FAYETTEVILLE -- Jimmy Dykes said he expects to continue coaching the Arkansas women's basketball team next season.
The Razorbacks (13-16, 2-14 SEC) take a 10-game losing streak into their SEC Tournament opener against Florida today in Greenville, S.C., in Dykes' third season on the job, but he spoke optimistically about the future earlier this week.
"I have no plans to do anything but continue to coach this team," Dykes said. "I had a great career in TV, but I'm done with that. That's behind me.
"I have no plans to go into administration. I have no desire to do anything other than what I'm doing right now. I know I'm exactly where God wants me to be."
Dykes, who played at Fayetteville High School and was a walk-on at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, was hired as the Razorbacks' coach in the spring of 2014 after working as an television analyst at ESPN for 15 years. He hadn't coached since being an assistant men's coach at Oklahoma State during the 1990-1991 season.
Arkansas went to the NCAA Tournament in Dykes' first season and finished 18-14, including 6-10 in the SEC.
After Dykes' first season, he received a one-year contract extension through the 2019-2020 season. His annual financial compensation is $500,000 and his total buyout on the remaining three years of the contract is $750,000.
The Razorbacks improved to 7-9 in SEC play last season, but finished 12-18 overall.
Arkansas' 2-14 SEC record this season is its worst winning percent (.125) since joining the conference for the 1991-1992 season. The previous worst winning percentage was .167 when the Razorbacks finished 2-12 in 2007-2008.
"I'm not happy at all -- none of us are -- with the fact that we won two SEC games and finished at the bottom of the league," Dykes said. "But we're not discouraged in terms of where we are in Year 3.
"I know we took a step backwards this season in the wins and losses, but I don't think we took a step backwards in terms of growing our program and all the minutes our young kids played in the toughest league in women's college basketball."
Forward Jessica Jackson, averaging team-highs of 14.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, is the only senior in Arkansas' starting lineup.
Dykes said he feels good about the future with sophomores Malica Monk, Keiryn Swenson and Bailey Zimmerman, junior Devin Cosper and freshmen Jailyn Mason and Aaliyah Wilson playing significant minutes this season.
Mason, a point guard, has started every game and is averaging 7.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Monk is averaging 9.2 points.
"For the most part, we've started two freshmen and two sophomores in conference play along with Jess," Dykes said. "They've been very resilient.
"Their will to win, their will to compete in practice, their fight, all those things are still in place just like instead of being 2-14 we were 14-2."
Dykes said he expects 6-3 center Macy Weaver, a signee from Stillman Valley (Ill.) High School, to be an impact player as a freshman next season.
"We think we've got a really, really good SEC post player coming in," Dykes said of Weaver.
An Arkansas spokesman said Athletic Director Jeff Long doesn't address a coach's job status or evaluate programs during the season, but that he will meet with Dykes to review the women's program after the season just as he does with coaches in every sport.
"I know Jeff Long and I will talk after the season, but it's only our third year and there's no quick fix in this league," Dykes said. "There never has been and I don't think there ever will be.
"You've got to get knocked around and toughen up. Our guards will come back a year from now and be sophomores and juniors and we'll be in a whole lot better place."
Arkansas made one NCAA Tournament appearance, in 2012 under Coach Tom Collen, the 11 seasons prior to Dykes' hiring.
"I think within the next two years we're back in the NCAA Tournament again," Dykes said. "If that's the case, we've been to two NCAA Tournaments in our first five years, and now we're starting to make the progress that I envisioned all along."
Arkansas has lost nine SEC games this season by nine or fewer points, including 57-53 at Florida. The Razorbacks lost at Texas A&M 90-65 and at home to South Carolina 79-49.
"There have been tears in our locker room after every game we've lost, but that's good," Dykes said. "That's what I want to see. We hate losing.
"With the exception of the South Carolina and A&M games, we've been a hard team to beat, I will say that. That's very encouraging."
Arkansas women vs. Florida
— Chip Souza
WHEN 12:30 p.m. today WHERE Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville, S.C. RECORDS Arkansas 13-16; Florida 14-15 LAST MEETING Florida won 57-53 (Feb. 9) RADIO KABZ-FM Razorback Sports Network INTERNET ArkansasRazorbacks.com TELEVISION SEC Network
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
ARKANSAS POS, NAME, HT., YR. PPG RPG G Malica Monk, 5-5, So. 9.2 3.0 G Keiryn Swenson, 6-1, So. 8.0 4.1 G Jailyn Mason, 5-9, Fr. 7.7 3.9 F Jessica Jackson, 6-3, Sr. 14.9 6.5 C Alecia Cooley, 6-3, Sr. 6.4 5.3 COACH Jimmy Dykes (43-48 in third season at Arkansas and overall)
FLORIDA POS, NAME, HT., YR. PPG RPG F Ronnie Williams, 6-0, Sr. 19.1 7.8 C Tyshara Fleming, 6-4, Sr. 7.1 6.8 G Delicia Washington, 5-10, Fr. 11.2 5.2 G Dyandria Anderson, 5-10, Jr. 6.8 4.7 G Brooke Copeland, 6-2, Jr. 4.8 2.2 COACH Amanda Butler (189-136 in 10th season at Vanderbilt, 228-158 12th season overall)
TEAM COMPARISON
ARK FLA 64.2 Points for 71.4 60.1 Points against 68.3 +2.8 Rebound margin +5.0 +0.3 Turnover margin -1.7 40.0 FG pct. 44.7 32.8 3-pt pct. 28.1 66.4 FT pct. 66.7 CHALK TALK Arkansas has lost 10 consecutive games to end the regular season. The Razorbacks have not won since beating Vanderbilt 59-56 on Jan. 19. … Six of Arkansas’ 10 losses have been by seven or fewer points. … Florida leads the overall series 26-9. … Jessica Jackson is the only Arkansas player averaging 10 or more points at 14.9 per game. … The winner of today’s matchup will take on No. 6 seed Texas A&M on Thursday.
Sports on 03/01/2017