FAYETTEVILLE — A pair of Arkansas freshmen made their debuts in Monday's 90-65 win over Southern Illinois.
C.J. Jones and Brachen Hazen played for the first time after sitting out the Razorbacks' season-opening win over Fort Wayne last Friday. Jones had a sprained knee, while Hazen dressed out but didn't play.
Against SIU, Jones scored 11 points in 17 minutes. The Birmingham native made 3 of 5 field goal attempts, including a pair of 3-pointers.
"For his first collegiate game, not bad," Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said. "I thought he came out and played within himself, got to the open spots and took shots.
"It was good to get him out there on the floor....That's what we've been seeing in practice, what he brought out there today."
Jones converted a 4-point play in the second half when he was fouled by Leo Vincent on a 3-point attempt from the left wing. He also had a slam dunk off a lob pass from Anton Beard in the first half.
"I wasn't thinking too much about my knee," Jones said. "I was just letting it flow. I'm jumping like I used to. I'm back out there playing like I'm supposed to be, so it's good."
Hazen was scoreless in eight minutes, but had two rebounds. Freshman Adrio Bailey was also scoreless in seven minutes.
Welcome back, Barry
Southern Illinois coach Barry Hinson coached his fourth game with his third different team at Bud Walton Arena.
Hinson's team's are 0-4 in the arena. He was head coach for Arkansas wins over Oral Roberts in 1997, and Missouri State in 2005 and 2007.
Hinson was also an assistant coach at Oral Roberts for a 1995 loss in Fayetteville.
Hinson said he was surprised by the lack of people who came to the game. The announced attendance was 4,270.
"That's not an Arkansas crowd," Hinson said. "That's not a Razorback crowd.
"You guys know when I was in here. I told our guys, 'When they bring that damn Arkansas flag out with three minutes left in the game and you're yelling your ass off because no one can hear you, that's what it's all about.' But that's not the Razorback crowd that I know. You guys...gotta get your butts back in this gym.
"This place is hard to win when they're calling the Hogs."
Smithpeters out
Southern Illinois senior guard Tyler Smithpeters missed the game with a knee injury that he suffered in the team's season-opening loss to Wright State.
Smithpeters was the Salukis' leading 3-point shooter last season with a 40.5 percent average.
Fastbreak frenzy
The Razorbacks have outscored their two opponents by a combined 41-2 in fastbreak points this season.
Arkansas outscored Fort Wayne 24-0 in fastbreak points in last Friday's opener, and outscored Southern Illinois 17-2.
Many of the fastbreak opportunities were created by turnovers. The Salukis committed 17 turnovers that Arkansas converted into 21 points.
96 percent
Arkansas coach Mike Anderson improved to 48-2 in nonconference games played at Bud Walton Arena.
Anderson's only nonconference home losses have been to Syracuse in 2012 and Akron last season. Anderson is in his sixth season as Arkansas' coach.
The Razorbacks are 82-12 overall in home games under Anderson.
Replacement game
Southern Illinois was one of the final teams added to Arkansas' schedule this season.
The Salukis were a replacement for the Golden Gopher Classic field after Florida Gulf Coast dropped out of the event over the summer.
Southern Illinois will play Mount St. Mary's at home next Monday and at Minnesota next Friday as part of the event. The Salukis won't play Texas-Arlington, which is also in the event field.
Decade later
Monday's game was the first meeting between Arkansas and Southern Illinois since Thanksgiving Day in 2006.
The Razorbacks beat the Salukis 61-53 in overtime that year during the first round of the inaugural Old Spice Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Arkansas went on to win the event with wins over Marist and West Virginia.
Southern Illinois had last played in Fayetteville in 1971.
Oops
Fans aren't the only ones learning a roster full of new Razorbacks.
Longtime Arkansas public address announcer John George made a gaffe during the first half when he called junior college transfer Jaylen Barford, "Jaylen Bradford" before a pair of free throw attempts.
Barford, a 78 percent free throw shooter at Motlow State Community College, missed both attempts.
Up Next
Arkansas hosts Texas-Arlington at 7 p.m. Friday as part of the Golden Gopher Classic.
The Mavericks, which are projected to win the Sun Belt Conference, are 1-1 after an 84-67 loss at Minnesota on Monday. UT-Arlington recorded an 89-82 win over Texas Southern last Friday.