Arkansas

Patrick Beverley Ruled Ineligible for Arkansas

Press Release — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 00:23:31 -0700

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Junior guard Patrick Beverley will not compete for the Razorbacks in the 2008-09 basketball season.

The University of Arkansas, including its administrators and coaches, will have no further comment due to student privacy laws.

-www.arkansasrazorbacks.com

2008-09 Arkansas Basketball Preview: #108

Joel Welser — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:48:01 -0700

Arkansas Razorbacks

Overall Rank: #108

Conference Rank: #10 SEC

2007-08: 23-12, 9-7, 2^nd West

2007-08 postseason: NCAA

Over the last couple of years Arkansas has failed to live up to their lofty expectations. The silver lining now is that second year coach John Pelphrey gets to pretty much start over with the departure of six key players. That might not be a good thing this season for a team that has made the NCAA Tournament in both years they underachieved, but the fresh start will help rebuild confidence in the program.

Who’s Out:

One of the biggest loses is Sonny Weems, who averaged 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 steals last season. Weems’ ability to create his own shot bailed out the offense many, many times and that skill will be greatly missed. Point guard Gary Ervin never seemed to reach his full potential with the Razorbacks, but he was always a solid scorer and a decent distributor. For the last four years, the Razorbacks have had a bevy of big men, but the group is finally moving on after some up and down seasons. Darian Townes developed into a great scorer under the basket, Steven Hill was a shot blocking machine, Charles Thomas did a little bit of everything and Vincent Hunter was talented enough to come in and give anybody a rest without much of a drop in production. Little used Levan Patsatsia and Nate Rakestraw have also wrapped up their collegiate careers in Fayetteville. The late departure of Patrick Beverley (who will end his college career and play in Europe) is a huge problem for the Razorbacks. The guard was a great scorer and the team’s best rebounder despite all the talented big men on the roster. Without Beverely the rebuilding process will be a huge, huge process.

Who’s In:

The newcomers have plenty of talent and they will have to show it off right away. Point guard Courtney Fortson has the ability to make the offense run. He can get down the lane and find his teammates extremely well. How well he can make that work as a freshman is a question, but he could be starting very soon. Rotnei Clarke can run the point too, but the 6-0 Claremore, Oklahoma product is much more known for his high scoring outbursts. For now, he will be a potentially explosive scorer off the bench. Small forwards Jason Henry and Montrell McDonald are both great athletes. Henry is a superb scorer and will get to the basket with ease and can hit the outside jumper with relative consistency. McDonald, a junior college transfer, will not score like Henry, but he is a great defender and his experience will come in handy on this young team. Andre Clark, Brandon Moore and Michael Sanchez will help replace all those senior big men who are now gone. Sanchez, who redshirted last year, has the most potential. His versatility will make him a match-up nightmare for most opposing defenders and, along with his ability to rebound and defend, that should be enough to earn him a starting role.

Who to Watch:

Stefan Welsh started 21 games last season and could start full-time at the point guard spot if he can hold off Fortson. Welsh is not as explosive as Fortson, but his experience will go a long way. Without Beverley, who is off the team this year for undisclosed reasons, joining him in the backcourt, Welsh suddenly has to become a leader and the newcomers in the backcourt will have a lot of work to do.

Final Projection:

The lone returning player up front is Michael Washington. He only averaged 13.4 minutes per contest, but Washington could have a breakout campaign now that he will be given the opportunity. And the Razorbacks could use some consistent scoring and rebounding in the paint. Suddenly the focus will be on the Arkansas backcourt, not the frontcourt. There is enough talent to make a run at the postseason, but it is probably a year too early. The 2009-2010 season will be a different story.

Projected Post-season Tournament: none

Projected Starting Five:

Stefan Welsh, Junior, Guard, 5.3 points per game

Rotnei Clarke, Freshman, Guard, DNP last season

Jason Henry, Freshman, Guard, DNP last season

Michael Sanchez, Freshman, Forward, DNP last season

Michael Washington, Junior, Forward, 4.3 points per game

*This preview was updated in late August following the news of Patrick Beverley's dismissal from the team.

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2008-09 Preview & Awards | Coach Interviews | Discuss the Preview

Sonny Weems: NBA Draft Profile

Jeff Fox — Mon, 26 May 2008 09:56:07 -0700

Sonny Weems

College: Arkansas

Class: Senior

Position: SG/SF

Height: 6’6”

Weight: 203lbs

Accolades: First Team All-SEC (08), SEC All-Tournament Team (07), Honorable Mention All-American – junior college (06), All-Tournament Team – junior college national tournament (06), Third Team All-American – junior college (05).

Scouting Report: An athletic scoring wingman.

Strengths: An explosive leaper. Good outside shot – three-point range. Good elevation and extension on his jumper. Able to knock down shots over defenders. Good wingspan. Athletic. Solid build. Capable of big scoring games – poured in 20 or more points in 10 games this year, including 31 against Indiana in the NCAA tournament. Decent rebounder for a wing player. Good free throw shooter.

Weaknesses: Needs to improve his ball-handling to play the wing in the NBA. Doesn’t always play aggressive enough. Needs to become a better defender. Still very inconsistent. Has to cut down on his turnovers – more turnovers than assists in college. Only played two seasons of D1 basketball. Will be 22-years-old when the season begins.

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Mid to late second round pick.

Consensus: Weems is a borderline NBA prospect. His athleticism and length may get him into the League, but more than likely he is bound for the D-League or Europe.

Stats: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=32032

CHN's Six-Star Ranking System

= Superstar/All-NBA Potential

= Potential NBA All-Star

= Consistent NBA Starter

= 6th Man/Fringe Starter

= Career Reserve

= Fringe NBA Player/12th Man

0 stars = Life in the Minor Leagues

More 2008 NBA Draft Profiles

Current NBA Mock Draft Position

Complete NBA Draft coverage

Collegehoops.net All-First Round Team & MOP

Jeff Fox — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:53:08 -0700

It may have been Good Friday for the rest of the world, but for college basketball fans it was a Great Friday. While Thursday’s opening round games had their moments, Friday’s slate of action was full of what makes the NCAA tournament great – upsets, nail biters, buzzer beaters & great individual performances.

Not surprisingly, Friday’s top performers dominate CHN’s All-First Round Team.

CollegeHoops.net First Round MOP: Stephen Curry, Davidson

40 points, five steals, 8-10 3pts

Could it really be anyone else? Dell’s little boy was on fire against Gonzaga, almost matching his teammates point for point (Curry – 40, rest of the Wildcats – 42). There are few NCAA players that can light it up like Curry can and as the ‘Zags found out, he can be deadly efficient (14-22 FGs, 4-6 FTs, 8-10 3pts). You think John Thompson and Georgetown are having nightmares about him yet? And to think, a wise CHN scribe mentioned that this might happen..

MOP Runner Up: Tyrone Brazelton, Western Kentucky

33 points, five assists, five rebounds, two steals, 6-10 3pts

Point guard Tyrone Brazelton seemed to be everywhere on the court for the Hilltoppers on Friday. In addition to scoring a career-high 33, he set up teammate Ty Rogers for the game-winning, buzzer-beating, desperation three-pointer in overtime. Western Kentucky will need more of Brazelton’s relentless attacking to get past San Diego and gain entry into the Sweet Sixteen.

CollegeHoops.net All-First Round Team:

Guard: Tyrone Brazelton, Western Kentucky

Guard: Stephen Curry, Davidson

Guard: Jack McClinton, Miami - 38 points, four rebounds, three assists

McClinton’s 32 second half points matched opponent Saint Mary’s total. Enough said.

Forward: Jonathan Cox, Drake - 29 points, 16 boards, 2 blocks, 4-6 3pts

Killer stat line - the only thing missing was the W.

Forward: Sonny Weems, Arkansas - 31 points, five boards, two steals

At least Weems left some room for improvement – he did miss two of the 14 shots he took against Indiana.

2008 NCAA Tournament Capsule: Arkansas

Joel Welser — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 21:47:07 -0700

Arkansas Razorbacks

Southeastern Conference (22-11, 9-7)

Seed: #9

East Region

RPI: 35

Big Wins: 1/5 at Baylor (85-78), 1/30 Mississippi State (78-58), 3/1 Vanderbilt (78-73)

Bad Losses: 12/22 Appalachian State (67-74), 1/16 South Carolina (66-70), 1/19 at Georgia (69-82)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2007, First Round loss to USC

Coach: John Pelphrey (0-1 in 1 NCAA appearance)

Probable Starters:

Gary Ervin, Senior, Guard, 9.6 ppg, 3.7 apg

Patrick Beverly, Sophomore, Guard, 12.0 ppg, 2.4 apg, 6.8 rpg

Sonny Weems, Senior, Guard, 14.4 ppg, 2.7 apg, 4.5 rpg

Charles Thomas, Senior, Forward, 9.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg

Steven Hill, Senior, Center, 4.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.2 bpg

Key Roleplayers:

Stefan Welsh, Sophomore, Guard, 5.4 ppg, 2.2 apg

Vincent Hunter, Senior, Forward, 2.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg

Darian Townes, Senior , Forward, 11.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.0 bpg

Michael Washington, Sophomore, Forward, 4.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg

Why They Can Surprise:

The size, depth, experience and talent of the Arkansas frontcourt should have made the Razorbacks a very dangerous team the last two seasons. However, consistency has been a major problem. Darian Townes is the most productive scorer of the group. Townes will usually come off the bench, but he still averages nearly 12 points per game despite only seeing the floor for 22 minute per contest. Workhorse Charles Thomas will usually get the starting nod. The 6-8 senior has a decent outside shot, but his field-goal percentage has suffered when he tries to extend his range a little too far.

Seven-footer Steven Hill is a great shot blocker and can score a few points on occasion. His ability to alter shots on the defensive end is a vital attribute for the Razorbacks. The big guys keep coming with sophomore Michael Washington and senior Vincent Hunter. Washington has worked his way into a crowded frontcourt over the last two seasons and has proven to be a solid rebounder.

Why They Can Disappoint:

The big guys keep the team’s field-goal percentage up, but this is not a great shooting team. Sophomore Patrick Beverly has seen his overall shooting numbers decrease after a great freshman season. The good news is Beverly is usually taking smart shots from beyond the arc and will not force as many three’s as he did last year. Wing Sonny Weems is the team’s leading scorer. He can hit the long ball from the wing, but is much more effective getting to the basket. If the outside shot is not falling for Beverly or Weems, the opposition will have a much easier time clogging the lane and stopping the slashers and the big men.

Who To Watch:

Gary Ervin is a lightning quick point guard. His 9.6 points and 3.7 assists per game might be a little disappointing, but Ervin will still create for his teammates and has the ability to take over a game. Ervin is also responsible for keeping the Arkansas offense moving at a fast pace, but still under control. At times, the Razorbacks have been anything but under control and they will not be able to afford a string of poor decisions and bad passes in March.

By the Numbers:

Scoring Offense: 73.3 (87^th in nation, 7^th in conference)

Scoring Defense: 66.0 (106, 3)

Field-Goal Percentage: 46.4 (61, 5)

Field-Goal Defense: 41.2 (56, 3)

Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 6.0 (214, 10)

Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 34.5 (190, 8)

Free-Throw Percentage: 67.3 (228, 7)

Rebound Margin: 4.1 (46, 3)

Assists Per Game: 14.8 (85, 7)

Turnovers Per Game: 15.6 (244, 11)

Joel’s Bracket Says: Second Round loss to North Carolina

- All 2008 Tournament Capsules

- More 2008 NCAA Tournament Coverage & Brackets

- Sign up for CHN's Free NCAA Bracket Challenge.. win a Wii, Guitar Hero, and other prizes!

Teams of the Day: Arkansas and Cornell

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 23:17:40 -0800

Arkansas 19-9 (8-6 SEC West) Computer numbers (courtesy of kenpom.com): RPI 44, SOS 54 (before Saturday's games) On a day in which some bubble teams found a way in which to further complicate their situations (Houston, Syracuse and Florida this means you), the Razorbacks took care of business at home in knocking off #14 Vanderbilt 78-73. Four Hogs reached double figures, led by Sonny Weems with twenty, and this game was a virtual must-win for a team that's one of only two in its division with a league record above .500 (Mississippi State is the other at 11-3). As a team, Arkansas shot 58.3% on Saturday, and this is a team with enough size and depth to give a high seed fits if they were to get to the second round of the tournament. But with games at Ole Miss and home to Auburn to close out the regular season, John Pelphrey's bunch can ill afford to drop a game it should (at least on paper) win. Cornell 20-5 (12-0 Ivy League) Computer numbers (courtesy of kenpom.com): RPI 69, SOS 221 Congratulations to the Big Red for becoming the first school to officially punch its ticket to the Big Dance. Tonight's 86-53 win over Harvard was also the end of a 20-year stranglehold on the Ivy's automatic bid by traditional powers Pennsylvania and Princeton. So, where does Cornell get seeded come Selection Sunday? As of Friday, ESPN.com's Joe Lunardi gives them a 13, while CHN's Shawn Siegel has them as a 14 seed. That general area, based on their overall record, RPI and current fourteen-game win streak sounds about right. But I do know this: the Big Red will be no one's pushover, especially with forward Ryan Wittman (15.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg) and guard Louis Dale (3.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.9 apg) leading the way. On the clock: Arizona, Kentucky and Villanova. All three Wildcats have resume-building opportunities in front of them on Sunday. The fact that they're all on national (in the case of Arizona and Villanova, split coverage) television could magnify the result. A tremendous challenge...but also a tremendous opportunity.

Five Minutes With a Star: Sonny Weems

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 09:05:18 -0800

Five Minutes With Sonny Weems.. Arkansas Star Forward

Arkansas is enjoying a fine 14-5 season in large part due to the play of leading scorer Sonny Weems. In his senior season, the 6'6" wing is averaging 14 points and 4.5 rebounds per game and shooting a solid 48% from the floor. His first goal is to lead the team to the NCAA Tournament.. and then the possibility of the NBA looms beyond that.

CollegeHoops.net: Win or lose, what's the best game Arkansas has played so far?

Sonny Weems: I would say the VCU game in Puerto Rico. They were a great team and we ended up with about 11 or 12 turnovers. Overall, we just played really well as a team, rebounding, and playing defense, especially with their point guard Eric Maynor. I think that was the best game we've played.

CHN: Do you think the team has played as well as its capable of?

SW: Not close. I don't think we've played nearly as well as we can.

CHN: Is there any opposition player that you've been particularly inpressed with?

SW: That’s a tough question. Probably, Devan Downey. He's one of the quickest guys I've ever seen and he can score from anywhere along with handling the ball. So that really impressed me.

CHN: Grading your own play from A to F, what would you give yourself and why?

SW: Probably about a C. At the start of the season, I didn't start too well and now I'm starting to pick it up. After this most recent game against South Carolina, I think I had one of my best games, but I think early on when I was out there playing, I wasn't really committed. So I'd give myself a C.

CHN: What are you most looking forward to in the 2nd half of the season?

SW: We want to take the SEC West. We want to go deep into the NCAA Tournament. That’s what I'm looking forward to the most.

CHN: What have you benefited the most from having John Pelphrey as a coach?

SW: He gives us a lot of freedom out on the court. Pressing and running in transition is my thing and that’s what has helped me improve my game.

- Special thanks to John Thomas for helping to compile Sonny's responses.

- We'll be rolling out a series of daily Q&A's with top college basketball stars over the next few weeks. Check back tomorrow to see whose next!

Preview: Puerto Rico Tip-Off

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 07:29:49 -0800

One of the joys of the early season for some teams is to head off to some beachside location for a few days of fun in the sun. But that’s for the fans that happen to make these trips. The teams have business to attend to. And with the number of talented teams making their way to the Puerto Rico Tip-Off with hopes of eventually dancing in March, this tournament is a good place to discover what you have in the early going. Twelve games will be played over four days, with a day off on November 17^th (OK, so there’s the players’ beach time). Here’s a breakdown of the schedule:

November 15th (all times Eastern)

Game 1: Houston vs. VCU (9 AM, ESPNU)

Game 2: Marist vs. Miami (FL) (11:30 AM, ESPNU)

Game 3: Temple vs. Providence (2:30 PM, ESPNU)

Game 4: College of Charleston vs. #18 Arkansas (5 PM, ESPNU)

November 16^th

Game 5: 11 AM, ESPNU

Game 6: 1:30 PM, ESPNU

Game 7: 5:30 PM, ESPNU

Game 8: 8 PM, ESPNU

November 18^th

Game 9: 11 AM, ESPNU

Game 10: 1:30 PM, ESPNU

Game 11: 5:30 PM, ESPN2

Game 12: 8 PM, ESPN2

This tournament shapes up to be a very good one on paper, one that features some teams with thoughts of making some noise in their respective conferences as well as players who could make runs at conference honors. Splitting the bracket into two parts (morning games and afternoon games), here’s a quick breakdown of what each team will be looking to find along with a player from each team to watch.

Houston

The Cougars head into 2007-08 as one of the teams jockeying for second place in Conference USA. Tom Penders has what he believes may be his most talented Cougar team to date on campus, including guards Lanny Smith, Robert McKiver (his nickname: Fluff) and Marcus Malone. But the Coogs will also have six newcomers to work into the fold, such as Seton Hall transfer Marcus Cousin, Auburn transfer Kelvin Lewis and junior college All-American DaShaun Williams. This team will run, making for an entertaining brand of basketball. Four Houston, this tournament will be just as much about building a chemistry between the returnees and newcomers as it is winning.

Player to Watch: F Dion Dowell: scored 25 in the season-opening win over Morehead State.

Virginia Commonwealth

Thanks to their run through the CAA and then an NCAA Tournament win over Duke, people throughout the country know about the Rams. But, repeating those feats will be tougher with the graduation of BA Walker and Jesse Pellot-Rosa. At least head coach Anthony Grant returns after that Billy Donovan scare in Gainesville for his second season. And in junior point guard Eric Maynor, he’s got one of the best in the country running the show. It was Maynor’s heroics against George Mason and Duke that led the Rams to the winner’s circle in both games. Who steps in to pick up the scoring slack with the graduation of Walker and Pellot-Rosa? Most likely senior Jamal Shuler, who’s diversified his game throughout his career. The frontcourt will be anchored by seniors Michael Anderson and Wil Fameni. Once again picked to finish near the top of the Colonial, VCU has a chance to pick up some marquee wins in Puerto Rico.

Player to Watch: G Jamal Shuler: you most likely won’t be able to take your eyes off of Maynor and rightfully so. But Shuler’s development could be more important to the Rams’ postseason hopes.

Marist

Just like VCU, Marist won their conference’s regular season title. But, Marist has to replace both guards from that team (Jared Jordan and Will Whittington), something that won’t be easy to do. An influx of fresh faces will need to produce in order for the Red Foxes to have a successful season, but there are some returnees who will have an impact as well. Forwards Ryan Stilphen, Ben Farmer and Spongy Benjamin are all back for their senior season, and Benjamin already has things rolling after putting up 21 and 17 in their opener. Guards David Devezin, Dejuan Goodwin and Jay Gavin all scored in double figures in the opener, which is a good sign for a team that could be without Syracuse transfer for the foreseeable future. Marist was picked to finish fifth in the MAAC this season, but that league is practically wide-open at the top. This weekend will help get the guards some experience against top teams, which should only help them come conference play.

Player to Watch: G Dejuan Goodwin: All the freshman did in his first action as a Red Fox was score thirteen points and win MAAC Rookie of the Week honors.

Miami (FL)

When’s the last time Miami’s basketball team became a diversion away from football? Well, after the ‘Canes football team closed the Orange Bowl in “style”, a little roundball could be just what the doctor ordered for Miami fans. Senior Jack McClinton is one of the ACC’s most prolific scorers and could even see time at the point this year. Gone are the disciplinary issues that put the Hurricanes behind the eight ball before ACC play kicked off last season, and this team should be deeper in the frontcourt as well. It all adds up to a team in search of an answer at the point (Denis Clemente transferred to Kansas State), and if they find the right answer then that could help them stand out in the middle of the ACC.

Player to Watch: G Jack McClinton: The Siena transfer led the ACC in both three-point and free throw percentages last season. Marist should be quite familiar with McClinton when they play on Thursday.

Providence

Weren’t we here just a few seasons ago with the Friars? A wealth of returning players, along with some talented (and in some cases proven) newcomers would equal a return to the NCAA Tournament? Well, Tim Welsh arrives in Puerto Rico with a team that has a chance to be his most talented during his tenure at PC. Guard Sharaud Curry will miss the tournament due to injury, but in Weyinmi Efejuku, Dwain Williams and Jeff Xavier there’s plenty of talent remaining in the backcourt. Up front, Geoff McDermott and Jonathan Kale will be rejoined by an old friend, junior Randall Hanke who sat out last season to attend to some personal issues. The Friars possess depth and the ability to play guys at a variety of positions, and while they won’t win the Big East, they have a good chance to dance come March.

Player to Watch: F Geoff McDermott: McDermott is one of the more versatile players in the nation, but you don’t hear his name thrown around a lot on the major networks. That should change this weekend.

Temple

Year one under Fran Dunphy was one of transition for the Temple program after the lengthy John Chaney era. Funny thing is, Temple’s defense was the issue last season after years of that suffocating matchup zone. At least the Owls return the top two scorers in the Atlantic 10, junior Dionte Christmas and senior Mark Tyndale. When your team averages 75 points per game and you finish the year 12-18, you can usually point to defense and rebounding as two main categories to improve. Five freshmen will look to help the Owls improve on last season’s record, and once again Temple will play a tough non-conference slate. But in the improved Atlantic 10, making a substantial move up from 11^th will prove to be difficult. For the Owls, this tournament will be more about learning what they have outside of Christmas and Tyndale, and getting the youngsters ready for conference play.

Player to Watch: G Mark Tyndale: Tyndale may have been the biggest benefactor from the coaching change, as he was more willing to take shots last season.

College of Charleston

One year after beginning his reign in Charleston with a run to the Southern Conference final, Bobby Cremins will have his hands full replacing the three starters lost from that 22-11 squad. Guards Marcus Hammond and Tony White Jr. are back on campus, which is good considering the fact that the Cougars lost their three best post options and Dontaye Draper to graduation. While there are still a few roles to be determined with this team, one look at Charleston’s proud history and Cremins’ ability to recruit should mean that the Cougars will once again be in the middle of the SoCon race this year. Just like Temple and Miami, developing the youngsters will be the most important task this weekend.

Player to Watch: G Marcus Hammond: With the departure of Dontaye Draper, Hammond looks to be the one most likely to pick up the scoring slack.

Arkansas

John Pelphrey is the man who ends up running the Razorback program after Dana Altman changed his mind, and let it be known that Stan Heath didn’t leave an empty cupboard either. With Alabama losing Ronald Steele, Arkansas becomes the favorite alongside Mississippi State in the SEC West, and truth be told they would have been there even if Steele were healthy. Guard Patrick Beverley was SEC Newcomer of the Year last season, and should be even better this year. In total, all five starters are back for the Hogs, as well as every key contributor off the bench. Simply put, the Razorbacks may be the deepest team in the SEC behind Tennessee. And in regards to depth, they may have more than Tennessee. With the amount of experience back on campus, don’t expect Pelphrey to change too much right now. Not only should Arkansas be in the NCAA Tournament, they have the ability to go a long way.

Player to Watch: G Gary Ervin: For as talented as players such as Beverley and Sonny Weems are, how good this team can be rests on the shoulders of their senior point guard.

My Prediction

Unfortunately, Providence and Arkansas would have to meet in the semifinals instead of the final, but this should still be an entertaining tournament. In the top half of the bracket, I like Houston to defeat Marist. On the other side, I’ll take Arkansas over Providence in what could be one of the best games this weekend. In Sunday’s final, I like the Razorbacks’ size to win out.

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2007-08 Preview & Awards | Interviews | Discuss the Preview

2007-08 Arkansas Basketball Preview

Joel Welser — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 07:01:24 -0700

Arkansas Razorbacks

Overall Rank: #15

Conference Rank: #2 SEC

2006-07: 21-14, 7-9, 3^rd (t) West

2006-07 postseason: NCAA

Arkansas snuck into the NCAA Tournament due to a nice run in the conference tournament, where they were quickly disposed of by Southern California. It was probably a year early to expect much more from the team and Coach Stan Heath really did a decent job reaching the big dance. But that did not stop the administration from looking for a new coach. The new head man is Coach John Pelphrey, who guided South Alabama to the NIT last year and the NCAA Tournament the previous season. Razorback fans hope the coaching change brings more discipline and team play to the program and if that happens, Arkansas will be very dangerous in March. If they struggle and do not make the tournament, Coach Pelphrey will be feeling a lot of heat very quickly.

Who’s Out:

There is not much lost from the Razorbacks this year. Cyrus McGowan, Preston Cranford and Sean McCurdy have all transferred after seeing very limited action last year. McCurdy started six games but averaged less than ten minutes per contest.

Who’s In:

Since the top nine scorers return, little will be asked of the newcomers this year. Power forward Michael Sanchez recorded a double-double in every game he played in high school last year and will a big contributor in 2008-2009 when just about every frontcourt player on the team will graduate. On the wings Marcus Britt, Nate Rakestraw and Levan Patsatsia will look to prepare for the future. Britt is a hardworking and versatile combo guard who will help out the team on many levels once he cracks his way into the regular rotation. Rakestraw can do a little bit of everything as well, but it is his shooting that has Arkansas fans excited. Patsatsia, a native of Tbilisi, Georgia, is a solid transition scorer. At 6-6, he has good size for a shooting guard and he will knock down the outside shot with consistency. He has plenty of international experience playing for Georgia and he will be ready to be a big contributor very soon. Walk-on sophomore guard Stephen Cox will add some emergency depth to the backcourt, but the rest of the newcomers will have a vast majority of the depth covered for the next couple of years.

Who to Watch:

The frontcourt is full of talent and experience. At times they have been inconsistent and have not lived up to their potential, but that could be said of the entire team. Charles Thomas, Steven Hill, Darian Townes and Vincent Hunter are all extremely experienced seniors. Thomas has developed into a decent scorer and the team’s best rebounder. He averaged 10.7 points and 5.7 rebounds last year and both of those numbers could stand to be increased and, unless his perimeter shot improves, he needs to spend less time behind the three-point arc. Hill does the dirty work under the basket and is a very imposing figure in the paint. He racked up 2.8 blocks per game and will do some scoring and rebounding as well. Townes can do a lot of scoring in short periods of time. The 6-10 forward will be coming off the bench again this year, but he is a great player to have filling in for Thomas or Hill. Hunter has the versatility. He can be effective on the wing or at the power forward spot and, at 6-10, creates match-up problems either way. Another 6-10 forward, Michael Washington, had a promising freshman season and will try and steal some more minutes from the seniors off the bench.

Final Projection:

Gary Ervin did a decent job running the point his first year in Fayetteville, but the Mississippi State transfer needs to work on the turnovers. He is quick and will push the tempo, which explains some of the turnovers, but there is a difference between pushing the tempo and being out of control. Coach Pelphrey should be able to fix that problem. Patrick Beverley had a tremendous freshman campaign, averaging 13.9 points, 3.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds. With a year of experience under his belt, the freshman All-American will become one of the best players in the conference. Sonny Weems starts on the other wing and averaged 11.8 points and 4.8 rebounds. Depth at the point is a concern and Coach Pelphrey hopes Stefan Welsh can improve enough to fill the void. Welsh showed potential as a freshman and can fill in at both guard spots.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Gary Ervin, Senior, Guard, 9.9 points per game

Patrick Beverley, Sophomore, Guard, 13.9 points per game

Sonny Weems, Senior, Guard, 11.8 points per game

Charles Thomas, Senior, Forward, 10.7 points per game

Steven Hill, Senior, Center, 6.2 points per game

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2007-08 Preview & Awards | More Interviews | Discuss the Preview

Daily Poll: Who Will Win the SEC?

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 06:31:04 -0700