Razorback Brew 12/21: Back Home Again

Ryan Day December 21, 2022

Good morning. Ned Stark was right, because Winter is here. The weather outside may start to look frightful, but Arkansas men’s basketball is anything but cold right now. We’ll get you set for the Razorbacks’ return to Fayetteville.

What else is steeping in today’s Brew?

Ringing in the new century
Diamond Hogs claim top-10 spot in preseason poll
And much, much more!

Rocked the vote. As Arkansas gears up for this year’s bowl game, HogsPlus.com wants to take a look back over the years and celebrate the biggest postseason performances in program history. You voted on your favorites and we’re featuring the top five this week just for you. Up today?

The first day of the new millennium saw the Razorbacks put up a fourth-quarter beatdown on the Texas Longhorns. Cedric Cobbs’ 37-yard touchdown run opened the floodgates for the Hogs, and Arkansas emerged victorious by 21 points. Go inside the 2000 Cotton Bowl as Arkansas laid waste to one of its biggest rivals.

> SIMPLY FABULOUS. If Razorback baseball will start the 2023 season inside the top 10 as Collegiate Baseball’s Fabulous 50 preseason poll has the Diamond Hogs in the No. 7 spot. It is Arkansas’ highest ranking in the publication’s preseason poll since the 2018 campaign, when the Hogs checked in at No. 3, and the Razorbacks are one of six SEC programs to crack the top-10.

Arkansas posted a 46-21 overall record in 2022 and put together the top-ranked recruiting class for the upcoming season. Click here to learn about the latest addition to the class.

> STEPPING IN. A first-career start could be on the doorstep for Cam Ball. The redshirt freshman defensive tackle has done well as a rotational piece for the Hogs’ defense, registering 28 tackles over the 12-game season, and he’ll be counted on in an expanded role in next week’s Liberty Bowl. Listen to Ball and senior defensive back Simeon Blair discuss the changes to the defense here.

> GIVE & GO. The No. 17 Razorbacks got 20-point outings from Samara Spencer and Erynn Barnum but fell to No. 16 Oregon, 85-78 in the San Diego Invitational on Tuesday. Spencer notched her first-ever double-double as she posted a career-high 10 assists to go with seven boards in the first loss of the season for Arkansas women’s basketball. She also became the third SEC player to put up a 20-7-10 stat line against a Power 5 opponent since the 2009-10 season, per Her Hoop Stats.

Saylor Poffenbarger, who had 11 rebounds and three assists, nabbed her third SEC Freshman of the Week honor earlier in the day. She’s now won the weekly award twice in a row, and three of the past four weeks. Poffenbarger continues to lead the Razorbacks in rebounds with 8.5 per game.

Arkansas wraps up their west coast trip today vs. USF, who took No. 3 Ohio State to overtime yesterday in an 88-86 loss. Stream the game on FloHoops.

> BACK HOME AGAIN. Non-conference play for No. 10 Razorback men’s basketball concludes tonight as Arkansas hosts UNC Asheville in their first home game at Bud Walton Arena in two weeks. This is the first time the two schools have ever faced one another on the hardwood, but head coach Eric Musselman is 3-0 against Big South programs in his career.

Tip-off at BWA is at 8pm, and will be broadcasted on SEC Network.

Creating possessions. Arkansas men’s basketball forced a whopping 27 turnovers in their last game, and UNC Asheville sports one of the highest turnover rates in the country. Z breaks down this perfect storm for the Hogs and more in today’s episode of The Razorback Daily.

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