Razorback Roundup -- Jan. 5

RAZORBACK ROUNDUPJan. 5, 2009MEN’S BASKETBALL (11-1) Arkansas beat No. 4 Oklahoma at home and North Texas in Alltel Arena in North Little Rock last week. In the two games, junior pre-season All-SEC forward Michael Washington averaged 29.0 points and 11.0 rebounds while shooting 81.5 percent from the floor (22-27). Washington has seven double-doubles this year and leads the SEC in rebounding (10.4). Freshman Courtney Fortson leads the SEC in assists (7.3) and freshman Rotnei Clarke leads in three-point percentage (.427). The Razorbacks play host to No. 7 Texas on Tuesday at 8:05 p.m. in a game nationally televised by ESPN2 and open conference play Saturday by hosting Mississippi State at 7 p.m. in a game televised by FSN.WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (11-4) Closing the non-conference season at 11-4, Arkansas begins conference play this week with LSU at home on Thursday at 7 p.m. and Kentucky on the road Sunday at 1 p.m. Freshman Ceira Ricketts emerges as the team leader in scoring after the first 15 games of the year. Ricketts is averaging 13.7 ppg and 4.3 rpg, and also leads the team in field goal percentage (49.4%) and steals per game (3.0). The Razorbacks have four players in double digits after a three-game week in which several players scored season or career highs. Sophomore Brittney Richardson shattered her career high with 18 points and five three-pointers in Arkansas’ loss at Texas Tech, 75-60.FOOTBALL Arkansas has made it into the finals of the Pontiac Game Changing Performance of the Year. The Razorbacks’ game winning play against LSU in the season finale is one of four remaining candidates in the competition. Fans can vote for Casey Dick’s touchdown pass to London Crawford at Pontiac.com/ncaa or by visiting ArkansasRazorbacks.com. Voting ends at midnight on Tuesday, Jan. 6. A donation of $100,000 will be made to the winning school. If Arkansas wins, the donation will be given to support U.S. Veterans scholarships at the University of Arkansas.MEN’S GOLF The Hogs return from the off-season Feb. 23 at the John A. Burns Intercollegiate in Hawaii for their first tournament of the spring.WOMEN’S GOLF Arkansas returns to action at the LSU/Cleveland Golf Classic in Baton Rouge, La., March 13-15.GYMNASTICS The 12th-ranked University of Arkansas gymnastics team opens the 2009 season Friday against No. 21 Ohio State, meeting the Buckeyes for the first time in program history. Arkansas is paced by lone senior Alex LaChance and the program’s first All-Americans in Casey Jo Magee and Michelle Stout. The Razorbacks have five regular-season home events and host the 2009 NCAA South Central Regional this year.SOCCER Erin Aubry was named the new head soccer coach on Dec. 23. Aubry served as the head coach at Morehead State during the past four seasons. In 2008, she led the Eagles to the program’s first Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) title and its first NCAA Tournament appearance. Aubry is the seventh head coach in school history and will inherit a Razorback team that finished 11-8 last season after a school-record 9-1 start. Arkansas hasn’t advanced to the SEC Tournament since 2000. Aubry recently completed her fourth season as head coach at Morehead State. The Eagles finished the 2008 season with a 9-9-3 record, including 4-2-2 mark in conference play.SWIMMING AND DIVING (6-1, 2-1) The No. 22 Razorbacks kick off the spring semester on Saturday hosting No. 20 Missouri and Kentucky. The Razorbacks have already broken four school records this fall and look to continue their success throughout the spring. Saturday’s meet begins at 2 p.m. at the Arkansas Natatorium.MEN’S TENNIS The Razorbacks will be back on the court Thursday, Jan.15, at the SEC Indoor Invitational in Lexington, Ky.WOMEN’S TENNIS Arkansas is back in action on Saturday, Jan. 17, for the Virginia Collegiate in Charlottesville.MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD Arkansas hosts the Arkansas Quad Friday at the Randal Tyson Track Center. Field events begin at noon with running finals starting at 5:30 p.m. The Razorbacks return eight All-Americans for the 2009 season, including 2008 NCAA indoor triple jump champion Nkosinza Balumbu. Friday’s meet is the first for Arkansas under new head coach Chris Bucknam.WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD Arkansas hosts the Arkansas Quad Friday at the Randal Tyson Track Center. Field events begin at noon with running finals starting at 5:30 p.m. The Razorbacks return five All-Americans for the 2009 season as head coach Lance Harter enters his 19th season with the Arkansas program. OLYMPIC SPORTS PRESS CONFERENCETuesday at 1 p.m. in the Barnhill Arena interview room.