Arkansas Hosts Dayton In Big Non-Conference Showdown

AT A GLANCE
Taking the floor at Bud Walton Arena for the first time in December, Arkansas will look to snap a two-game skid on Saturday against Atlantic 10 foe Dayton on ESPN2. The meeting will be just the second between the two programs and the first since the 1990 NCAA Tournament. The Flyers are just the second A-10 program to ever visit Bud Walton Arena, as the Razorbacks own a 19-game home win streak against non-conference opponents. Starting on Saturday, Arkansas will play four of its next five games at BWA with the other contest being at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock.

HOME SWEET HOME
Entering Saturday eighth in the nation in scoring offense and second in assists, Arkansas has bolstered those SEC-leading averages during its 5-0 start at Bud Walton Arena. Behind four players in double figures, the Razorbacks are averaging 92.4 points at home on a staggering 21.6 assists. Arkansas is out-scoring its opponents 129-62 in points off turnovers at home.

#RAZORSTAT
Arkansas has scored at least 70 points in 25 of its last 26 home games and 52 of 62 under head coach Mike Anderson.

@RAZORBACKMBB FAST BREAK FACTS
• Own a 19-game home non-conference win streak.
• Held below 70 points just once over the last 26 games at BWA.
• Averaging 89.5 points over 19-game home non-conference win streak.
• Just the second game at Bud Walton Arena against an A-10 opponent.
• Start of a home-and-home with Dayton.

OFFENSE
• Rank second in the nation in assists (19.6) and eighth in scoring (85.2).
• First Arkansas team since 1993-94 Arkansas to scored 77+ points in each of the first seven games.
• Scored 70+ points in 25 of the last 26 non-conference games.
• Hold the early lead in the SEC in scoring (85.2), three-pointers per game (8.5), three-point percentage (.422) and assists (19.6).
• Eight different players have reached double figures.
• Three different players have scored 20 points in a game with someone reaching 20 points in six of eight games.
• Scored at least 44 points in seven of 10 halves at BWA.
• First time since 2000-01 that Arkansas has 20+ assists in four of the first eight games.
• Coach Anderson is 84-2 all-time when his teams pass out 20+ assists.
• Passed out 26 assists against Delaware State, good for the fourth-most under coach Anderson.
• Out-scored each opponent in bench points and 203-120 for the year.

THE #FASTEST40
• Forced its opponents into double-digit turnovers in six halves.
• Hold the early lead the SEC in steals (8.9) and assist/turnover ratio (1.6).
• Out-scoring opponents 179-109 in points off turnovers.
• Finished with a positive assist/turnover ratio in seven of eight games while two opponents has accomplished the feat.
• Scored 25+ points off turnovers in four games.
• Won the turnover battle in seven of eight games and 90 of 106 under coach Anderson.
• Forced opponents into 20 turnovers 23 times (22-1) under Anderson, including three times this season.

ONE-TWO PUNCH
Either junior MICHAEL QUALLS or sophomore BOBBY PORTIS has been Arkansas’ top scorer in seven of eight games this season. One of the two has reached the 20-point plateau in six games, while they are just one of two duos in the SEC to both rank in the top 10 in scoring. Qualls and Portis don’t just get it done on the offensive end, as they rank one and two on the team in rebounding, leading the way on the glass in the six of the last seven contests. Below is a look at the top scoring duos in the SEC.

Program Points Per Game
Levi Randolph & Ricky Tarrant Alabama 34.2
Jarell Martin & Jordan Mickey LSU 31.6
Bobby Portis & Michael Qualls Arkansas 30.9
Damian Jones & Luke Kornet Vanderbilt 30.1
KT Harrell & Cinmeon Bowers Auburn 29.9

COACHING MATCHUP
@RazorbackMBB
Head Coach: Mike Anderson (Tulsa ‘82)
Record at Arkansas: 65-41 (4th Season)
Overall Record: 265-139 (13th Season)
Vs. Dayton: First Meeting

Dayton
Head Coach: Archie Miller (North Carolina State ‘02)
Record at Dayton: 70-39 (4th Season)
Overall Record: Same
Vs. Arkansas: First Meeting

SCOUTING DAYTON
• Advanced to the 2014 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight as a No. 11 seed.
• Off to a 7-1 start for the second straight year under head coach Archie Miller, winning its last five games.
• Receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
• Picked third in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll, led by first team choice Jordan Siebert and second team selection Dyshawn Pierre.
• Lead the A-10 and rank 25th in nationally in scoring defense (56.5 ppg).
• Own a 7-0 mark this season when holding teams below 70 points.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Saturday is just the second meeting between the two programs that have over 3,100 combined wins. The lone meeting came on March 17, 1990 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Austin, Texas. TODD DAY bounced back from a season-low nine points in the first round against Princeton with 25 points against the Flyers, highlighted by the game-winning put-back at the buzzer for a 86-84 victory. Arkansas advanced to the first of its three Final Fours in the 1990s under head coach NOLAN RICHARDSON.

THIS DAY IN RAZORBACK HISTORY
Arkansas holds a 7-3 record on December 13, dating back to the start of the 1959-60 campaign. Saturday marks Arkansas’ first game on Dec. 13 at Bud Walton Arena and the first since 1989. In 1988 in Memphis, the Razorbacks defeated Ole Miss, 74-68, behind a combined 40 points off the bench from MARIO CREDIT (24) and LENZIE HOWELL (16).

PUT TO THE TEST
Dayton will be Arkansas’ third game of the young season against a top 50 RPI team, according to the latest NCAA RPI rankings. The Flyers come in at No. 40, while Arkansas is No. 22. The Razorbacks’ other two top 50 RPI games have both come on the road at Iowa State and at SMU. Arkansas’ three road non-conference games are its most since 1993-94. The current NCAA RPI rankings feature 13 teams (16 games) in the top 100 on this year’s schedule.

STARTING 5 QUICK 5 HITS
#00 | Rashad MADDEN (G)
• Only player in the SEC averaging at least 10 points (10.0) and five assists (5.8).
• 24th nationally and second in the SEC in assists per game (5.8).
• Led the team in assists the last six games and seven times on the year.
• Among the SEC active leaders in career points (840/4th) and assists (252/3rd).
• 160 points shy of becoming the 36th player in Arkansas history to score 1,000 points.
#05 | Anthlon BELL (G)
• 123 points in his last 148 minutes played at Bud Walton, hitting 31-of-52 from three.
• Third on the team at 11.4 points per game.
• SEC leader in threes per game (2.6) and total three-pointers (21).
• Scored 20 points in four of his last 13 games dating back to last season.
• Arkansas is 15-2 all-time when he reaches double figures
#24 | Michael QUALLS (G)
• Averaging 21 points and 9.0 rebounds the last two games at home.
• Reached the 20-point plateau in four of the last six games.
• Second on the team and eighth in the SEC in scoring (15.4).
• Earned first career SEC Player of the Week honor on Monday, Dec. 1.
• Has six 20-point games in his last 17 contests after one over the first 55 of his career.
#02 | Alandise HARRIS (F)
• Scored his 1,000th career point (Houston & Arkansas) at Clemson.
• Had a season-high 15 points in 18 minutes at Iowa State.
• Reached double figures three times and 50 times over his career.
• Started all seven games he’s played in.
• Missed the last home against Iona with a foot injury.
#10 | Bobby PORTIS (F)
• Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 & a candidate for the Oscar Robertson Trophy.
• Top 15 in the SEC in both scoring (15.5/7th) and rebounding (6.5/11th).
• Reached the 20-point plateau twice.
• Scored 24 points in the season opener, the most in an opener by a Razorback since 2009.
• Has hit 7-of-10 from three-point land on the season.