FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas' second five provided defense and minutes in the Razorbacks' 84-72 victory over Missouri on Feb. 20 at Walton Arena.
For Arkansas' 85-65 rout over LSU on Tuesday at Walton, Razorbacks reserves Anton Beard, Manny Watkins, Jimmy Whitt, Trey Thompson and Willy Kouassi provided more than defense and minutes. In the first half, they outscored the Razorbacks' starters 19-15 to build a 34-32 lead after 20 minutes.
Guards Beard, Watkins and Whitt, and forwards Thompson and Kouassi, did their parts spelling the starting five of guards Jabril Durham, Dusty Hannahs and Anthlon Bell, along with center Moses Kingsley and forward Keaton Miles. The reserves were united in establishing an identity all their own.
"I think they are," Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said after employing the group together during key portions of both halves against Missouri and LSU. "I think they're starting to understand what their role is on this basketball team. And if you notice, I'm leaving them out there. Even as we're up 10 or 12 or whatever, and the lead got down to eight, I let them play through it. They get more confidence. It's going to pay dividends as we go down this stretch drive."
Kingsley said the second five's first-half defense set the tone against Missouri.
"When we came out and they came in, we got stops and we made a run," Kingsley said.
Against LSU, Arkansas' second five outscored LSU's bench 32-0.
"I can't say enough about our guys coming off the bench," Anderson said. "They scored 19 of the 34 points in the first half. And the way they scored them was a lot different than the first group because theirs came off defense. When you start playing defense first, the offense to me is the next thing to take place. I thought their defense was engaged. They were connected. They made Simmons work a lot harder than he was early in the game."
Although only a freshman, LSU 6-10 forward Ben Simmons is so gifted he is the consensus projected No. 1 pick in this summer's NBA Draft. Simmons excelled at Walton with 23 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists.
But en route to his career-high 13 points, Thompson outscored Simmons, 11-9, head to head in the second half. And in the first half, Whitt outscored McDonald's All-American guard Antonio Blakeney, 12-8.
Not only did Arkansas' reserves produce, but they also allowed the starters to be refreshed for a second-half run.
"If you look at the minutes, now we're getting that productivity off our bench, and now those guys [the starters] don't have to play 29, 30, 35 minutes a game," Anderson said.
The reserves were really good in the comforts of home, but they still have to prove tonight at Tennessee and Wednesday at Alabama whether they can successfully take their show on the road.
Sports on 02/27/2016