Razorbacks keep pace with Missouri

BY HEATH ALLEN Northwest Arkansas Times

Posted on Thursday, November 29, 2007

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/59705/

Twenty-one lead changes, 44 combined turnovers and 185 total points set the stage for a rivalry-like atmosphere at Walton Arena.

Arkansas took Missouri’s best shot and ran its way to a 94-91 win Wednesday night. The Hogs recovered from a slow start, adapting to Missouri’s pressure for a key confidence-building victory at home.

Matters, though, looked bleak early on as Arkansas (5-1 ) experienced difficulty handling Missouri’s pressure. Although Arkansas expected the Tigers’ highpressure strategy, the Hogs struggled to adjust early in the first half. Arkansas committed 10 of its 12 first-half turnovers in the first nine minutes of regulation.

“ But the rest of the half we had just two, ” Arkansas coach John Pelphrey said. “ We made adjustments, handled the adversity and stuck together, which was good to see. A team like Missouri relies on that pressure and one [turnover ] can easily turn into three or four and they just don’t back up. They keep coming. ”

Missouri’s tempo appeared to be close to breaking the Hogs with 13: 19 left in the second half and the Tigers up 68-63. But Arkansas battled back with a 12-0 run to snatch a 75-68 lead with 10: 12 remaining. Arkansas committed just one turnover amid the flurry while forcing Mike Anderson’s Tigers into four miscues.

“ We knew this was going to be a game of runs, ” Arkansas forward Charles Thomas said. “ We knew our best offense is our defense just like Missouri’s. Missouri turns you over a lot and a lot of their offense comes from that. ”

Charles Thomas led the Hogs with 6 points during the run. He finished with a team-high 21 points.

“ It’s never about the individual, ” Thomas said. “ I credit the guards for forcing them baseline, creating intensity and getting people out of control, which allowed me to be in the right spot at the right time. ”

Several Hogs found that same right spot with consistent timing. Four Hogs reached double figures and two others finished with 9.

“ It was an exciting, tiring game, ” Thomas said. “ We like this style of play. Coach Pelphrey brings it from Kentucky and Florida and Coach Anderson brings it from Bud Walton. ”

Thomas said Pelphrey also brings a disciplinarian coaching style along with his uptempo approach, both of which combined to push Arkansas to victory.

“ We’re afraid to lose, ” Thomas said. “ After losing to Providence in Puerto Rico, we’re terrified to lose. We’re going to give it our all. We’re terrified of Coach Pelphrey and losing. He can take an ‘ L’ if we’re playing our hardest but we don’t want any more hell like Puerto Rico. ”