Arkansas lacks size, but not speed or respect

BOB HOLT
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

This is the second in a series previewing SEC basketball teams.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Arkansas Coach Nolan Richardson was surprised to learn the Razorbacks were picked to finish second in the SEC West behind Auburn in a poll of media who cover the conference.
"We're second?" Richardson said Thursday upon arriving for his turn to speak at SEC media days. "Boy, tradition must be a hell of a deal.
"That's respect, baby. That's all I can say. I appreciate the respect that the media has for us."
Arkansas hasn't finished lower than second in the West (and has won it four times) in eight seasons in the SEC and has played in the NCAA Tournament 11 of the past 12 years with three Final Four appearances and the 1994 national championship, so tradition dictates the Razorbacks be picked high.
But with a roster of only 11 scholarship players -- including nine freshmen and sophomores -- and no Razorback taller than 6-5 who has played in a college game, Arkansas figures to struggle this season.
Richardson joked that if he were voting, he would pick Arkansas seventh in the West, with defending SEC champion Auburn's first and second teams taking the division's top two spots.
"Tradition gives you a lot of things that ordinarily you shouldn't have," said Richardson, who is Arkansas' winningest coach with a 337-129 record going into his 15th season. "But because you've been there before, you've done it before, people feel, why shouldn't you do it again?"
There was no formal SEC coaches' poll taken at media days, but several said they expect the Razorbacks to again be a conference power despite their lack of size and experience.
"When you have consistency on the coaching end of it like Nolan's had at Arkansas, and those players understand and appreciate what needs to be done, believe me, the Razorbacks will be ready," Kentucky Coach Tubby Smith said. "They may be small this season, but they're quick, and that makes them all the more dangerous the way Nolan likes to play."
Richardson said this may be the quickest team he's had at Arkansas and that the Razorbacks need to exploit that by playing faster than ever on both ends of the court, pressing and trapping at every opportunity to force turnovers and pushing the ball on the fast break.
"If we were to line up and a team was coming into our gym today, I'd tell our kids, 'Go outside and pick them up, bring them into the gym with you,' " Richardson said. "It's going to be real interesting how we play. I'm looking forward to it."
Richardson prides himself on being unorthodox and forcing opponents to adjust to what the Razorbacks do.
"Arkansas will always be good with Nolan Richardson there, because his style of play is so unique," Florida Coach Billy Donovan said. "Maybe they're not a tall team, but with the way they'll play -- helter-skelter, chaotic, pressing, everything they throw at you -- I still think they'll be very good.
"I don't think there's any coach in this league, that if he has to play Arkansas, will say, 'Oh, wow, this is going to be easy because they don't have anybody over 6-8,' because when you play at an extreme pace like Arkansas and people aren't used to seeing it, it's very, very difficult to handle."
The Razorbacks' guards should be their strength, led by senior Chris Walker, sophomores Brandon Dean, Teddy Gipson and T.J. Cleveland and freshman Charles Tatum.
"I don't feel sorry for Arkansas, if that's what you're trying to get me to say," LSU Coach John Brady said. "Any successful basketball team has to have good perimeter play, and certainly Arkansas' team this year starts with its guards.
"Any time you have good guards who can get out and cover people and make good decisions with the ball, that can make up for a lack of height."
Walker, asked if Arkansas' trademark "40 minutes of hell" style of play will be more tenacious than ever, smiled and said, "It might seem like 60 minutes to the teams we're playing, the way we're going to push it the whole game.
"I think it's going to be level of speed and quickness you haven't seen from us before. It's going to be like a track meet out there."
Brady winced when told Richardson wants the Razorbacks playing faster than ever this season.
"Faster?" Brady said. "He must be talking about warp speed."
Alabama Coach Mark Gottfried said he expects Arkansas "to be a heck of a team" by the time SEC play begins in January.
"I'm sure Nolan will have a few tricks up his sleeve, and he'll get his team where he wants it to be," Gottfried said. "Maybe they won't be as dominant as they've been in years past, but I think they're certainly going to be a team that you're going to have to compete with to try to win the conference."
Tradition dictates it.
Tomorrow: Mississippi State

This article was published on Friday, November 5, 1999

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