Hog Calls

Perfect mark has UA thinking Top 25

Arkansas women's basketball coach Jimmy Dykes speaks to his players Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016, in the basketball practice facility on the university campus in Fayetteville.
Arkansas women's basketball coach Jimmy Dykes speaks to his players Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016, in the basketball practice facility on the university campus in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Between the ruckus raised when six on the team protested by kneeling rather than standing for the national anthem before a Nov. 3 exhibition game at Walton Arena and Tuesday's announcement that sophomore guard Jordan Danberry is leaving the team intending to transfer, Coach Jimmy Dykes' Razorbacks have quietly started 6-0.

Win games tonight and Saturday, and these Razorbacks might be standing out in college basketball circles.

Some cupcakes pad the 6-0 record but there are some entrees on the menu.

Reigning WNIT champion South Dakota lost to the Razorbacks at Walton, 70-67.

At the Nugget Classic in Reno, Nev., last Friday and Saturday, Arkansas routed Memphis, 91-61 and then beat Navy's fleet of 3-point shooters 70-67 in the championship game.

So third-year Coach Dykes is "really excited to be 6-0" heading into tonight's road game with Tulsa followed by hosting Texas Tech in Saturday's 3 p.m. SEC/Big 12 Challenge game.

Add cautiously excited to Dykes' "really excited" given that Tulsa beat Arkansas 74-67 last season in Fayetteville.

"I told our ballclub this morning that this is the biggest week we've had so far," Dykes said Tuesday. "We go to Tulsa that's much better than their 2-4 record. They beat us last year. There is a little bit of a rivalry between us and Tulsa so I am sure we will get their best shot. And then Texas Tech at home in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Saturday. So competition steps up this week. We have to play really, really well."

Both Tulsa and Tech have beaten traditionally formidable New Mexico. And Tech took former Arkansas Coach Gary Blair's No. 25 ranked Texas A&M Aggies to overtime before losing on the road 98-90.

If the Dykes' Razorbacks can win tonight and knock off a Big 12 team Saturday they might blip on some women's basketball radar screens.

"If we were somehow to get to 8-0, I think people might start looking at us a little differently," Dykes said. "But that's going to be very hard to do."

It seems they might have the chemistry to do it.

While the general public displayed decidedly divergent opinions on kneeling during the anthem, the players remained remarkably and respectfully united as a team even as some teammates stood and some knelt before that exhibition game.

Though now minus Danberry, Arkansas' quality guard depth and united front led by senior All-SEC forward Jessica Jackson could have the Razorbacks approaching Top 25 consideration.

Sports on 11/30/2016

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