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Missouri State big at the moment Saturday, Dec 17, 2005 By Harry King LITTLE ROCK - If somebody said that Arkansas' most significant non-conference victory would be over Missouri State, the assumption would be that the Razorbacks were blanked in Maui and failed against Missouri and Texas Tech. Wrong - the red herring is the upside down Big 12. In luau land, the basketball Razorbacks defeated perennial national power Kansas. In Fayetteville, they beat Missouri. Next week, they should be favored against Tech in Dallas. Heading for the new year, Kansas, Missouri and Tech are flopping around like fish out of water. The situation is sure to change in Lawrence, Kan., and likely to improve in Lubbock, Texas. In Columbia, Mo., there are no guarantees. Kansas' top 10 includes four freshmen, who will get better, and three sophomores. Plus, Southern California transfer Rodrick Stewart is expected to play for the first time next week, and Darnell Jackson is about to complete a nine-game suspension for NCAA violations involving the receipt of benefits from a booster. Coach Bill Self says Jackson is the strongest player on the team and can contribute immediately. Besides, Self told the Houston Chronicle, "He gives us five fouls, too. With the way we foul, that's a bonus." The Jayhawks have lost four games, including three in the closing seconds. They even lost in Lawrence 72-70 to Nevada when there was no call on a last-second shot by the home team. Kansas hasn't missed the NCAA Tournament since 1989 and the Jayhawks aren't going to end that streak anytime soon. When the Jayhawks are going good, the cold-hearted computer will see Arkansas 65, Kansas 64, and reward the Razorbacks. If Arkansas can win in Dallas, it will be another bank deposit with dividends down the road. When Louisiana Tech 68, Texas Tech 53 in Lubbock rolled across the bottom of the screen recently, you knew there had to be more to the story. Paul Millsap, the leading rebounder in the nation each of the past two years, had a field day against the Raiders, who were playing without three injured forwards and were outrebounded 40-25. Darryl Dora, Jonathan Plefka and Damir Sulgacic are each 6-8, 6-9 and 245-250. Plefka, Sulgacic and guard LucQuente White were not expected to make the trip to Las Vegas for tonight's game against UNLV, and Dora is still hurting. On the Raiders' sideline is legendary Bobby Knight, who will handle this adversity. During Knight's first four seasons, Tech has been to the NCAA Tournament three times and finished second in the NIT. Missouri will be hard-pressed to succeed sufficiently to help Arkansas. The Tigers, who have been in the NIT the past two years, reached .500 a week ago, beating Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 82-81 on a tip-in with 7.4 seconds to play. Scoff if you will at the power ratings, but 79-75 Thursday night over that Missouri school from Springfield should be useful in March. Prior to the game, the Bears were No. 6 and Arkansas was No. 63 in the ratings published in USA Today. Friday morning, the Bears were No.. 13 and Arkansas was No. 32. Those same ratings rank the Missouri Valley Conference - where Missouri State is one of the contenders - as No. 6 behind the Big Ten, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big East, SEC and Big 12. In the final minutes against the Bears, Ronnie Brewer twice went behind his back to get in position for mid-range jumpers that were necessary to keep the Razorbacks in front. Arkansas will always need production from Brewer, but the junior can't do it alone. Thursday night, Charles Thomas was a first-half force and Eric Ferguson was a factor down the stretch. Tonight against Rice in North Little Rock, it could be somebody else, particularly inside where the Owls were hammered by Utah and Texas. ----- Harry King is sports columnist for Stephens Media Group's Arkansas News Bureau. His e-mail address is hking@arkansasnews.com. |
