Cook: Razorbacks a work in progress

Arkansas freshman Paige Zaziski competes on the bars on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, during the Razorbacks' meet against Florida inside Barnhill Arena in Fayetteville.
Arkansas freshman Paige Zaziski competes on the bars on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, during the Razorbacks' meet against Florida inside Barnhill Arena in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Many gymnastics teams typically work lighter intrasquad practices between meets at this point of the season.

Not the No. 17 Arkansas Razorbacks.

Gymnastics

Arkansas vs. Missouri

WHEN 7 tonight

WHERE Barnhill Arena, Fayetteville

TELEVISION SEC Network on tape delay for 6 p.m. Monday)

RECORDS Missouri 5-5, 0-5 SEC; Arkansas 4-6, 1-4

RANKINGS/AVERAGES No. 17 Arkansas 195.82; No. 23 Missouri 195.315

NOTEWORTHY The Razorbacks are holding their Flip for a Cure meet. Fans who wear pink will be admitted for $1 and the first 1,000 fans will receive earbuds with a pink pouch. … Arkansas is No. 9 on the vault (49.225), tied for No. 10 on the floor (49.165), tied for No. 17 on bars (49.0) and No. 39 on the beam (48.435). … Missouri is No. 20 on vault (49.030), tied for No. 24 on the floor (48.94) and tied for No. 26 on the bars (48.85) and the beam (48.615).

"We trained hard this week," Arkansas Coach Mark Cook said of the lead-up to today's 7 p.m. meet against No. 23 Missouri at Barnhill Arena. "We felt we needed more training time this week."

The Razorbacks (4-6, 1-4 SEC) had a disappointing score of 194.825 in a loss at Kentucky last Friday, the team's first score below 195.375 since the season opener.

"It's just the details," Cook said. "We're having some growing pains this year, but we're still a really good team.

"We have not put a complete meet together that is just super clean. We have not maximized our potential, and we've had a few meets where we've faltered."

The Razorbacks have not beaten an SEC team since upsetting No. 5 Alabama on Jan. 16 at Barnhill.

"We want to win the meet, flat and simple," Cook said. "We just need a good score. Mid to high 196 is what we're shooting for."

The Tigers (5-5, 0-5) are unbeaten outside the conference but have struggled against SEC teams. Their top score this season has been 195.975 in a loss at Florida. Arkansas has topped out at 196.65 in a tri-meet victory over Illinois State and Southeast Missouri State two weeks ago.

Three former Arkansas gymnasts will be on the coaching staffs tonight. In addition to Razorbacks assistant coaches Samantha Snider and Jaime Pisani, former Arkansas All-American Casey Jo MacPherson (formerly Magee), who is in her second year as a Missouri assistant coach, returns.

"It's just kind of surreal to have three former top-level athletes at Arkansas on the floor at the same time," Cook said.

Arkansas sophomore Amanda Wellick is ranked No. 12 in the all-around (39.25) and Razorback freshman Paige Zaziski is No. 36 (38.92).

Sports on 02/27/2015

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