Like it is

Something big missing for Razorbacks and fans

WALLY HALL
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

ATLANTA -- It wasn't the same.
No way, nohow.
It didn't feel right and it was more than the fact it was the sloppiest game of the day.
The fire wasn't there. Not for the Arkansas Razorbacks or for the fans who spent their hard-earned dollars to be here to support their team.
Too many firsts maybe.
This was the first time Arkansas returned tickets to the SEC Tournament and the first time the Razorbacks had to play in the opening round.
It was also the first time that when the Hogs entered the arena they weren't greeted with their war cry, a resounding Hog call.
In Arkansas' first appearance ever at the SEC Tournament back in 1992, when they walked into the arena in Birmingham, Ala., the whole joint came to a standstill as the multitude of cardinal-clad fans leaped to their feet and sent out a hog call so loud they could hear it across the street in the Sheridan Hotel.
For years that served as a warning to opposing teams that the Razorbacks were in the house and ready for business.
Thursday night the Hogs were there, but it wasn't the same.
Imagine what might have happened before if the score had been tied at 36 and Georgia had six turnovers in the next four minutes.
The Bulldogs would have been whimpering pups looking for a place to hide.
Thursday night that happened and at the end of the four minutes it was tied at 43.
Of course it took an odd series for the Hogs to finally move into their biggest lead of the night.
T.J. Cleveland, back after missing eight games, hit a three, Brandon Davis did likewise on the next possession.
Then Chris Walker made a steal, drew a foul and missed both free throws but Davis rebounded, flipped to Joe Johnson, whom Georgia did a great job on all night, and with a flick of the wrist it was 61-55 with 7:20 to play.
Georgia should have been ready to spit the bit, but Shon Coleman got three on a field goal and a free throw.
After an Arkansas miss Walker made another steal and Alonzo Lane, who had a huge game at the right time for the struggling Razorbacks, converted for a 63-58 lead with 5:40 to play.
For two minutes it was stuck there as neither team could muster much more than a good sweat.
Finally, Johnson got a floating jumper from the baseline and it was the beginning of the end for Georgia.
If the second half was tense and ugly, the first half had all the excitement of a paintball tournament without the paintballs.
At times it looked more like a Saturday Night Live skit than a basketball game between teams from the powerful SEC.
Arkansas would make a steal and immediately throw it away or vice versa.
Less than five minutes into the game Joe Johnson and Georgia's Anthony Evans were pining away on the sidelines in foul trouble.
For Georgia that meant a rather unique situation where lightly used and even more lightly regarded 7-1 junior center Robb Dryden was forced into action.
Somehow the guy who will never been confused with an Allstate agent (good hands people), put on a slip-and-slide exhibition that had him scoring 13 points, one short of his season high.
His lack of coordination was right in line with the way the first half was played.
Between them the teams had 17 turnovers, 22 fouls and both were below .400 in shooting from the floor.
Just how odd the first 20 minutes was showed on the stat sheet. Georgia had three more turnovers than Arkansas, but the Bulldogs had 11 points off turnovers and the usually greedy Razorbacks had only two.
On the whole it wasn't pretty and there's not much chance anything will make an ESPN highlight, but even against the worst team in the SEC it was something the Hogs could hold on to.
It took almost 37 minutes but the Hogs finally got something they are used to, playing in the second round.
There's just not any way they won't get up for Kentucky.
They might like to have another first.
The Hogs are 0-6 against the Wildcats in this tournament.

This article was published on Friday, March 10, 2000

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