ATLANTA — Darian Townes may have or may not have heard the old adage to rub a redhead for luck, but either way, the Arkansas Razorbacks’ 6-11 senior center playfully tasseled coach John Pelphrey’s locks Friday while departing the interview podium at the Southeastern Conference Tournament.

Townes and the rest of the Hogs had just cooled down from defeating Vanderbilt, 81-75, and were looking forward to today’s meeting with the Tennessee Vols.

The Razorbacks will need more than just good luck if they are to be successful against Tennessee. Bruce Pearl’s Vols are the class of the SEC, sporting a gaudy 29-3 record and they are every bit as good as that record would indicate.

While good luck should never be turned down, to advance in the SEC semifinals, a team like Arkansas needs to play well, too.

The Razorbacks played one of their better games of the season to beat Vanderbilt and if they continue to play at that level today, they could have a chance against the Vols.

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The Razorbacks played smart, tough and well on Friday, taking advantage of their strengths and playing away from their weaknesses.

Patrick Beverley may have given the grittiest performance. His jaw dislocated in the second half for the second time this season and he just popped it back in place and kept on playing.

“ We couldn’t get him to come out, ” Pelphrey said of the 6-1 heart and soul of the Razorbacks. “ Patrick kept mumbling something in the huddle. I couldn’t understand what he said, but the kids seemed to feed off it and Sonny [Weems ] saying we don’t want to go home, yet. ”

Arkansas made sure Vandy sharpshooter Shan Foster didn’t beat them by putting Weems on him for the most part with Beverley, Stefan Welsh and Gary Ervin also getting a piece of the SEC’s Player of the Year.

A. J. Ogilvy did some damage inside for the Commodores in the first half, but Steven Hill’s strength, length and agility neutralized the talented freshman pivot in the second half. That left the rest of the Commodores to beat the Hogs, and despite Alex Gordon’s 22 points, they weren’t up to the task.

Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings almost acted embarrassed to lose to the Razorbacks, which is kind of odd because the Hogs have beaten Vandy five times in a row.

Stallings said Arkansas plays with a confidence against Vanderbilt that they always don’t display against other teams. He mentioned Auburn as an example. It probably would not have taken much prodding to tempt Stallings into calling the Hogs lucky.

Throw Tennessee into that mix, too. The Vols shredded the Razorbacks like so much mozzarella in their Feb. 13 meeting at Knoxville, Tenn., and if the Razorbacks don’t show the same confidence or toughness they had Friday against Vandy when they meet the Vols today, it could happen again.

Tennessee is the only team in the SEC that has a scorer at every position and the Vols are experts at getting opponents to play just a littler quicker than they are accustomed to.

If Arkansas is to upset Tennessee, the Hogs can’t let the Vols dictate the tempo for long stretches of the game. That means the Hogs must clamp down on Tennessee’s outside shooters, which is their entire starting five.

Today’s game will be tough, but the team has learned to struggle and persevere this season.

Truth be told, this has been a difficult season for the Hogs and their first-year head coach.

As with any time there is a coaching change, there has been more of the give and take that is the relationship of all coaches to their teams.

But with Friday’s win that most certainly locked up a NCAA Tourney bid, I think both the players and coach would say the struggle has been worth it.

Now, that the Hogs are playing tough, smart, team basketball, the rewards of doing so could become even more tangible.

A victory over the Vols and a trip to Sunday’s SEC title game would certainly be rewarding if the Hogs can pull together one more time and make a little more luck happen.

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