By Dennis A. Byrd
Arkansas News Bureau
NORTH LITTLE ROCK — Outrebounded in the first half by a much smaller Arkansas team, Baylor decided to pound the ball inside in the second half on Wednesday.
Stretching a 3-point halftime lead to 10 in the first two minutes of the second half, the Bears were never in real jeopardy the rest of the way. A Marshawn Powell 12-footer cut it to 7 with 16:13 to play, but Baylor extended its lead to 20 with 4:35 to play and it was game over.
It actually was over before that. The final was 70-47.
The take-it-inside strategy was working well for Baylor until 7-footer Josh Lomers picked up a fourth foul early in the second half. But with three other players taller than anyone on the Arkansas roster, the Bears continued dominating inside, blocking shots and making easy buckets.
Michael Washington, Arkansas’ biggest player at 6-9, did not play in the first half with a continuation of back problems he has had off-and-on all season. He had zero impact for Arkansas when he entered the game with 16:49 to play. His biggest contribution was scrambling for a loose ball that ended in a tie. Washington was scoreless in nine minutes and collected three fouls.
Arkansas coach John Pelphrey gave Washington high marks for effort, however.
“He couldn’t get his bags on the bus last night,” Pelphrey said. ”I appreciate the way he goes at it.”
The Bears (10-1) outscored Arkansas 34-16 in the paint. The loss was the first for the Razorbacks (7-5) in six games.
Courtney Fortson, suspended all season, was not on the Arkansas bench. Michael Sanchez, a 6-8 sophomore forward, has missed most of the season with plantar fasciitis — a painful foot inflammation — and was again on the bench in street clothes.
Rotnei Clarke was the big spark for the Razorbacks (7-6) in the first half, making two long-rangers and a pair of running jumpers. He got off only three attempts from outside in the second half, none of them counters.
“Once we can start hurting teams in other places, it will be easier” to get Clarke better looks, Pelphrey said.
Clarke and LaceDarius Dunn carried their teams in the first half. Dunn had three shots from outside the arc, two more inside and a free-throw for 14; Clark had three free throws to go with a pair on long balls, two running jumpers and three free-throws for 13.
Arkansas, despite being much smaller and without Michael Washington in the first half, held a 20-13 rebounding advantage at the intermission.
A layup by Dunn with just over 8 minutes to play in the first half broke a 19-19 deadlock that lasted more than two minutes.
After Clarke’s two 3s, the Bears came back with man coverage with A.J. Walton smothering the sophomore shooter. His only other field goals in the half were made moving to the basket.
