By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com

FAYETTEVILLE — The topic of Arkansas basketball coach John Pelphrey’s job security has been a hot one this season, especially after the Razorbacks opened the year 2-5.

But after Arkansas recorded its fifth straight win Tuesday night, beating Missouri State 66-62 in overtime in Bud Walton Arena, Pelphrey said he’s not feeling the heat.

“My focus is with this basketball team,” Pelphrey told a group of reporters. “I know who I work for. Those guys have been, to my face, very supportive and I believe them. I’m here because I wanted to come to Arkansas.”

The Razorbacks have struggled with issues on and off the court in the past year.

Five scholarship players were suspended for various violations to open the season. Home losses to Morgan State, East Tennessee State and South Alabama frustrated the fanbase. And attendance figures in Bud Walton Arena lagged.

Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long voiced his support of Pelphrey after the South Alabama loss. But Pelphrey said he hasn’t been affected by any chatter about his future.

“I don’t work for the approval of everybody else,” Pelphrey said after Tuesday’s game. “I think everybody likes nice things being said about them but I don’t wake up on a daily basis and have to have that. I know what my job is and it’s to help these young men become better individuals with school, and with ball.

“We’re going to do that. Arkansas deserves that and this program deserves that.”

Arkansas has shown much more promise the past two weeks. Its roster is intact outside of forward Michael Sanchez (foot) and point guard Courtney Fortson (suspension). The Razorbacks grabbed their best win of the season in beating Missouri State, which had won 10 straight games to start the year.

They also did it in front of a season-high crowd of 10,853 in Bud Walton Arena.

Pelphrey cautioned that the recent success doesn’t mean the struggles are all a thing of the past. Especially with Baylor, Alabama-Birmingham and Texas up next on the schedule.

But Pelphrey said he likes the direction the Razorbacks have been headed in lately.

“Our character is growing,” Pelphrey said. “I’m excited about the three guys we signed and the guys we’re going to have the opportunity to sign down the road. This is where I want to be and nothing weakens that resolve. I know we can’t win every game we play but we’re going to work toward that.”

Merry Christmas
Arkansas forward Glenn Bryant described Tuesday’s win as an “early Christmas present.”

It’s hard to argue. The Razorbacks’ win against the Bears pushed them into a week-long break with a five-game win streak. It also provided more confidence for a group that will next play Baylor in Little Rock on Dec. 30.

“It was huge for us,” guard Rotnei Clarke said. “That is basically all we talked about is being able to finish off strong. We were just focused on getting our seventh win and going into the Christmas break knowing we have some momentum. That is what we really needed.”

Jump for Joy
Clarke, who scored Arkansas’ final 12 points in the win against the Bears, said his left knee was a little sore after the game.

And the sophomore thought he knew why.

“Maybe from all the jumping around at the end that I did,” said Clarke, who has been slowed by tendinitis. “That probably wasn’t very smart. It’s a little sore, but I’m good.”