Hog Calls

Hannahs finally back on winning team

Arkansas guard Dusty Hannahs celebrates in the closing seconds against Georgia Saturday, March 4, 2017, during the second half of play in Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- In his college career, fifth-year senior Dusty Hannahs never officially played for a winning team or witnessed the Razorbacks winning their senior day finale at Walton Arena.

So, Saturday marked a twofer for the Little Rock native and Pulaski Academy grad. At Walton Arena at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Coach Mike Anderson's Razorbacks wrapped their 23-8 season gashing Georgia 85-67. The Razorbacks finished 12-6 in the SEC, finishing third.

Arkansas seniors Hannahs, Moses Kingsley and Manny Watkins scored 15, 15 and 12 points in their Walton farewell.

Shooting guard Hannahs played two years for Texas Tech University, going 11-20 and 14-18 in 2012-2013 and 2013-2014. He transferred to Arkansas after the 2014 spring semester.

In 2014-2015, Hannahs contributed as a practice player on Arkansas' 27-9 team that went two rounds deep into the NCAA Tournament. As a Division I transfer, he redshirted that season.

Hannahs watched in street clothes as the Razorbacks were upset by LSU in their Walton finale.

Last season, Hannahs averaged a team-leading 16.5 points, but the Razorbacks only went 16-16 and were becagten on senior day by South Carolina.

Sharing the scoring wealth with 6-10 center Kingsley, the SEC Preseason Player of the Year, and fellow returning guards Watkins and junior Anton Beard and prolific scoring junior college transfer guards Jaylen Barford and Daryl Macon, Hannahs' scoring average dropped to 14.6.

Fine with him.

"We're a winning team," Hannahs said when the Razorbacks readied for Georgia. "That's what's been the most important part to me. I've been seeking that out since I've been in college. I wanted to win really bad. I was used to it. In high school and AAU I was always on a winning team. It was kind of a culture shock for the two years at Tech and then last year."

In a season during which Arkansas' prospects for a NCAA Tournament bid dimmed when upset at Walton by Mississippi State and losing at last-place Missouri and waxed at Walton by Vanderbilt, Saturday's success capping winning 6 of 7 and surely netting an at-large NCAA Tournament bid made it a day for Hannahs to savor.

"My redshirt year, we lost senior day and last year we lost senior day," Hannahs told media postgame. "Today was just big. A great crowd and just fun. It has been a real tough, long day if you don't take care of business. But how we did it took away the bitter part. It's just sweet right now. I'm just really excited how this team has done and faced adversity."

Overcoming makes it all the sweeter.

"Last year was really tough," Hannahs said. "We had a stretch this year that I'm sure some of you threw out a few tweets that said we were dead in the water. Look at us now! This has been awesome. And it's not over."

Sports on 03/06/2017