LITTLE ROCK — Spa City is good pick, Dykes says
MOBILE, Ala. - Arkansan Jimmy Dykes, who was chosen as the guest speaker for Sun Belt Conference media days just after the decision was made to move the postseason tournament to Hot Springs in 2009, talked of the virtues of the Spa City on Tuesday.
"Once the fans go and the word gets out that even if your team is to lose in the tournament there is great golf, horse racing and a lot of things to do in that part of the country," said Dykes, who has worked the past two Sun Belt Conference Tournaments for ESPN.
"Getting the tournament on a neutral floor I think is huge. I'm a big fan of neutral-floor tournaments. That is what a tournament of that importance should be played on."
Dykes played at Arkansas for Eddie Sutton and has been an assistant coach at UALR, Arkansas State and Arkansas. He has been a college basketball analyst for ESPN since 1995 but stilllives in Northwest Arkansas.
True role player
ESPN's Jimmy Dykes spoke mostly to the coaches attending the event about the qualities he's seen in the good teams he's covered over the years.
One quality, he said, was for players to know their roles on the team. Dykes told a story about his days as a third-string point guard for Eddie Sutton's Arkansas Razorbacks.
At a game against Texas A&M, Arkansas had one point guard injured and Ricky Norton had played the entire game.
Dykes sensed his chance to finally play meaningful minutes was near when it appeared Norton was injured in the second half.
"[Norton] takes a jump shot, comes down, sprains an ankle and hobbles back to the other end. 'Dykes, get up here,' rippled down to the end of the bench. I was going to go in the game with it on the line, a three-point game against Texas A&M. Coach called timeout and I knew I was going in. I took off my warm-up jersey, and at that point Coach looked at me and said, 'What size shoe do you wear?' I said, 'Coach, I wear an 11.' He said, 'Take off that left shoe. Ricky Norton's blown out a shoe and he needs yours to finish the game.' That was my role. I didn't get to go in, but my sneaker did. And we won the game," Dykes said, drawing a laugh.
Clinton can palm it?
Among the many items supplied to the media about Hot Springs was a Bill Clinton trading card featuring the former president palming a basketball and wearing an "Arkansas Basketball" jacket.
Monroe is the man
Perhaps Florida Atlantic's Carlos Monroe should be included in player of the year discussions. Monroe was the only Sun Belt player to rank in the top three in both scoring (18.4 points per game) and rebounding (9.4) last season.
Monroe was named firstteam all-conference along with New Orleans' Bo McCalebb, Arkansas State's Adrian Banks, Western Kentucky's Courtney Lee and South Alabama's Demetric Bennett.
RPI talk
While Sun Belt men's basketball strives to improve its national standing, the women capped an impressive season by finishing eighth of 32 conferences in the NCAA's Rating Percentage Index. The Sun Belt ranked ahead of the Atlantic 10 (10th), Mid-American Conference (11th), Conference USA(13th), Missouri Valley (15th) and Western Athletic Conference (17th).
Nearing record
Western Kentucky's Crystal Kelly needs 250 points to break the all-time Sun Belt women's scoring record, which is held by South Alabama's Adrian Vickers with 2,285 points.
Impressive items
UALR Coach Steve Shields said he was "floored" when he was told of the items that will be available via auction at Thursday's Meet the Trojans Night at Dickey-Stephens Park.
The event, which helps support the UALR Tip-In Club, runs from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
and will be catered by Golden Corral. Live auction items are expected to include:
Autographed jerseys from Larry Bird and Steve Nash.
A Miami Heat basketball autographed by Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade, Jason Williams, Alonzo Mourning, Gary Payton and Antoine Walker.
Two Southwest Airlines tickets and four game tickets to see the Los Angeles Lakers vs. any NBA team. The package also includes a meet and greet with former UALR and current Lakers guard Derek Fisher.
A pair of Nike shoes autographed by Atlanta Hawks guard Joe Johnson, the former Arkansas Razorback from Little Rock Central.
Two tickets to any NBA game, plus a basketball autographed by the 2007 NBA Draft class.
Gift baskets from the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Detroit Pistons.
Tickets are $10 at the door for Tip-In Club members and $20 for nonmembers. Children under 12 get in for $5. Those interested in the Tip-In Club can join for $25 per adult or $50 per family. All proceeds help support the UALR men's basketball team. Call (501) 569-3304 for information.
Sports, Pages 28 on 10/24/2007