FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas junior guard Michael Qualls said the Razorbacks want to make Walton Arena a hot spot today in what is forecast to be a cold and snowy day around the area.
The Razorbacks begin Coach Mike Anderson's fourth season carrying high hopes for the program's first NCAA Tournament bid since 2008 when they open against Alabama State at 4 p.m. in Walton Arena.
"We want to start off on fire and just stay on fire, one game at a time," Qualls said. "Start out right with the way we play -- tenacious, tough, everything that Coach A sells his basketball team to be.
"That's what we want to be and we want to bring it starting Sunday. Not waiting to come together at the end of conference. Nothing like that."
The Razorbacks didn't generate much early heat in their exhibition games against Central Oklahoma and Pittsburg (Kan.) State before puling away to win 110-74 and 89-66 against the NCAA Division II teams. Arkansas trailed Central Oklahoma 17-13 and led 49-38 at halftime, and led Pittsburg State 60-50 with less than 14 minutes to play.
Sophomore forward Bobby Portis, the Razorbacks' preseason All-SEC first-team pick by the coaches and media, said after Thursday night's victory over Pittsburg State that he expected Anderson to conduct some tough practices.
"Then come Sunday, you'll see some different Razorbacks," Portis said. "More aggressiveness."
Anderson said he doesn't see the slow starts as a major cause for concern, pointing out he continuously substituted in the exhibition games to evaluate all 13 of his players and see how different combinations worked together.
It's also possible, Anderson said, the Razorbacks were caught looking ahead to the start of the regular season and took Pittsburg State lightly.
"They probably looked over at the jersey of who they were playing," Anderson said. "That's one thing this team can't afford to do. Every game is a big game. That game was big for Pittsburg State. They had an opportunity to play against Arkansas.
"As I told our guys, they're not playing them. They're playing the tradition. They're playing the Final Four teams, the national champions.
"Hopefully, this team will understand that, so every time they go out, they've got to leave it all on the floor."
If the Razorbacks overlook Alabama State, the Hornets could sting them. Alabama State opened their season Friday night by beating Auburn-Montgomery 105-64 and returns all five starters and 11 players from last season's 19-13 team.
Senior guard DeMarcus Robinson led the Hornets with 23 points against Auburn-Montgomery and junior guard Bobby Brown added 14 points.
"We're going to see some quick guards, and we're going to see some guys with size that can play," Anderson said. "We're going to play a team that's going to come lay it on the line. We've got to be prepared."
Arkansas' bench players combined to score 108 points in the exhibition games led by junior forward Jacorey Williams and sophomore center Moses Kingsley.
Williams hit 13 of 18 shots and scored 29 points in 30 minutes in the exhibitions. Kingsley scored 6 of his 13 points against Pittsburg State in an 11-0 run that pushed Arkansas' lead to 71-50.
Among other reserves, sophomore guard Manuale Watkins had 5 rebounds against Pittsburg State, freshman guard Anton Beard had 7 points and junior guard Jabril Durham had 4 assists. Junior forward Keaton Miles had 12 points against Central Oklahoma.
Eleven Razorbacks scored six or more points in at least one of the exhibition games, but Anderson said he's not worried about trying to find enough playing time for everyone.
"That's a good problem to have, because there are going to be nights when guys don't have it going on, and there's somebody sitting there looking me straight in the eye, saying, 'Coach, I can help you,' " Anderson said. "I've seen those guys in practice day in and day out."
Portis was the only Razorback to be voted by coaches among the 17 players on the preseason All-SEC first and second teams.
"That's just somebody's opinion," Anderson said. "This is early in the year, and we'll see after all the dust settles.
"Hopefully, that's some motivation for some of our guys."
Portis said he's not paying attention to any of the All-SEC preseason teams.
"That really doesn't mean anything right now," Portis said. "Towards the end of the season we're going to have three or four Razorbacks on there."
Anderson said he's confident the Razorbacks are ready for the regular season.
"We've got no choice," he said. "It's here."
Sports on 11/16/2014