Tag: Arkansas Georgia

Razorbacks pull off largest road series win in history

Georgia isn’t No. 2 in the SEC. The Dawgs were No. 2 in the nation. Arkansas is turning a corner.

The Arkansas softball program has been so used to high-level success in the last half-decade or so that the 2024 season had felt like something of a disappointment.

If the weekend’s results are anything to go by, however, things may be headed back the positive direction for the Razorbacks.

Arkansas beat No. 2 Georgia on Monday in the series finale, 8-2, to take two of three from the Bulldogs in the set. By doing so, Arkansas sealed its eighth straight road SEC series win and set a record for highest-ranked team defeated in a series in history.

Overall, the Razorbacks are 26-9, but have a 5-4 record in SEC play, a mark good enough for sixth in the conference. Arkansas finished fifth last year and first-place in the two previous seasons.

The series clincher was sealed when the Hogs scored five runs in the seventh inning. Hannah Gammill cracked a three-run home run to finish the scoring in the frame and provide the ultimate final score. The home run was her second of the game as she hit a solo shot in the second, one inning after Raigan Kramer opened the scoring with one in the first.

Things don’t get much easier on the upcoming weekend. No. 13 Missouri visits Bogle Park for a three-game series starting Friday.

Column: Devo Davis, a Razorbacks icon, rightfully cheered in return to Hogs

Devo Davis is an Arkansas native who has given all four years to his home-state flagship school and helped the team to three Sweet Sixteens all as a starter. He deserves adoration.

The Arkansas basketball team has been at its best over the course of the last three seasons and this partial one when Devo Davis isn’t in a scorer’s role. Saturday against Georgia, Arkansas was near its best.

Relatively, of course, but with Davis back for his first game in two weeks after taking a leave of absence January 27 against Kentucky, the senior guard from Jacksonville did what he has always done best, playing high-quality defense, distributing the basketball when called for and rebounding better than most guards his size.

Arkansas may have made the Sweet 16 last year with Davis as a scorer – he was one of five players who averaged double figures in scoring last year – but defense and facilitiation has always been his calling card. Not offensive efficiency. And because the Razorbacks have struggled this season, Davis’ career-low points-per-game and shooting numbers have made him a goat among fans who have become frustrated.

When he left the team before Arkansas’ game against Kentucky two weeks ago, with the school choosing not to provide a reason, those fans assumed the worst. And, boy, were the assumptions horrible. But the reasonable folks had his back and showed during his return against the Bulldogs they appreciated everything he has provided the Razorbacks the last three-plus years as cheers and hoots-and-hollers resounded through Bud Walton Arena when he stepped onto the floor upon his return.

It was good see. And hear. Davis should, no matter what occurs the rest of the season, hold a place in Arkansas fans’ hearts forever. For a state that prides itself on isolationism, Davis should be a king as a home-grown (he’s from Jacksonville High) player who chose to stay home for all four years of college. Not only stay home, but play at a high level for all four of those years. He’s been starting since his freshman season.

His stats against Georgia were indicative of the player he truly is. Davis scored four points, grabbed four rebounds, doled out three assists and came up with two steals against the Bulldogs. Just the sort of stat line that complements a team of scorers.

Whatever happens with Arkansas basketball the rest of the way, the Razorbacks are a better team with Davis on the roster. Hogs fans should be glad he’s back.

Beyond the box score: Devo Davis back to stat-stuffing ways for Arkansas

Arkansas had fast hands on defense and efficient shooting on offense in the Hogs’ much-needed win over Georgia.

Arkansas basketball is in the midst of its roughest season in more than a decade. Some fans, according to social media where everyone is reasonable, of course, have given up on the Razorbacks.

Those who have stuck around saw their favorite basketball put together a high-quality performance Saturday and leave Bud Walton Arena with a 78-75 win over a Georgia team that is better, too, than it has been in years.

Things were hardly glimmering for the Razorbacks. They are nowhere near the same bunch that has made the last three Sweet Sixteens. But as the aphorism goes, perfection is the enemy of progress.

Truth is, Arkansas beat Georgia in just about every major statistical category in the game Saturday. Not only that, but coach Eric Musselman said after the game he was glad that the team’s heart and hustle, which had been increasing over the last several games, stayed high, leading to what he called more wins on 50-50 plays.

Let’s take a look at the numbers and beyond and check just what allowed the Hogs to come out with the win Saturday ahead of an even bigger game Wednesday when Tennessee visits.

Photo gallery: Arkansas plays complete game in win over Georgia

Finally, some highlights to actually look upon for Arkansas basketball fans, including Devo Davis looking like he hasn’t missed a beat.

When adjusting expectations game-to-game instead of looking at season-to-season, what the Arkansas basketball team did against Georgia on Saturday resulted in one of the Hogs’ best wins in the last couple months.

Not that there have been all that many to compare against.

Still, Arkansas was good on offense (shooting 57%) and defense (21 points scored off 14 Georgia turnovers) in its 78-75 win. And the return of Devo Davis after a two-week absence provided plenty of emotion and want-to for his teammates in front of a Bud Walton Arena crowd that was itching for a quality game from their Razorbacks.

Many times this season, Arkansas’ box score was Tramon Mark, one other player who changed often, and almost no one else when it came to scoring. Mark scored his – 13 points – but four other Arkansas players joined in him double figures, including Makhi Mitchell, who has now scored in double figures for four straight games after scoring a total of 18 points in his previous eight games.

The hour is almost certainly too late for Arkansas to make an NCAA Tournament push, but alter those aforementioned expectations and realize this team could still get a postseason, anyway.

What Eric Musselman said after Hogs prove mettle in win over Georgia

Makhi Mitchell. El Ellis. Keyon Menifield. Devo Davis. Tramon Mark. Arkansas had balance against the Bulldogs.

Eric Musselman has been quick to point out that his team continually showed effort and a no-quit throughout the difficult season, especially in SEC play.

On Saturday, that effort resulted in a rare win.

The Razorbacks led for most of the game Saturday against Georgia and when the Bulldogs had the lead in the final minutes, Arkansas didn’t roll over, despite what some fans have said is a team that lacked heart.

Devo Davis, who took a leave of absence from the team two weeks ago, returned earlier in the week and played in his first game since. He scored just four points, but had three rebounds, two steals and three assists, including on the game-winning basket to an open Makhi Mitchell for a lay-up in the final minutes.

Musselman, who often points to Arkansas’ individual plus-minus stats after the game as a mark of how a player performs, pointed out that hustle was a big reason for the Hogs’ win. Davis, by the way, led in that statistic, too.

Arkansas’ coach was quick-worded on the microphone after the game. He clearly felt good, but with Tennessee in Bud Walton Arena on Wednesday, Musselman isn’t making any big plans for the next several days.

Here’s what he had to say after Arkansas’ win.

Devo Davis huge in return as Arkansas holds off Georgia

Devo Davis played 35 minutes and provided the assist on Arkansas’ game-winner against Georgia.

Devo Davis found Makhi Mitchell for a go-ahead lay-up with less than a minute left to break a tie game and then made a free throw seconds later to seal Arkansas’ 78-75 win over Georgia on Saturday.

Davis played in his first game in two weeks after taking a leave of absence from the team before Arkansas (12-11, 3-7) played Kentucky on January 27. No reason was given for his leave, nor for his return. Fans were left bewildered, some even angered, wrongly.

They shouldn’t be now.

Arkansas’ win kept the Razorbacks above .500, a mark the team has never fallen below in coach Eric Musselman’s four-plus seasons.

Davis played 35 minutes in his return, scoring four points, grabbing four rebounds and dishing out three assists. Five of his teammates scored in double figures, led by Keyon Menifield and El Ellis, who each scored 15 points.

The Razorbacks led most of the game, but a stretch of nearly four minutes without a field goal in the middle part of the second half allowed Georgia to pull close. But when Ellis buried a 3 with 1:41 left, he provided Arkansas with the first lead of more than a single point either team had had since before the final media timeout.

Silas Demary led Georgia with 19 points while Jordan Hill added another 18.

Arkansas shot 58% from the field and scored 21 points off Georgia’s 14 turnovers as the key. The Hogs are back at home Wednesday against Tennessee in a game the Volunteers will want as they seek to secure a No. 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Arkansas basketball vs. Georgia: How to watch, stream, listen

If you’re an Arkansas fan and not curious how Devo Davis will play in his return, you’re not actually an Arkansas fan.

NCAA Tournament hopes for the Arkansas basketball team are all but finishing with a month left in the regular season. At this point, the Razorbacks are playing to avoid the status of Worst Team Since.

The question is since when.

Arkansas can avoid becoming the worst team since 2008-09 on Saturday. To do so, the Razorbacks must beat Georgia in Fayetteville. Georgia won the teams’ first meeting in early January handily. The ESPN Basketball Power Index gives Arkansas the edge at home, though.

That 2008-09 team finished 14-16 overall and 2-14 in the SEC. To be clear, beating the Bulldogs on Saturday would ensure Arkansas doesn’t finish league play as bad as John Pelphrey’s bunch did that year. But the Hogs’ overall record, which sits at 11-11, is still iffy.

Arkansas has never been under .500 in coach Eric Musselman’s four-plus seasons. The man who has led Arkansas to three straight Sweet Sixteens has been at sea, wondering what has gone wrong with his Hogs team that was a preseason Top-25 bunch.

While it may be too late in the year to figure it out now while getting rewarded with a postseason berth, Arkansas does, at least, still have pride to play for.

Here’s how you can catch them take on UGA.

ESPN thinks Arkansas will beat Georgia on Saturday in Davis’ return

If the Hogs were to beat UGA in Devo’s return, at least a frustrated fan base could feel happy for a few days, anyway.

In the midst of the worst Arkansas basketball season in a decade and perhaps the most disappointing Arkansas basketball in a generation, the normally optimistic Razorbacks fan base has been left to wonder just what’s next.

A bout of good news, perhaps?

Arkansas will host Georgia on Saturday from Bud Walton Arena and 5 p.m. and, according to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, the Razorbacks have a 51.5% chance of heading home that night victorious. A win would be a badly needed boon for the Hogs, who have never fallen below .500 in coach Eric Musselman’s four-plus seasons running the show. A loss against the Bulldogs would snap that skid.

Georgia beat Arkansas in the teams’ first meeting in early January. The Razorbacks looked listless in Athens and ultimately fell to 0-2 in conference play. It hasn’t gotten much better as Arkansas is now 11-11 overall and 2-7 in the SEC.

Saturday’s game will mark the return, too, of guard Devo Davis, who missed the last three games, having taken a leave of absence from the team. No reason was provided, which fueled Bobby’s-and-Susie’s grapevine, what with a fan base angered, looking for someone to blame.

Most of the response to Davis’ return to the team earlier this week was positive. He is a Jacksonville High graduate and responsible for lifting Arkansas to the Elite Eight his freshman season. And a win over Georgia might allow the Hogs and their fans to keep happy.

For a while, at least.

Photo gallery: Arkansas basketball falls at Georgia

Was Wednesday the end of Arkansas’ Big Dance hopes? The pictures tell a bigger story than you may think.

These are photos for the record book. Just not in a good way.

The Arkansas basketball team lost its second straight game, starting 0-2 in SEC play Wednesday night upon a defeat at the hands of Georgia.

That’s expected-to-be-bottom Georgia beating expected-to-be-top Arkansas. No, the Razorbacks were not supposed to win the SEC, per se. But they were considered a top five. The same with UGA. The Bulldogs were not expected to finish dead-last, but bottom five.

Instead, they’ve flipped. Arkansas’ NCAA Tournament hopes are hanging by a string. Yes, even on January 11, 2024. The common threshold of 20 wins to make an NCAA Tournament at-large bid means Arkansas has to go 11-3 the rest of the way.

Arkansas didn’t even go 11-3 in nonconference.

Thus, the history. Wednesday’s game against Georgia may have been the nail in Arkansas’ NCAA Tournament coffin, stopping the Hogs at three straight Sweet 16s.

X Feedback: Razorback hoop fans losing interest on social media

Following Wednesday’s loss to Georgia, Razorbacks fans shared their feedback on social media

It wasn’t as bad as a 32-point loss at home, but the Arkansas basketball team’s 76-66 loss at Georgia on Wednesday night only lessened the interest of Hog fans on social media following the game.

Fans seemed almost numb on Saturday after the Razorbacks’ historic 83-51 loss to Auburn. A few fans did try to focus on the silver lining Wednesday night, after the Hogs did put up much more of a fight against the Bulldogs.

Here is a sample of the scuttlebutt that was posted on X after the game: