FAYETTEVILLE — Guards Patrick Beverley and Gary Ervin will not participate tonight in Arkansas' Red-White game at Walton Arena.
Coach John Pelphrey said Thursday he was not satisfied with the players' efforts off the court or in the classroom, so they will not play tonight. Sophomore forward Michael Washington also will not play as part of his ongoing punishment for violating team rules earlier in the fall.
With freshman guard Nate Rakestraw sidelined after breaking a finger on his right hand, that means only 10 Razorbacks will suit up for the 7:05 p.m. game. Pelphrey hadn't split his players into teamsThursday and said he could shuffle them around during the scrimmage.
Pelphrey sent a clear message by holding out two of the top returning players from last season. He said he expects Ervin's and Beverley's punishment to be only one game.
"Those guys like the responsibility and stuff that comes with being a very good player, but, by the same token, away from the court I am not getting that same overachieving quality I want to get," Pelphrey said. "If we can get that done by missing this game, that's going to help us down theroad. Because we are going to get it corrected, whether it means missing a Red-White game or Georgia or whoever."
Beverley and Ervin took part in Thursday's practice.
"I shouldn't be dealing with the stuff I am having to deal with from those two guys," Pelphrey said. "My thing is, you can't want to be one of the better players on your team and choose to be a no-minute guy in other areas of your life. That's unacceptable.
"So, let's go perform the way you should in the classroom and all the other things important to being a student-athlete."
The Razorbacks are mostly untested in the backcourt without Ervin and Beverley. Ervin, a senior, started two years at Mississippi State and last season at Arkansas. Beverley was a freshman All-American and the SEC Newcomer of the Year last season. He was included Thursday on the preliminary watch list for the Wooden Award, given to college basketball's player of the year.
The Razorbacks are the media's pick to win the SEC Western Division title this season and have been included in several preseason Top 25 polls, but they'll need quality minutes from Beverley and Ervin.
"Basically, we're our leaders," Ervin said. "If anything goes wrong, regardless of who it was,even if it's the minor mistakes that we make in practice or just being human beings, we're going to get penalties for it.
"I'd love to be out there. We all worked hard through our offseasons and we all did everything as a team. So I think I let my team down by not playing in a game such as this. The consequences have to be paid for."
Beverley said the decision was good for "the bigger picture."
"It means he's got discipline on this team," senior swingman Sonny Weems said. "If he sits starters down, he's setting anexample. Everybody's got to follow the example."
Ervin's and Beverley's absence will give the Razorbacks an extended look at freshman guards Marcus Britt and Levan Patatsia, but Pelphrey wants to make sure his backcourt tandem - and Washington, for that matter - don't test his patience again.
"Maybe it will help these guys become better parts of our basketball team," Pelphrey said. "Maybe some of our other guys will learn from their peers' mistakes."Red-White game WHEN 7:05 tonight WHERE Walton Arena, Fayetteville TICKETS Admission is $5 at the door. The game is part of Arkansas' season ticket package.
Sports, Pages 27 on 10/26/2007