Hogs stay low key despite current roll

Arkansas guard Jaylen Barford dribbles around a defender during a game against Oral Roberts on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in Fayetteville.
Arkansas guard Jaylen Barford dribbles around a defender during a game against Oral Roberts on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Before Paul Mills became Oral Roberts University's head basketball coach this season, he spent 14 years as an assistant at Baylor helping build the Bears into a national power.

Baylor was ranked No. 1 for the first time ever last season and has played in the NCAA Tournament six times the previous 10 years, including advancing to the Elite Eight twice among four Sweet 16 appearances.

UP NEXT

Arkansas men vs California State, Bakersfield

WHEN 7 p.m. Wednesday

WHERE Walton Arena, Fayetteville

RECORDS Arkansas 9-2, California State, Bakersfield 7-7

SERIES First meeting

TELEVISION SEC Network

RADIO Razorback Sports Network

So Mills' opinion of the Arkansas Razorbacks should carry some weight after they beat Oral Roberts 104-69 on Tuesday night in Walton Arena.

"Me having been at the Big 12 level for the past 14 years and seeing high-major basketball, they're really going to have a chance to compete very well in the SEC," Mills said. "They're a really good basketball team."

Mills said this is probably the best team Mike Anderson has had in his seven seasons at the Razorbacks' head coach.

"I'm not here to add any additional pressure to Coach Anderson. He's done a great job," Mills said. "But they're a very, very formidable opponent, as you saw when they played UConn."

The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville beat Connecticut 102-67 on Nov. 26 at the Phil Knight Invitational in Portland, Ore. The 35-point loss was the Huskies' most lopsided in 40 seasons, since Syracuse beat them 101-61 on Nov. 30, 1977.

Arkansas was shocked in its next game when Houston beat the Razorbacks 91-65. It was Arkansas' first road game of the season.

"I think a game like Houston serves as a wake-up call sometimes," Mills said. "Coach Anderson has those guys' ears on account of a Houston situation."

Arkansas (9-2) has won four consecutive games since losing to Houston, most notably 95-79 over Minnesota on Dec. 9 when the Golden Gophers were ranked No. 14.

The Razorbacks nearly were ranked this week for the first time since the end of the 2014-15 season when they were No. 18.

Arkansas was the first team in the "receiving votes" category of the most recent Associated Press top 25 poll, making the Razorbacks technically No. 26. They were the second "receiving votes" team in the USA Today coaches' poll.

Senior guard Jaylen Barford, who led Arkansas with 18 points against Oral Roberts, said he believes the Razorbacks are a top 25 team.

"I think just because we play different than everybody else," Barford said. "I don't see nobody else playing like we do. Fast-paced and getting in [passing] lanes and just tenacious on defense really."

Senior guard Anton Beard said the Razorbacks deserve more attention but being ranked isn't a major concern.

"We know we should be in the rankings, so we just take every game serious," Beard said. "Like every game is the next big one.

"The rankings will come. That's nothing we can force."

Anderson has said repeatedly what matters is where the Razorbacks stand in the national polls after the season, but that he likes his team.

"I think this team has a chance to be real special," he said. "We keep going back to the schedule. It was designed to get the guys a little sharper earlier."

The Razorbacks are No. 13 in the NCAA's Ratings Percentage Index, a ranking based on a team's record and strength of schedule.

Arkansas' opponents had a combined 79-52 record through Wednesday night's games, and in addition to beating Minnesota (9-3) and Connecticut (7-3) the Razorbacks have noteworthy victories over Oklahoma (9-1) and Fresno State (10-3).

Houston (10-2) has played well, so the Razorbacks' loss to the Cougars isn't overly damaging, and their other loss is to defending national champion North Carolina (10-2) in Portland.

The No. 5 Tar Heels lost at home to Wofford 79-75 on Wednesday night, the type of upset the Razorbacks have avoided by beating Samford, Bucknell, Colorado State, Troy and Oral Roberts by an average of 29.8 points.

Arkansas doesn't have any McDonald's All-Americans on its roster, but the Razorbacks have six seniors -- led by Barford, Beard and Daryl Macon in the backcourt with forwards Trey Thompson, Dustin Thomas and Arlando Cook --along with a rising star in freshman forward Daniel Gafford.

The Razorbacks also are getting significant contributions from sophomores C.J. Jones and Adrio Bailey and freshman Darious Hall.

"Last year at Baylor we were No. 1 in the country at a particular time, and we didn't have a single top 50 recruit on our roster," Mills said. "You win with age because 22-year-olds are better than 18-year-olds.

"Arkansas has age, and they've got guys who have been around the block and who've experienced the gauntlet of the SEC. When you have older guys who's bodies are more mature and who understand what competing at this level is like, it's pretty significant."

Anderson said the seniors have been key to the Razorbacks' impressive start.

"The credit goes to the older guys really showing some leadership and making sure I have patience with the younger guys as they catch on to what's going on," Anderson said. "Did I envision this here? That's what I hoped would take place when you have some veteran guys. But we still have a lot of areas to get better."

The Razorbacks have 10 players averaging between 30.1 and 12.8 minutes. Five players are averaging 10 or more points with Barford (18.5), Macon (15.3), Gafford (12.2), Beard (11.8) and Jones (11.1).

Arkansas outscored Oral Roberts 42-11 in bench points, led by 15 from Jones, 11 from Hall and 6 each from Bailey and Cook.

"It's usually unheard of that you can get that kind of contribution off the bench," Mills said. "So not only do they have experience, they have depth."

Macon said last week that the Razorbacks don't want to get caught up in the excitement of their start and being on the verge of the rankings and what that could mean for their NCAA Tournament chances.

"I think our ceiling is very high, but we can't look months ahead," Macon said. "We just have to stay focused right now.

"I mean, yeah, we're playing good. We're playing good as a team. We're winning by large margins. But you know you've got to stay humble and just keep working."

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Sports on 12/22/2017

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