FAYETTEVILLE - Through the roar of the Tad Pad crowd, a quiet man's raised voice rose above all.
The SEC Network duo of Dave Baker and former Auburn star guard Daymeon Fishback heard it and commented upon it during their telecast of the Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Ole Miss Rebels game Saturday night at Ole Miss' Tad Smith Coliseum in Oxford.
Likewise, the Razorbacks Radio Network duo of Chuck Barrett and former Arkansas star shooter Scotty Thurman heard it and commented on it.
Most importantly for Arkansas, Michael Qualls heard and heeded it.
Because Qualls heard and heeded, the Razorbacks edged Ole Miss 71-70 to avenge a 96-82 loss to Ole Miss on Jan. 17 at Walton Arena. They improved to 20-5 overall and a by themselves 9-3 second place in the SEC with Ole Miss dislodged to an 8-4 tie for third with Texas A&M.
Arkansas won at the end on Ky Madden's feed to Manuale Watkins for a baseline jumper. However the Madden to Watkins effort would have been too little to late but for Qualls heeding that his customarily calm coach vehemently meant business.
Qualls finished with the kind of game, 15 points and nine rebounds, normally shouted about rather than shouted at, but his biggest rebounds came after the Anderson animation.
"One of the guys that I really challenged and he really stepped up to the plate was Michael Qualls," Anderson said. "He was walking on air going in there getting those rebounds. We don't win the game without that."
Arkansas' 6-6 highlight film dunker and 3-ball from the corner pocket shooter and his mates ended the game badly beaten, 21-9 on the offensive boards and combined beaten 45-31 on both boards.
Chalk the beating on the boards considerably worse and the consequences of not completing great defense with rebounding as irrevocable until Qualls responded.
"Those defensive rebounds, he got two or three going down the stretch that were huge," Anderson said. "We made Ole Miss take difficult shots, but you you look at the stats, they had 21 offensive rebounds . But during that final stretch it seemed we came up with the rebounds and a lot of it was Michael Qualls was there."
MUTUAL RESPECT
Following Ole Miss defeating Arkansas on Jan. 17 at Walton Arena there was some much ado about nothing that startled both Anderson and Ole Miss Coach Andy Kennedy regarding if they had shaken hands postgame.
Both thought they had and that if they hadn't formally shaken hands it wasn't for lack of at least eye contact acknowledgement.
Anderson, both said, was preoccupied in conversation as Kennedy approached.
Their postgame comments in Oxford underscored their mutual respect for each others' teams and each other.
"My hat goes off to Andy Kennedy and his team," Anderson said. "I tell you they really get after it."
Kennedy returned the compliment.
"I told our team, I didn't think we lost the game," Kennedy said. "I think Arkansas won it."
Sports on 02/16/2015