Arkansas basketball coach John Pelphrey throws much at his young team this preseason.

He has no choice.

With six seniors graduated and would-have-been junior mainstay guard Patrick Beverley now a pro in Europe, the Hogs return just 14 percent of their scoring from last season’s 23-12, SEC Tournament finalist and second-round NCAA Tourney team.

SEC media recently picked Arkansas last in the six-team SEC West.

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Pelphrey wondered aloud where the Tampa Bay Rays, shocking winners of baseball’s American League pennant, were picked in preseason.

“ I don’t get caught up in that too much, ” Pelphrey said of preseason predictions. “ It’s on a piece of paper and that doesn’t mean a lot. ”

Returnees are junior guard Stefan Welsh and junior forward Michael Wa shington, occasional star ters last season, along with sophomore reserve guard Marcus Britt, redshirt freshman forward Michael Sanchez and Stephen Cox, a former walk-on guard now on scholarship.

They are joined by newcomers Courtney Fortson, a touted freshman point guard, and Clarke in the backcourt and freshmen Jason Henry, Brandon Moore and Andre Clark up front and 6-5 junior college transfer swingman Montrell McDonald.

The recr uiting class has been nationally ranked as high as 11 th among the various recruiting services.

The rookies’ ranking likely will need to live up to billing for these Hogs to break even or better.

Welsh, 5. 3 average last season, is Arkansas’ leading returning scorer.

The Razorbacks and the Razorbacks’ women’s team, formerly the Lady Razorbacks, hold their annual Red-White intrasquad games Friday night at Walton Arena.

The 30-minute women’s game starts at 7: 30 p. m. and the 30-minute men’s game tips off at 8: 30 p. m.

Doors open at 5: 30 p. m. as players from both teams will be available for autographs.