All SEC play now the focus for Hogs

FAYETTEVILLE -- University of Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman didn't get much rest the night before the Razorbacks played TCU on Saturday in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.

Among the things keeping Musselman awake:

• The Razorbacks had lost back-to-back games to Kentucky at home and at Mississippi State.

• Arkansas sophomore guard Isaiah Joe, averaging 16.8 points with an SEC-high 67 three-point baskets, was questionable because of swelling in his knee.

• TCU was 13-5 and coming off a 65-54 victory over No. 18 Texas Tech.

"Did I look like I was relaxed at all?" Musselman said after the game. "I was wound tight. Last night was the hardest night I've had sleeping."

Presumably, Musselman got a better night's sleep after the Razorbacks -- with Joe sitting out to rest his knee -- beat the Horned Frogs 78-67 in Walton Arena.

"I'm really happy tonight," Musselman said. "I am. I mean, normally I'm a little more subdued -- not much -- but it's huge. It really is.

"This was a game that we had to win. Had to win this game tonight."

The Razorbacks (15-4, 3-3 SEC) completed the nonconference schedule at 12-1 with their victory over TCU. Their only loss was at Western Kentucky 86-79 in overtime.

Arkansas went 3-0 against teams from other Power 5 conferences. In addition to beating TCU, the Razorbacks won at Indiana of the Big Ten 71-64 and won 62-61 in overtime at Georgia Tech of the ACC.

"We had not a good nonconference, we had a great nonconference," Musselman said. "We took care of business in the nonconference."

Arkansas had been the only team to beat Indiana at home until Sunday, when No. 17 Maryland scored the game's final seven points for a 77-76 victory over the Hoosiers at Assembly Hall. Indiana is 15-5, including victories over No. 5 Florida State, No. 11 Michigan State and Ohio State.

"Indiana's playing well," Musselman said. "That's going to be such a quality win."

Georgia Tech is 9-11, but the Yellow Jackets have road victories at North Carolina State and North Carolina.

Western Kentucky lost star center Charles Bassey to a season-ending knee injury in the Arkansas game, but the Hilltoppers are 14-6 and a half-game behind North Texas for lead in the Conference USA standings. North Texas, which lost at Arkansas, is 14-8.

Other teams the Razorbacks beat in nonconference play include Tulsa (14-6 and tied with Houston for the lead in the American Athletic Conference); Northern Kentucky (14-7 and second in the Horizon League); Austin Peay (14-7 and tied with Murray State for the Ohio Valley Conference lead); Montana (11-9 and leading the Big Sky Conference); South Dakota (14-8); and Texas Southern (8-11, but leading the Southwestern Athletic Conference with Prairie View A&M).

"Now we'll see what we do in our own conference," Musselman said. "But as far as the nonconference play -- because now that chapter is closed -- I thought we were awesome."

Arkansas had two lineup changes against TCU with junior guard Jalen Harris and sophomore forward Reggie Chaney getting their first starts of the season in place of Joe and sophomore guard Desi Sills, who played off the bench.

"It felt good getting back out in the lineup, but I knew it was bigger than just starting," said Harris, who started every game last season. "This was a game we really needed to win. We were desperate for a win, so [starting] really played a small effect in tonight's game."

Senior guard Jimmy Whitt and junior guard Mason Jones each scored 20 points to lead the Razorbacks and Sills scored 18.

"We knew we had lost two games, we had to lock in," Sills said. "We didn't want to lose three games and obviously that didn't happen.

"We bought in with each other. We had to defend, and that led to offense. I feel like that was one of the big keys to the win."

Arkansas' victory helped the SEC go 5-5 against the Big 12 on Saturday.

"It's really big, especially when you think you're playing in the best conference in the country," Harris said. "You have to go out and show it. I think we've done that so far."

The Razorbacks played before their third consecutive Saturday home sellout crowd and also has sold out the Mississippi State and Missouri games.

"I know how hard it is to draw fans anywhere," Musselman said. "So what I told the team before the game, we had a discussion about how we have a good thing going. Our fans are excited.

"Nobody wants to lose a game, but when you lose you've got to lose with great effort and we did that in the two games we lost."

Musselman said the Razorbacks maintained their intensity for the TCU game.

"We said that the only way we were going to win was to play with incredible energy," he said. "I don't think anybody that came into the arena tonight would say anything differently as far as our effort."

Sports on 01/27/2020