Powell goes big, lifts Hogs in OT

Freshman scores career-high 29 points in 81-72 win over Appalachian State

By Brandon Marcello

Photo by William Moore

Arkansas' Marshawn Powell posts up against Appalachian State's Tyler Webb during Arkansas' 81-72 overtime win over the Mountaineers in Bud Walton Arena on Friday.

ADVERSTISMENT

FAYETTEVILLE — Where would Arkansas be three games into the season without three strong games from Marshawn Powell?

That may be up for discussion and plenty of varying opinions, but let’s throw this out there — without the true freshman Friday night at Bud Walton Arena, Arkansas (2-1) may have slipped up against Appalachian State for the second time in three years.

Instead, the athletic forward scored a career-high 29 points in just his third game as a Razorback in an 81-72 win over Appalachian State in overtime. The Mountaineers defeated Arkansas in a 74-67 upset in 2007 in North Little Rock.

How big was the 6-foot-7 Powell? Well, just how big isn’t left up to debate for the Hogs’ best shooter, Rotnei Clarke.

“I think he won us the game, especially down the stretch,” said Clarke, who scored a school-record 51 points a week prior against Alcorn State.

Powell continued to show why Razorbacks Coach John Pelphrey expected big things out of the Newport News, Va., native before the season, and scored six points in overtime to keep the Hogs alive in a game that was, for most of the second half, out of their grasp.

Appalachian State (2-2) came in worrying about Clarke’s hot hand. The Mountaineers hedged hard on screens, went away from playing gap defense and guards chased the sophomore across the baseline.

“I guess I watched too much of the Alcorn State game,” Appalachian State Coach Buzz Peterson said. “I just could not see running off of him and giving him many open looks.”

Clarke, who hit an SEC record 13 of 17 3-pointers against Alcorn State, attempted only six shots as a result of the Mountaineers’ defense Friday. The sophomore attempted an off-balanced 3-pointer as time expired in regulation, but the ball rimmed in and out to force overtime.

“I want to get him 20 [shots],” Pelphrey said. “We’re trying. We’re trying.”

The Mountaineers' Josh Hunter hit his only 3-point attempt with 5.6 seconds remaining to tie the game.

But there was Powell, who stepped up in Clarke’s role, hitting a 3-pointer to open overtime as the Hogs struck back with a 7-0 run to re-gain control of the game.

If there was one shot Peterson was willing to give up as a coach, Powell’s trey to open overtime was it, the former Tennessee coach admitted.

“Powell hit some big shots,” Peterson said. “We had to leave somebody open there temporarily, and he stepped up and made them.”

Powell had a match-up advantage underneath the basket from the opening tipoff, Pelphrey declared after the game.

And it was very apparent. Powell scored 16 points in the first half on 7-of-10 shooting in helping Arkansas with a 16-4 advantage in points in the paint. While it certainly didn’t change the complexion of the game, Powell had a monster, one-handed dunk to give Arkansas a 65-58 lead with 3:28 remaining in regulation.

Perhaps unexpected, especially considering how much the Hogs were leaning on the true freshman as only seven scholarship players were on the Arkansas bench as four players continue to serve suspensions.

“His speed and stamina was something we didn’t see when we were recruiting him,” Pelphrey said.

Powell was also a key factor considering the struggles of frontcourt mate Michael Washington, who didn’t hit his first field goal until the 17:44 mark of the second half.

Washington finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and began hitting jumpers late in the second half and overtime to help the Hogs. The senior looked frustrated at times in Arkansas’ 96-66 loss to Louisville in St. Louis on Tuesday night, and finished with just 9 points.

“I don’t think he’s played great these last two games,” Pelphrey said. “You say that, and he gets a double-double tonight.”

But there stands Powell, who is off to one of the best starts by a Razorback in school history. He notched double-doubles in his first two games and averages 20.3 points and 9.6 rebounds a game.

Powell is obviously talented, but Pelphrey keyed more of the freshman’s success on work ethic and his ability to accept coaching and criticism.

As for the freshman, he smiled and admitted to being surprised at the success he’s had in his first three games as a college man.

“I didn’t know I was going to do so well,” Powell said. “I thought I wasn’t ready for it, but I’m surprising myself.”

And meeting expectations.

“It’s a good start,” Pelphrey said. “I hate to tell him that’s what we expect, but that’s kind of what we expect.”

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