SEC Basketball Preview: Arkansas Razorbacks
December 1, 2009
By Shipley00
2008 Record: 14-15 (2-14)
Head Coach: John Pelphrey (career 117-95), 3rd season
Key Returning Players:
In a bit of good news for a team that only managed to win two conference games last season, Arkansas returns all 5 starters including one of the best big men in the SEC. Senior Michael Washington averaged 15.8 ppg and 9.8 rebounds.
2009-2010 Season Outlook.
The Razorbacks have another Senior starter in Guard Stefan Walsh, The rest of the team is still young, but talented. One such youngster is returning starter, point guard Courtney Fortson. Fortson was second in the league in assists, while averaging almost 15 points per game. Another is lights out three point shooter Rotnei Clark, who hung 33 on Bama last year in Fayetteville. The problems for the Razorbacks lie in their depth, or in this case, lack of it. Things we made worse with the dismissal of talented Freshman Guard Jason Henry for “disciplinary” reasons. Henry was expected to play a key off the bench role. He had some explosive moments last year, including a 27 point outing versus South Carolina. Add to that the transfers of F Andre Clark and F Brandon Moore, Pelphrey’s team is woefully thin of bench talent and experience.
The Razorbacks have the starting talent to pull some upsets, but in order to compete in the West, they will need to have other players step up their game. One such player could be Junior College transfer, Jemal Farmer or the highly talented freshmen Julysses Nobles and Marshawn Powell.
The Hogs were stunned by some off season suspensions which included Welsh and Fortson, but Welsh has been fully reinstated and Fortson is once again practicing with the team. There is no reason to believe the Razorbacks won’t improve, especially with the West being in a “transition” period.
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