Weems is suspended indefinitely

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas Coach John Pelphrey suspended senior guard Sonny Weems for Saturday’s 62-51 victory against Oral Roberts at Walton Arena.

Weems was not on the bench Saturday after violating team rules. Pelphrey would not elaborate on what rules Weems violated and wouldn’t say whether Weems would be back for Monday night’s home game against Missouri State.

“There are a few things he needs to focus on and do a little better job,” Pelphrey said.

Pelphrey wouldn’t go into detail when asked if Weems could make up enough ground to get back in the fold for Monday’s game.

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“I think he has to please the coach,” Pelphrey said. “I don’t want to talk about that stuff too much more. I’d rather focus on the guys who are doing the right things as opposed to focusing on things and giving time and attention to something that shouldn’t be given to, because I think Arkansas deserves a disciplined basketball program.”

Arkansas fell behind 10-0 without Weems, who is third on the team in scoring average (10. 5 points ), second in rebounding average (5. 5 ) and leads the Razorbacks with 12 steals. Vincent Hunter, who didn’t play Wednesday against Missouri, started in place of Weems but logged only three minutes.

Arkansas players wouldn’t say much about Weems’ absence, saying blocking out such distractions was imperative to maintaining team unity.

“Like Coach said, it doesn’t matter who’s playing. We’ve got to play and win with what we have,” senior guard Gary Ervin said. “After they got to the 10-0 lead, we could have sulked our heads, but instead, we stayed a confident bunch.”

Pelphrey had made it clear he’d have a quick hook for players who fell behind in the classroom or stumbled in other areas such as being late for bus departures. Marcus Britt, Patrick Beverley and Stefan Welsh were disciplined during the Razorbacks’ exhibition trip to Mexico in September. Beverley and Ervin were held out of Arkansas’ Red-White game, and Charles Thomas didn’t start but played off the bench against Providence in Puerto Rico. Weems was the first player to completely sit out a regularseason game.

Shooting star Point guard Gary Ervin took on more of an offensive load Saturday with the absence of Sonny Weems. Ervin led the Razorbacks with 16 points and took a teamhigh 12 shots, tying a career best with seven made field goals. Ervin hadn’t attempted more than eight field goals in a game this season and was one shy of his career-high 13, set three times last season. “I wanted to come out and just get the guys some energy,” Ervin said. “I didn’t think it was so much about me scoring but just picking the guys up and letting them know just worry about the next play. Don’t worry about the turnovers.”

Be like Mike Michael Washington made the most of his 17 minutes Saturday. His six rebounds, two on the offensive end, tied him with Darian Townes for most on the team Saturday. Washington, a sophomore forward, also scored two critical baskets from the perimeter to help the Razorbacks’ second-half rally. He hit a jumper from the top of the key that bounced high off the back of the rim and in, pulling his team within 37-36. Just over a minute later, at the 11: 46 mark, Washington made a three-pointer to give Arkansas a 40-38 lead. “I had backspin on the ball, and you follow through,” Washington said of his softbouncing field goal. “I think it was a big thing for the team.”

Small ball Arkansas’ smaller lineups against the short but quick Golden Eagles — guards Gary Ervin, Patrick Beverley and Stefan Welsh played together in many stretches — weren’t a preferred alignment. Late in the game, a fourth guard, Marcus Britt, made for a super-small five. Arkansas also employed a more guard-heavy rotation during Wednesday’s up-tempo game with Missouri. “I don’t want to do that. I’d like to get to them with our bigs, and we have depth there,” Coach John Pelphrey said. “Today was strategy to limit three-point shots to avoid a comeback. We try to play [Charles Thomas ] over there. We tried to play [Vincent Hunter ] some. I think it just takes away from those other [big men ] some.”

Enough already Razorbacks Coach John Pelphrey has had enough of playing against friends, former colleagues and opposing head coaches beloved by Hogs fans. He suggested Saturday that he doesn’t want to play Oral Roberts anymore, if anything because of Pelphrey’s relationship with Coach Scott Sutton and his dad, former Razorbacks Coach Eddie Sutton. Pelphrey has been friends with Scott Sutton since Pelphrey played for Eddie Sutton at Kentucky, and he was on Eddie Sutton’s staff at Oklahoma State. “I don’t like it,” Pelphrey said of facing the Suttons.

Pelphrey has seen plenty of familiar faces on the opposing bench this season.

He’s already coached against former Paintsville (Ky. ) High School teammate Keith Adkins, who brought in Campbellsville University for an exhibition game. He’s faced Virginia Commonwealth Coach Anthony Grant, who coached with Pelphrey at Florida, and faced former Arkansas assistant Mike Anderson, who brought in Missouri on Wednesday.

“It’s just been crazy so far,” Pelphrey said.