2009-10 Arkansas Season Notes

FAYETTEVILLE -From Rotnei Clarke’s season opening game school record for points to Arkansas’ five-game SEC winning streak, Arkansas’ 2009-10 season featured numerous records and honors.

* Arkansas’ five-game SEC winning streak tied for the third-longest league winning streak since Arkansas entered the SEC.* Arkansas was one of only three SEC teams to boast a five-game conference winning streak this season (Kentucky and Vanderbilt).* Led the SEC Western Division and was in hunt for division title before eventually finishing third in the division after being picked fifth in pre-season coaches poll.* Arkansas’ road wins at No. 18 Ole Miss and Georgia were the first consecutive SEC road winsin back-to-back games since 1998.* Win at No. 18 Ole Miss ended 15-game SEC road losing streak.* Arkansas 3-0 in overtime games.* Sophomore Courtney Fortson earned second team All-SEC honors as voted on by the league coaches and was named to the Associated Press’ All-SEC team as an honorable mention selection.* Freshman Marshawn Powell was one of four unanimous selections to the SEC All-Freshman Team and only one not from Kentucky. Powell was also named to Sporting News’ All-SEC Freshman team. He finished the regular season ranked third among SEC freshmen in scoring and second in rebounding with 15.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.* Senior Mike Washington became just 33rd player to score 1,000 points in school history and finished 28th on the career scoring list at Arkansas. He was also just the fifth person in Arkansas history to score 1,000 points, grab 600 rebounds and block 100 shots. He finished his career ranked in the top in both rebounds (9th) and blocks (6th).* Sophomore Rotnei Clarke became just the second Razorback in school history and 15th person in SEC history to hit 100 three-point shots in a single season. He finished the season two shy of Arkansas school record held by Scotty Thurman (1995).* Rotnei Clarke set the Arkansas and Southeastern Conference records for three-point baskets in a game with his 13 against Alcorn State to open the season. Clarke scored a school record 51 points in the contest and set or matched seven school and conference records in the process.* Rotnei Clarke and Courtney Fortson each earned SEC Player of the Week honors while Marshawn Powell was named SEC Freshman of Week one time.* Arkansas rallied from halftime deficits six times this season including five in Southeastern Conference play. One rally saw Arkansas come back from a 15-point halftime shortcoming on the road at Georgia.* Due to injuries and suspensions, Arkansas did not have its full roster available for any one of its 32 games.* As part of proactive approach to disciplinary matters, four players missed a total of 25 games due to suspension including two games with four players suspended, three games with three players suspended and six games with two players suspended.* Three players missed a total of 32 games with injuries including key forward Michael Sanchez who played in only four of 32 games. Mike Washington missed three games and Rotnei Clarke missed a game due to injury.

Other Notes about the Razorbacks under head coach John Pelphrey* Overall record of 51-46 (.526) in three seasons under head coach John Pelphrey – 1 NCAA Tournament (2nd, 6th, 3rd SEC West)* Led first year team to SEC Tournament Championship Game, Arkansas first NCAA Tournament victory in nine years (Indiana) before eventually losing to No. 1 seed North Carolina. The Razorbacks’ appearance in the SEC Championship Game was only their fifth championship game bid in 19 seasons in the SEC.* Set school record for most wins by a UA first-year head coach (23) and became the first coach to lead the Razorbacks to the NCAA Tournament or even any type of post-season bid in his first season.* His 23 wins in 2008 was the best win total at Arkansas since 1999.* Finished second (2008) and third (2010) in the SEC West in two of his three seasons.* Pelphrey has nine wins against ranked teams in three seasons at Arkansas including three wins against top 10 teams. Four of his nine wins against ranked teams have come on road or on a neutral court.* Arkansas has defeated at least one nationally ranked team in each of the last three seasons.* Lost seven seniors from first season (2008) and had a roster including only three letterman from the previous year combined with seven newcomers (2009) in his second season.* In 2009, squad returned only 14 percent of team scoring, 17 percent of rebounding but still managed to upset two top-10 ranked opponents (Oklahoma and Texas) and win the Jim Thorpe Classic.* In 2010, improved from two wins in previous season to seven wins in SEC play and improved SEC Western Division finish from sixth place to third place.