Hogs win 20 games once again

FAYETTEVILLE - Arkansas' senior class often has been maligned for underachieving during its tenure, but the class pulled off a feat that hadn't been accomplished in a dozen years with its 77-64 victory against Auburn on Saturday.

The Razorbacks won 20 games again this season, marking the third consecutive year Arkansas has reached that victory level.

"It's just real special," senior Darian Townes said. "We just wanted to go out with a big win in this building for the last time, playing in front of a great crowd."

The Razorbacks have won 20 games in three successive years for the first time since the 1995-1996 team completed a nine-year run of 20-victory seasons.

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"We're just a team that's going to fight until the end, regardless," senior Gary Ervin said. "A lot of people count us out, but we come together as a unit."

Should the Razorbacks qualify for the NCAA Tournament next Sunday, they'll extend their streak to three consecutive bids.

"For our senior class to go to the NCAA Tournament three out of four years, that's something great," Ervin said. "At the same time, it's not about being satisfied with getting there. We're trying to go there this year and win some games."

The Razorbacks also finished 15-1 at Walton Arena this season, matching the program's third-best home record. Arkansas was 16-0 at home in 1993-1994, 15-0 in 1997-1998 and 15-1 in 2005-2006.

Going to Townes Senior post man Darian Townes had his best game of the year in the regular-season finale. Townes hit 6 of 7 shots, scored 12 points and grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds. "I just wanted to be the physical player in there and wanted to give it my all, getting in there for the rebounds and throwing my body around," Townes said. "I just had to get good position and outrebound them even though they were undersized." Townes, making his third consecutive start, had nine rebounds before halftime to set a season high. His previous high this year had been eight rebounds against Louisiana-Monroe, and his previous career best was the 12 he had in a 72-63 loss at Alabama on Feb. 16, 2005. Townes also had a blocked shot and no turnovers. However, he didn't get to the free-throw line for the second consecutive game.

May I help you ? Arkansas had 18 assists on its 30 field goals, tying its sixthbest effort of the season. The Razorbacks hadn't had more assists in a game since dishing out 19 in their 80-61 blowout of Florida on Feb. 2. Gary Ervin led the way with seven assists. Stefan Welsh had four and Sonny Weems three. The Razorbacks were particularly generous with feeds in the first half when they had 12 on 17 field goals. Weems got the game started in a giving mood by feeding Steven Hill for an alley-oop dunk with 15 seconds off the clock. Arkansas' season high for assists is 24, accomplished in games against Delaware State and Northwestern (La. ) State.

Tolbert tough Auburn guard Frank Tolbert blasted out of the gate, scoring the Tigers' first nine points. Tolbert made a threepointer from the right wing at the 17: 57 mark to account for Auburn's first points, then he hit a 12-foot baseline jumper, dunked on a press-breaking run, and added another 12-footer.

Tolbert, who has scored 20 or more points five times this season, including 32 in a 78-71 loss at Vanderbilt, fouled out with 1: 36 remaining after scoring a team-high 17 points. FT woes for Thomas

Arkansas big man Charles Thomas went to the free-throw line for the first time in six games on Saturday.

The only problem: Thomas struggled from the stripe.

"Wow, I wish I didn't go 2 of 6," Thomas said. "You know, it's just being physical. We got their players in early foul trouble. That was one of our goals with [Quan ] Prowell and [Frank ] Tolbert."

Thomas, a 6-8 forward, had 151 free-throw attempts last season and 137 the year before, but he entered the regularseason finale with just 84 freethrow attempts this season. Gunter bows out It wasn't just the final game for Arkansas' seniors on Saturday, it also marked the end of Timothy Gunter's reign as director of the Hogwild Basketball Pep Band. "I didn't want to give this up," Gunter said. "I had to make a tough choice." Gunter, a native of Hope, has been named camp director at the University of Arkansas, which is essentially a yeararound job. "I didn't want to give this up," he said. "I love it." Gunter was honored at halftime.

Attendance up The Razorbacks sold 19, 173 tickets at Walton Arena on Saturday, raising its average attendance to 17, 147, its highest in eight years. Arkansas averaged 17, 807 tickets sold per game in 1999-2000.