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Location: WholeHogSports > Story     |     TAGGED:

UA coach looks for the best fit

Published: Friday, November 21, 2008 PRINT E-MAIL

FAYETTEVILLE — For now, at least, the Arkansas women’s basketball team appears to have a split personality.

There is the starting lineup that constitutes a traditional look: two guards, two forwards and a center. Then there are the four-guard units that have keyed the Razorbacks in their 2-0 start.

So which team will show up tonight, when SMU (0-1 ) visits Walton Arena for a 7 p. m. tipoff ?

“That decision could go right up to the last minute every game this season,” Arkansas Coach Tom Collen said with a smile.

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Collen’s conundrum is weighing the conventional logic that a four-guard lineup won’t withstand the rigors of SEC play against the fact it has been his best option through two games.

“We’ve got to establish some kind of inside presence,” Collen said following Wednesday’s 63-46 victory over High Point. “I don’t really want to get to the SEC and be playing with four guards.”

On Thursday, however, less than 24 hours after the game against High Point, Collen acknowledged his team’s strength lies with its perimeter players.

“As much as I think we need to get bigger and more physical for the SEC, I think there are still going to be times in the SEC where our identity is going to be four guards,” Collen said. “I don’t think there’s going to be any SEC game all year long where we decide to go with a big lineup just because we can be big.

“ I think we’re still going to have to put our best players on the floor and outmaneuver people and find ways to score. Right now, our best scoring lineup is probably with four guards, and it may continue to be that way all season long, even when we get into the SEC.”

Freshman Ceira Ricketts has best exemplified Arkansas’ new look. Quick, athletic and aggressive, Ricketts has earned a starting spot tonight by averaging 12 points, 7 rebounds and 5 steals in a combined 42 minutes in the Razorbacks’ first two games.

Whether Collen will replace 6-3 center Ashley McCray with a smaller, more athletic player — perhaps sophomore forward Brittney Richardson or freshman post player Ashley Daniels — remains to be seen. While Collen would like to stick with McCray in hopes of developing a more consistent low-post presence, Arkansas has been at its best when forcing tempo with smaller lineups that employ a variety of pressing and trapping schemes.

The question is whether the Razorbacks can sustain that type of defensive effort over the course of an entire season, and against teams that aren’t overmatched athletically.

“I think you’ve got to be deep and I think you’ve got to be athletic, and I think they are that,” High Point Coach Tooey Loy said. “The one tough thing about that is if you face a team that can handle that pressure. If you don’t get the turnovers, then you’ve got to be very good in the half-court also.

“ It’ll be interesting in the SEC. I really like their youth and where they’re going with it, but it’ll be interesting to see how much pressure they can put on the teams in the SEC.”

In other words, it’ll be interesting to see how Arkansas handles its identity crisis.

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AP Top 25

Updated December 01

1. Alabama 12-0

2. Florida 11-1

3. Texas 11-1

4. Oklahoma 11-1

5. USC 10-1

6. Penn State 11-1

7. Utah 12-0

8. Texas Tech 11-1

9. Boise State 12-0

10. Ohio State 10-2

11. TCU 10-2

12. Ball State 12-0

13. Cincinnati 10-2

14. Oklahoma State 9-3

15. Georgia Tech 9-3

16. Oregon 9-3

17. Georgia 9-3

18. Boston College 9-3

19. Missouri 9-3

20. Brigham Young 10-2

21. Michigan State 9-3

22. Mississippi 8-4

23. Pittsburgh 8-3

24. Northwestern 9-3

25. Oregon State 8-4

Where will Arkansas' basketball season end?


NCAA Tournament

NIT

SEC Tournament

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Arkansas Razorbacks' 2008 Basketball Schedule

Nov. 3

Campbellsville University (exh)

W 103-58

Nov. 6

Dillard University (exh)

W 108-80

Nov. 14

Southeastern Louisiana

W 91-87

Nov. 20

California-Davis

W 68-59

Nov. 22

@ Missouri St.

L 57-62

Nov. 26

@ South Alabama

W 79-77

Nov. 29

Florida A&M

W 86-61

Dec. 3

Texas Southern

W 80-61

Dec. 10

North Carolina Central

W 98-70

Dec. 17

Austin Peay

W 89-80

Dec. 20

Stephen F. Austin

W 67-51

Dec. 27

Northwestern St.

W 95-56

Dec. 30

Oklahoma

W 96-88

Jan. 3

@ North Texas

W 86-75

Jan. 6

Texas

W 67-61

Jan. 10

Mississippi St.

     7:05 pm

Jan. 14

@ Ole Miss

     7:00 pm

Jan. 17

@ Florida

     1:05 pm

Jan. 24

Auburn

     12:05 pm

Jan. 29

Alabama

     8:05 pm

Jan. 31

@ LSU

     4:00 pm

Feb. 4

Tennessee

     7:05 pm

Feb. 7

@ Mississippi St.

     2:05 pm

Feb. 11

@ Auburn

     7:00 pm

Feb. 14

Kentucky

     12:05 pm

Feb. 18

LSU

     7:05 pm

Feb. 21

@ South Carolina

     6:00 pm

Feb. 25

@ Alabama

     7:00 pm

Mar. 1

Georgia

     3:05 pm

Mar. 4

Ole Miss

     7:05 pm

Mar. 8

@ Vanderbilt

     1:05 pm