sports on 12/12/2018