Razorbacks report

Coaches OK with officiating

Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson reacts to a call by a referre during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

AUBURN, Ala. -- Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson and Auburn Coach Bruce Pearl were complimentary of the SEC officiating crew that whistled 53 personal fouls and four technicals in the Razorbacks' 101-87 road victory late Tuesday.

"This game was chippy," Anderson said. "Sometimes that's basketball. I thought the officials did a good job of really controlling it."

The crew of Mike Nance, Jim Burr and Michael Stephens stepped in repeatedly to calm down overheated players and called technicals on Arkansas' Jacorey Williams, Michael Qualls and the Razorbacks' bench and on Auburn's Antoine Mason.

"If the players want to play like that and talk, then the officials have no choice," Pearl said. "They have to take control.

"I'm not a big fan [of the large foul numbers], but at the same time we're not going to get pushed around. ... The officials had to take control of the game, and I thought they did a good job."

Auburn took 40 free throws, a season high for the Tigers and for an Arkansas opponent. In fact, the Tigers made more free throws (31) than all but one Arkansas opponent attempted this season (SMU with 37).

The Razorbacks were 20 of 25 (80 percent) from the free-throw line.

Going far

Arkansas had 11 assists on 19 first-half baskets, then added an even-better 12 assists on 16 made shots in the second half.

"That's good," said senior guard Ky Madden, who had a season-high-tying eight assists. "That's what Coach [Anderson] preaches is to move the ball. We don't care who shoots or who scores points. We just want to win the game. If we continue doing that we'll be a great team and we'll go far."

Banging on Bobby

Auburn's Cinmeon Bowers revealed his defensive plan early, banging hard on Arkansas' 6-11 Bobby Portis.

Bowers, 6-7, 278, had at least a 35-pound edge over Portis.

"He was excited about playing Bobby Portis," Auburn Coach Bruce Pearl said.

Portis had a game-high 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting, tied Bowers with 8 rebounds and added 2 assists and 2 blocked shots.

Arkansas' Mike Anderson was encouraged by how Portis responded to the physical play.

"The challenges keep coming, and he just keeps answering the call," Anderson said. "That's the mark of a guy who not only wants to be a good player but a great player."

Turnover tally

Arkansas had four first-half turnovers, but it took the Razorbacks a while to get their first one against Auburn.

Arkansas played 12 turnover-free minutes to open the game, building a 38-32 lead before Michael Qualls was called for charging, the Hogs' first turnover with 8:00 left in the first half.

The Razorbacks had 10 for the game.

Auburn had 17 turnovers, giving Arkansas' opponents 61 in the past three games.

Back at you

Arkansas blocked seven shots, one shy of its season high, and continued a recent trend.

The Razorbacks blocked eight shots against South Carolina and six against Mississippi State, giving them a season-best 21 blocks in a three-game span.

Alandise Harris, Bobby Portis and Moses Kingsley had two blocked shots apiece against the Tigers and Jacorey Williams added one.

Arkansas had an average of 4.3 blocked shots per game in its first eight SEC games and is averaging 7.0 blocks in its past three games.

Free-throw spree

Arkansas made 20 of 25 free throws (80 percent) for its fourth consecutive game with 71 percent or better shooting from the line.

The Razorbacks ranked fourth in the SEC with 72.4 percent free-throw shooting entering the game and improved to 72.7 percent.

In SEC games, Arkansas is shooting 176 of 240 (73.3 percent) from the line.

Sports on 02/12/2015