FAYETTEVILLE -- Dusty Hannahs will play for his new team against his old team Saturday in Walton Arena.
Hannahs is averaging 16.7 points in his first season with Arkansas, which plays Texas Tech in the Big 12-SEC Challenge. The 6-2 junior guard from Little Rock redshirted at Arkansas last season after transferring from Texas Tech.
"It's going to be a different type of feeling," Hannahs said Thursday of facing the Red Raiders. "It's definitely one I have circled."
Hannahs declined to specify why he transferred after averaging 7.7 points and 22.0 minutes as a sophomore while playing in 32 games with nine starts.
"It didn't work out in Lubbock like I thought it would," Hannahs said. "But I still have a lot of love and respect for that university because I was there two years of my college life."
Texas Tech Coach Tubby Smith, speaking on Monday's Big 12 coaches' teleconference, initially said he didn't want to talk about the transfer, but then praised Hannahs.
"I thought he did a fantastic job for us," Smith said. "He's a hardworking kid. He just wanted to get closer to home, I guess. That's probably what it was.
"I understand he's doing very good for them."
Hannahs signed with Texas Tech to play for Coach Billy Gillispie, but he never got the chance. Gillispie resigned under pressure Sept. 20, 2012 -- during the fall of Hannahs' freshman year -- citing health concerns after he was reprimanded for exceeding NCAA practice time limits.
Chris Walker was Texas Tech's interim coach during Hannahs' freshman season, then Smith was hired. Gillispie is now the coach and athletic director at Ranger (Texas) Community College.
"I just had a connection with Coach Gillispie," Hannahs said. "I still thank him to this day for getting me to the level of this high major [college] to be able to transfer to get back home.
"It started with him, so I'm really thankful for that. God willing, I got back to my home state and got to play for the Razorbacks, which was the best part about it."
Hannahs, who averaged 26 points as a junior and 20 as a senior for Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, said he didn't expect to be heavily recruited and made the decision to sign with the first major school that offered him a scholarship, which turned out to be Texas Tech.
Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said he was familiar with Hannahs, who attended the Razorbacks' summer camps.
"We followed Dusty, no question about it," Anderson said. "He made a commitment early on to go to Texas Tech and we had some guys already here in place, but since that time he's really come on in terms of being a player.
"Sometimes those experiences that you have going away can help you. It didn't work out to his liking, and he wanted to come back this way, and the timing couldn't have been any better."
Hannahs said after he got his scholarship release from Texas Tech two years ago, he was thrilled to get a call on his cellphone from Arkansas assistant coach Melvin Watkins.
"I still had it saved in my phone from high school, so I saw Coach Watkins calling and I was like, 'Yes, please be what I think this is,' " Hannahs said. "I would say after the first call it took about a week until the [scholarship] offer was extended.
"It was an immediate, 'Yes, I will be coming to the University of Arkansas.' I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was one of the best days of my life."
Hannahs has assumed a key role with the Razorbacks, who lost four starters from last season's team. He's shooting 46.4 percent on three-pointers (52 of 112) and 86.3 percent on free throws [63 of 73] and averaging 26.3 minutes.
"Obviously, everyone sees the scoring and the shooting," Razorbacks junior guard Manny Watkins said. "But he also gives us some more toughness and that competitive greatness.
"Dusty hates to lose. I think he hates losing more than he likes winning. He expects to win."
Watkins said Hannahs is distraught after losses.
"That's big on a team," Watkins said. "That will, and just that hate-to-lose mentality. It's contagious."
Hannahs didn't argue with Watkins' assessment of his competitive nature.
"I've broken a lot of video game controllers," Hannahs said. "I really do hate losing."
Anderson likes that attitude.
"I'm glad to hear that he's a bad loser," Anderson said. "I think that's one of the traits that a lot of good players share.
"They don't like to lose in anything. So if you're going to be a competitor, then you have to have that in your DNA."
Hannahs said the Razorbacks' 10-10 record is disappointing, but he's encouraged after Arkansas' 74-71 victory over No. 5 Texas A&M on Wednesday night.
"We've got a good amount of games left," he said. "We can change the ship, and that's what we're looking forward to doing."
Anderson said Hannahs' game is "evolving before our eyes" as he becomes a better all-around player.
"The opportunity has presented itself, and he's taken the ball and run with it," Anderson said. "He's bringing a lot to the table for this basketball team."
Texas Tech junior forward Aaron Ross (Little Rock Parkview) said he can see how much Hannahs has improved by watching the Razorbacks on TV.
"Dusty has really matured," Ross said. "You can tell he worked on his game a lot during that year he sat out.
"He used to be known as just a shooter, but now he can put it on the floor, get around defenders, and go to the basket to score or get fouled."
Ross said he was disappointed when Hannahs left Texas Tech, but he has always wished him the best.
"He thought Arkansas was a better place for him, and he's really been putting up great numbers," Ross said. "I'm happy for him that he's doing such a great job."
Anderson said a key for Hannahs on Saturday will be not trying to do too much against his old team.
"I'm sure he'll be really fired up, but he's going to have to temper that so he just goes out and plays basketball," Anderson said. "This isn't going to be Dusty versus Texas Tech. This is going to be Arkansas versus Texas Tech, and that's how it should be."
Sports on 01/29/2016