O'Connell a rude host over years

Hogs try to end skid

Arkansas coach Mike Anderson react to a call during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Florida in Gainesville, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. Florida won 71-54. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)
Arkansas coach Mike Anderson react to a call during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Florida in Gainesville, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. Florida won 71-54. (AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson was in the O'Connell Center the last time the Razorbacks beat Florida on the Gators' home court, but he doesn't recall the game's details.

"I don't even remember what happened yesterday," Anderson said with a laugh.

Today’s game

Arkansas men at Florida

WHEN Noon Central

WHERE O’Connell Center, Gainesville, Fla.

RECORDS Arkansas 16-4, 5-2 SEC. Florida 11-9, 4-3.

SERIES Florida leads 16-11

RADIO Razorback Sports Network

TELEVISION CBS

There have been more than 7,000 yesterdays since Arkansas last won at Florida 94-85 on Feb. 28, 1995.

All-American Corliss Williamson led the defending national champion Razorbacks that Tuesday night with 20 points and eight rebounds.

Clint McDaniel scored 17 points, Davor Rimac had 13 and Scotty Thurman -- now Arkansas' director of student-athlete development and radio analyst -- added 12. Corey Beck and 9 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.

Anderson was in the midst of a 17-year tenure as an assistant to Arkansas Coach Nolan Richardson.

Florida Coach Billy Donovan was in his first season as a head coach at Marshall.

Lon Kruger was the Gators' coach. That was six jobs ago for Kruger, who is now Oklahoma's coach after stops at Illinois and UNLV along with stints in the NBA as the Atlanta Hawks' head coach and an assistant with the New York Knicks.

Donovan is 9-0 at home against Arkansas in a winning streak that started his first season with the Gators when they beat the Razorbacks 75-62 on Jan. 5, 1997.

The Razorbacks (16-4, 5-2 SEC) will try to keep Donovan from beating them a 10th consecutive time in the O'Connell Center when they play the Gators (11-9, 4-3) at noon today. CBS will television the game nationally.

Arkansas 6-11 sophomore forward Bobby Portis, averaging an SEC-leading 17.5 points, was 18 days old when the Razorbacks last won at Florida.

"That has nothing to do with us," Portis said of Arkansas' losing streak at the O'Connell Center. "It's just the past."

These Razorback have some experience breaking 20-year losing streaks. There are seven players remaining from last season's team that won at Kentucky for the first time since 1994.

"Streaks are meant to be broken," Arkansas junior guard Michael Qualls said. "We're going in there to give it our best shot. We're just going to try to make some noise this year."

Donovan has a 258-42 record at home with Florida, including 118-31 in SEC games.

"Billy's done a good job of creating a great environment down there," Anderson said. "They've made their place tough for teams to come in and win.

"We haven't came back on the right side of that ledger. Let's give them some credit, too."

If the Razorbacks are ever going to win at Florida again, this figures to be the year.

Florida's last home game was a 79-61 loss to LSU, which dropped the Gators to 7-3 in the O'Connell Center. In home losses to Miami (69-67) and Connecticut (63-59), Florida blew 15- and 13-point leads.

The Gators gave their fans some hope with a 52-50 victory at Alabama on Tuesday night to break a three-game losing streak.

"Their crowd is going to be into it," Arkansas freshman guard Anton Beard said. "They're going to be ready to play. We've just got to get our minds right."

Florida junior forward Dorian Finney-Smith had 22 points and 15 rebounds in the Gators' 84-82 overtime victory over Arkansas at Walton Arena last season, and junior guard Michael Frazier -- the only starter back from last season's Final Four team -- had 15 points.

The Gators have two McDonald's All-Americans in sophomore guard Kasey Hill and sophomore forward Chris Walker along with fifth-year senior forward Jon Horford, a transfer from Michigan, and junior guard Eli Carter, a transfer from Rutgers. Junior forward Alex Murphy, a transfer from Duke, plays off the bench.

"They're missing some veteran guys, so it's understandable you're going to have an adjustment period," Anderson said. "Maybe they haven't adjusted as quick as Billy wanted them to, but don't think they don't have any talent. Florida is still Florida."

Donovan said the Gators can't live off their past success whether playing at home or on the road.

"This team's got to carve out its own way," Donovan said.

Arkansas is 3-3 on the road, including victories at SMU and Georgia -- a combined 22-2 at home -- along with Missouri. The success away from Walton Arena should give the Razorbacks some added confidence today.

"Our guys feel good about themselves," Anderson said. "That's a big part of playing winning basketball."

The Razorbacks have won three in a row over Alabama, Missouri and Tennessee by a combined eight points.

"These guys, they think they're one of the better teams in the country," Anderson said. " Now, are they playing like one of the better teams in the country?

"We're finding ways to win, but I know we can play better."

Sports on 01/31/2015

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