After back-to-back

losses to South Carolina

and Georgia, some Hog fans were all but ready to give up on the basketball Razorbacks. Now, that the Razorbacks have reeled off three easy victories, including Saturday’s 80-61 victory over No. 20 Florida, those naysayers are back on the bandwagon, calling the Hogs with gusto. Saturday’s attendance of 19, 881 was the best crowd Bud Walton Arena has hosted this season, and those fans were treated to Arkansas’ best performance yet. “ This crowd was phenomenal, ” Arkansas first-year head basketball coach John Pelphrey said after notching his first victory over his mentor and good friend Billy Donovan. “ This — what we had here [Saturday ] — is what college basketball is all about. ”

In fact, it would be hard to imagine the Razorbacks playing a better all-around game than they did Satur- day. Every player accepted his role and chipped in for the greater good. For the second game in a row, the Hogs looked like a true basketball team, not just a collection of athletes playing together.

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The Razorbacks looked equally as good last Wednesday in pounding a large and physically tough Mississippi State squad, 78-58, also at Walton Arena.

The Hogs stood toe to toe with the Bulldogs and outmuscled and outhustled them.

Saturday the veteran Razorbacks once again exerted their will on the smaller and less-experienced Gators, but it started with defending the 3-point line.

Florida usually passes teams silly and then rips them apart from behind 19-9 with dead-eye shooting.

The Gators were 0 of 10 from 3-point land in the first half and the game was all but in the Hogs’ hip pocket before the Gators hit their first of 4 treys out of 25 attempts.

Certainly, it was just one of those days where Florida couldn’t buy a basket, but the Razorbacks’ defense had a lot to do with that.

Florida averaged a SECleading 81 points per game coming into Saturday’s contest. The Hogs held them 20 under their average. That’s good defense in anyone’s book.

“ I’m really proud of our effort, ” Pelphrey said. “ We made a decision to be unselfish and be a team. Sometimes to be a good team, individuals have to do a little less, sacrifice some, for the team to do more. I think we’re beginning to play with that attitude and I think that’s why we are playing better. ”

There were so many highlights in the game by so many different players. Every Hog played defense like his life depended on it and six Hogs scored between 8 and 17 points, with two more chipping in 5 apiece. That’s the type of balance every coach loves to see.

The Razorbacks singed the nets, shooting 54. 2 percent from the field and their 19 assists is one of the reasons why.

Sharing the basketball through efficient passing generally produces assists and good shooting percentages, and those often lead to victories.

When asked Wednesday night if I thought the Razorbacks had turned the corner, I had to say I was impressed with their play against the Bulldogs but I added “ let’s wait and see. ”

Well, Saturday the Hogs played even better and they look like they are becoming more fluid offensively, while still defending their ground very well. I still say it’s too early to make any grand pronouncements about this basketball team — for good or ill.

Just a week ago, Donovan’s Gators were on top of the world after blowing out Vanderbilt, but after Saturday’s game he was answering questions about bouncing back from the program’s worst loss since falling 82-62 to Kentucky in 2004.

But if the Hogs continue to play as they have the last two games and continue to improve, they should have more than just a say in deciding who wins the SEC title this year.

Terry J. Wood is the sports editor of the Northwest Arkansas Times.