Razorbacks look for season sweep

The University of Arkansas basketball team has won five of its last six games including a victory over the University of Florida at home and look to take a season sweep over the No. 5/4 Gators at the O’Connell Center on Saturday, Feb. 23, at 6 p.m. in a game televised by ESPNU.

Arkansas (17-9, 8-5 SEC) won its third straight game on Thursday night, defeating the Georgia Bulldogs, 62-60, at Bud Walton Arena.  The win provided head coach Mike Anderson, who is in his second year at the helm of the program, his longest winning streak in league play since he took over and has Arkansas poised to make a run at one of the top four seeds at the SEC Tournament.  The Razorbacks are 3-3 against teams in the top 50 of the RPI.

Freshman Anthlon Bell stepped up when his name was called against Georgia, hitting each of his first three three-point attempts on way to a 17-point night.  His career night bolstered the Razorback offense early and the Razorback scoring leaders, junior Marshawn Powell and sophomore BJ Young, took care of the late heroics.  Powell, who was in foul trouble most of the night, sank a three late to tie the game and scored inside before Young sank a tough layup in the closing seconds to put the Razorbacks ahead.

Florida (21-4, 11-2 SEC) certainly had this game circled once they dropped their first conference game of the season in Fayetteville earlier this month.  The Gators were overrun by an aggressive and inspired Arkansas team at Bud Walton Arena and has its sights set at evening the season series with the Razorbacks.  Florida was swept by both Kentucky and Tennessee last season.

The first meeting between the two schools saw eight Arkansas players score seven or more points with Young leading the way at 13 and Powell and Qualls netting 11.  The Razorbacks were able to force 16 Florida turnovers and score 21 points off the miscues and got great bench production with 40 points compared to Florida’s 12.

Florida leads the all-time series between the two programs, 15-11, and the Razorbacks ended a five-game losing streak to the Gators this season.

The Razorback game against Florida will be broadcast on the radio across the Razorback Sports Network from IMG College with Chuck Barrett and Rick Schaeffer giving the call.  The game will also be carried live on ESPNU with Tom Hart and Matt Doherty on air.