Hogs crush Wake Forest

FAYETTEVILLE - Taking a big step for themselves and their Southeastern Conference, the Arkansas Razorbacks obliterated traditional ACC power Wake Forest, 83-53 in Wednesday's late night nonconference game before 9,107 at Walton Arena.

The 2-1 visiting Demon Deacons, hiring new coach Danny Manning away from Tulsa after winning only 17 games last season, are deemed down a bit from their normal standards but still a team attracting NCAA Tournament at large bid attention for those beating Wake badly and for conferences whose teams beat Wake badly.

Other than one brief Wake one-point lead, 7-6 at 14:19, Coach Mike Anderson's Razorbacks, 2-0, heading into Friday night's game against Delaware State here, bedeviled the Demon Deacons practically start to finish. Arkansas forced 20 Wake turnovers, and committing 12 to outscore the Demon Deacons, 33-16 on miscues. The Hogs their bench, especially guards Manny Watkins, Jabril Durham and Anton Beard, center Moses Kingsley and forward Jacorey Williams to wear out Wake during both halves.

"Our defense was locked in from start to finish and our bench was good from start to finish," Anderson said. "If you gave a game ball, it would be to the bench."

Starting senior guard Ky Madden concurred even as his 11 points in 20 minutes led Arkansas' scoring.

"Our bench helps a lot because you know you can play hard the whole time and then the guy coming in for you plays hard and brings energy," Madden said. "Manny played great. He really started the run with a lot of energy in the building."

Manning said his Demon Deacons got their pockets picked while incessantly trapped.

"Arkansas threw the first blow and played their style of ball creating turnovers and we didn't take care of the basketball," Manning said. "We knew what they were going to do but we didn't handle it well."

Arkansas shattered a 10-10 tie during the first half with a 15-0 run from which the Demon Deacons could only trim by one by halftime trailing 44-30 at intermission.

A dunk at 12:36 by Williams started the run capped by North Little Rock freshman Beard's 3-pointer at 9:43.

Defense keyed it as while committing five first-half turnovers to Wake's 11, the Razorbacks outscored the Demon Deacons, 15-7 on first-half turnovers and operated fast breaks that helped the Hogs outscore Wake 20-12 in the paint while matching Wake, 21-21 on the first-half boards.

The Razorbacks' first-half lead peaked at 20 with 5:37 left.

Wake took better care of the ball down the first-half stretch which helped the Demon Deacons cut it to down 14 by halftime.

Arkansas guard Anthlon Bell, 0 for 2 scoreless in the first half, and Madden nailed threes to start the second half and zoom the Hogs back up 20, 50-30 by 18:20.

Wake cut it 14 once more, down 54-40 before Razorbacks reserves Kingsley and Williams up front and guards Watkins, Durham and Beard ran the Razorbacks to a 10-0 romp and on to a rout.

By 7:37 the Hogs were up 31 on freshman reserve guard Nick Babb's 3-pointer.

Kingsley, Williams and Beard, playing as much as most starters, scored 10 each off the bench. Sophomore walk-on guard Watkins made five steals, all during the first half, while Durham dished six assists.

Madden provided one of the night's early crowd-pleasing thrills with a behind the head save of a Kingsley blocked shot and pass to Beard who hit a three.

The Razorbacks, including high-flying starter Michael Qualls, registered enough crowd-pleasing dunks for Madden to call it "Dunkville."

Bobby Portis, the star forward whose 24 points were needed to subdue hot-starting Alabama State before Arkansas, prevailed, 94-79 in Sunday's season opener, got to rest 18 of the 40 minutes Wednesday but still scored 10 as did starting Arkansas forward Alandise Harris.

Wake star forward Devin Thomas led all scorers with 19.

Significantly outrebounded by Alabama State, Arkansas matched Wake, 36-36 on the boards after Wake convincingly outrebounded North Carolina-Asheville and Tulane.

"Wake Forest, that's what they do," Anderson said. "They shoot it and go get it, but we did a good job of just hanging in there and staying in the ballpark. We rebounded by committee and stayed even on the boards."