Saturday, February 26, 2000
UK looks to rebound against Arkansas
The Associated Press
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson knows his squad will have to play one of its best games of the season today to beat No.18 Kentucky on the Wildcats' home floor.
Still, despite a 14-12 record overall and 6-7 mark in Southeastern Conference play, Richardson savors the challenge that comes with facing one of college basketball's most storied programs.
“I think the competitiveness in me is that you always go after and try to play the best teams in the country and they have been that way for years and years and years. Regardless of what their record is, Kentucky is always a big-time program.
“Plus we are going to bring a bunch of young guys over that have never been to Kentucky. That will be quite an experience for them to see 25 or 26 thousand people in the arena.”
Kentucky (19-8, 9-4) has beaten Arkansas in each of its last two meetings at Rupp Arena. The two teams split a pair of games last year as Arkansas won 74-70 in Fayetteville during the regular season and lost 76-63 in the SEC Tournament championship game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
The Razorbacks are in the midst of a brutal stretch of schedule that will see them play their final six games against Top 25 opponents.
Arkansas lost the first two games to No. 9 Florida and No. 15 LSU before topping No. 24 Vanderbilt 78-63 on Wednesday. Following Saturday's contest with 18th-ranked Kentucky, the Razorbacks travel to No. 7 Tennessee before returning home to face No. 11 Auburn.
“The mental aspect of the game is so important, especially at this stage of the season,” Richardson said. “You have to have some success. You have to see that the things you are working on are starting to pay off.”
No one knows that better than Kentucky coach Tubby Smith. The Wildcats fell to seventh-ranked Tennessee 74-67 Wednesday, dropping them a game behind the Vols and Florida with three games remaining in the race for the SEC East Division crown.
Although the chances of a conference championship appear remote, Smith said his players can't afford a letdown against a young but talented Arkansas team as it works to improve its SEC and NCAA Tournament seedings.
“They may not have the record that Coach Richardson and the team is used to having, but they still create a lot of problems,” Smith said. “They're going to come at you defensively, they're aggressive and they're never going to quit.
“At this time of year, your veteran players are the ones that have to step up and make things happen. They have to step up and get everybody emotionally fired up. ”
Arkansas has only one senior and one junior among its 11 scholarship players, but Smith said this Razorback squad isn't any less dangerous than Richardson's past teams.
Forward Joe Johnson leads all SEC freshmen in scoring at 15.5 points per game and has averaged 19 points and 6.4 rebounds in his last five. Guard Chris Walker, the team's lone senior, is averaging 12 points and five rebounds.
Richardson said Kentucky has its usual array of talented players that can hurt teams at both ends of the floor.
“I think (Jamaal) Magloire did the right thing and came back. He is a more polished player. And I like (Jules) Camara. ... And Tubby's boy (Saul Smith) is a competitor just like his dad was. I thought here last year, he was the guy that kept them in it.”
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