FAYETTEVILLE -- It will be a big Sunday for the University of Arkansas basketball program.
First, the Razorbacks will play Indiana in Walton Arena on Sunday afternoon in the teams' third meeting and first in Arkansas.
Then Sunday night Sidney Moncrief will be the first Arkansas player inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
Former Arkansas coaches Eddie Sutton and Nolan Richardson previously were inducted into the College Hall of Fame.
Moncrief, a 6-4 guard from Little Rock Hall, starred on the Razorbacks' 1978 Final Four team coached by Sutton and was a consensus All-American as a senior in 1979.
Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson and Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek will fly to Kansas City, Mo., after the Indiana game to attend the Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
"I've gotten a chance to get to know Sidney since the years I've been here," Anderson said. "We've stayed in close contact. He's had a chance to come and do a couple of sessions with our players.
"He epitomizes what the Razorbacks are all about. You're talking about a 6-4 little, scrawny guy from Little Rock Hall High School. He climbed a lot of steps when you talk about where he went -- All-American, one of the best players in the NBA.
"So for him to have an opportunity to be selected for the Hall of Fame, I'm looking forward to the ceremony."
Moncrief, along with 6-4 Arkansas teammates Ron Brewer and Marvin Delph, were dubbed "The Triplets" by Al McGuire --the former Marquette coach who became an announcer for NBC in 1978 -- and the nickname has stuck for 40 years.
"I'm just proud of Sidney and what he's accomplished," Anderson said. "Obviously when you talk about the Triplets, those are the guys that really set Arkansas basketball on a plateau, and I think it has stayed at that level."
The Razorbacks were a combined 83-11 in Moncrief's last three seasons.
"I was ecstatic when I found out I was going into the College Basketball Hall of Fame," Moncrief said in March when his induction was announced. "It was always in the back of my mind, because I know how much we accomplished at the University of Arkansas as a team.
"I feel certainly it deserves recognition. I think it brings back what we did years ago."
Moncrief's induction class includes Arizona's Sean Elliott, Houston's Otis Birdsong, North Carolina's Sam Perkins, Morgan State's Marvin Webster and USC's Paul Westphal along with coaches John Kresse (College of Charleston) and Danny Miles (Oregon Tech).
Making it official
Justice Hill, a 5-11 point guard from Little Rock Christian, signed a national letter of intent with Arkansas after committing to the Razorbacks nearly three years ago.
"Justice is a quick, athletic, tough kid," Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said. "One of those pass-first guards. He can set guys up.
"Defensively, he can harass on the ball, and he's very athletic for a guy that size. He gets up. He's just got a lot of toughness that fits what we're doing.
"So we're excited that Justice will finally get a chance to be a part of the family."
Champs honored
Mike Anderson was an assistant coach on Arkansas' 1994 national championship team, which will be recognized throughout this 25th anniversary season of the title and honored at Walton Arena on March 2 when the Razorbacks play Ole Miss.
"What took place back then was some magical times," Anderson said. "I think it's great that we get a chance to honor them.
"It's hard to believe it's been 25 years. I'm sure a lot of things will come back during that time of the celebration.
"The one thing I told our guys is, 'Let's make it a special season.' Even though we have a young basketball team, I think we have some great potential."
Sports on 11/16/2018