TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Arkansas Razorbacks Coach Mike Anderson and his team had three days to stew over Tuesday's 87-72 home loss to Kentucky.
Uppermost in Anderson's mind was the aggressive nature of Kentucky's work on the boards, which led to a landslide 46-29 rebounding advantage, the biggest margin for an Arkansas opponent this season.
The Razorbacks were determined that wasn't going to reoccur Saturday at Alabama. The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville won the board battle 36-28 against the Crimson Tide, a key facet in a 76-73 victory that pushed the Razorbacks (20-9, 9-7 SEC) into a four-way tie for third place in the SEC with two games to play.
"They came in and took it," Anderson said of Kentucky's physicality. "This time of year, they're letting you play.
"We got pushed around in the Kentucky game. So our mindset was no more of that. We really got pushed up under the basket."
The Razorbacks did more of the pushing against Alabama, which is light on experience in the front court behind 6-9, 232-pound Donta Hall. The Tide's minus-8 rebounding margin against Arkansas was its sixth worst of the season.
Arkansas had 13 offensive rebounds, just six behind Alabama's rebounding total on the Razorbacks' glass. On the Alabama end, Arkansas held a 23-9 advantage.
"Our main task was to outrebound them because every time we outrebound somebody that's an easy W," said Arkansas freshman Daniel Gafford, whose seven rebounds tied Trey Thompson for tops on the team.
Guard Daryl Macon had five rebounds, his highest total since snaring six at Florida on Jan. 17. Sophomore forward Adrio Bailey came off the bench to provide 5 rebounds in 13 minutes, including 3 on the offensive glass.
"The game was going to be won, I thought, in the paint, rebounding the basketball," Anderson said. "We outrebounded them and got some extra possessions on the offensive boards."
Anderson and his staff harped on the importance of rebounding throughout the practices heading into the Alabama game.
"We wanted to attack the glass ... no question about it," Anderson said. "So for the last couple of practices we've been working on just putting bodies on people and getting our guards involved.
"On our defense, our bigs help a lot. They come up and try to block shots. So that's been a point of emphasis. The ending part of defense is rebounding the basketball. I can't say that enough, especially this time of year."
The message came across loud and clear to the Razorbacks.
"We've been stressing rebounding the past few games," said forward Dustin Thomas, who had two rebounds and a season-high 11 points against the Crimson Tide. "He's been on us about it. It's a battle we're going to have to go for each game."
Rebounding margin has not been a tell-tale statistic for the Razorbacks in SEC play. Arkansas has been outrebounded in four of its conference victories -- against Tennessee, at home against Ole Miss, at Georgia and against South Carolina.
Arkansas has outrebounded its opponent in two of its losses -- at Auburn and at LSU.
But the Razorbacks' recent rebounding performances have been more accurately reflected in the outcomes. Arkansas outrebounded Vanderbilt 43-37, Ole Miss 49-47 and Texas A&M 45-33, winning all of those games before Kentucky had its way with the Hogs on Tuesday.
This Tuesday, the Razorbacks will face one of the nation's smallest teams in Auburn, which will be hungry to clinch a share of its first SEC title since 1999. The Hogs can expect another fierce fight on the boards.
Sports on 02/26/2018