Tide, Sexton pose familiar problems for Razorbacks

Great point guards and long, tall, athletic teams will bother most any team they play.

They have certainly bothered Arkansas (19-9, 8-7). This season, it has usually been great point guards or great rebounding teams that have beaten the Razorbacks.

Tuesday night at Bud Walton Arena, a tall Kentucky lineup erased an early 11-0 deficit and drew level with Arkansas 43-43 by halftime. The Wildcats (19-9, 8-7) erased the second-half boards, 23-12, to outscore the Hogs 44-29 in the second half on their home floor.

So, it bodes triply tough for the Razorbacks today against Alabama. First, it's on the road. The teams will tip at 5 p.m. on the SEC Network (Resort Channel 79) at the Crimson Tide's Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa.

Second, the Tide (17-11, 8-7) is "long and athletic," Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said repeatedly during Thursday's press conference. Third, Alabama has a great point guard in Collin Sexton, the 6-3 freshman leading coach Avery Johnson's team in scoring, with 18.4 points per game, and assists, with 3.4 per game.

"They are a team that's long, athletic and that's a concern," Anderson said. "Because rebounding, as we all know from the Kentucky game, was a big, big issue. I thought that was the difference in the game going down the stretch."

Sexton is Alabama's shortest starter, alongside 6-5 guards John Petty and Dazon Ingram. Also starting are 6-9 power forward Donta Hall, leading Alabama in rebounding at seven per game and second in scoring at 11.4, and 6-11 center Daniel Giddens.

Anderson said he was "shocked" how Arkansas flopped on the boards against Kentucky after the Hogs turned the tables on Texas A&M (17-11, 6-9) and outrebounded the Aggies, 45-33, in a 94-75 win a week ago at Bud Walton Arena.

"I know Kentucky's long and athletic, but that's when you've got to make that adjustment and put bodies on people, and we didn't do that," Anderson said. "That's the physicality and the mental toughness that's got to be with it.

"That's the approach we've got to take on the road. The mental toughness, the physicality that takes place this time of the year."

By now it seems officials are beyond constantly calling the "points of emphasis" that various committees stress upon them at the season's outset.

"For the most part, they're letting you play," Anderson said. "So there's going to be some pushing and shoving and you've got to be able to push back or hold your ground.

"That's something we've got to do a lot better job of, whether it be at home or on the road."

Anderson's starting senior guards Jaylen Barford, Daryl Macon and Anton Beard combined to score 51 points against Kentucky, but collectively only netted four rebounds. Reserve sophomore C.J. Jones and freshman Darious Hall did not score on their combined seven shots and only Hall mustered a lone rebound.

Hall had seven rebounds against A&M. Barford, Macon, Beard and Jones combined for 11.

The guard left the big men with little support. Seniors Dustin Thomas and Trey Thompson combined with freshman Daniel Gafford to grab 19 rebounds.

Sexton presents similar problems posed by LSU freshman Tremont Waters, but bigger. Anderson noted his size and 3.6 rebounds per game.

"Probably his quickness is what really separates him from a lot of guys," Anderson said. "He's just a blur and very, very shifty with it. And he's very, very confident. An accomplished scorer, he averaged like, over 30 points a game in high school. He's capable of just taking over a game by himself."

Sports on 02/24/2018

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