ARKANSAS NEWS BUREAU
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach John Pelphrey wanted his team to get off to a better start after struggling throughout losses to LSU and Vanderbilt.
The Razorbacks accomplished it during its final road game at Tennessee. But it wasn’t enough to help Arkansas put an end to its late-season slide.
Tennessee’ Scotty Hopson scored 15 points and Wayne Chism added 14 to lead the 16th-ranked Volunteers to an 80-73 win against Arkansas in Thompson-Boling Arena.
The loss was the Razorbacks’ fourth straight and fifth in the past six games. It also ensured Arkansas will finish the regular season under .500 for the fourth time in the past eight years, further damaging its hopes of playing in a postseason tournament.
“I thought the guys stood in there, battled up and were a basketball team (Wednesday),” Arkansas coach John Pelphrey said during his postgame radio show.
“Unfortunately for us, we had some good looks … we just couldn’t make enough baskets.”
Arkansas (14-16, 7-8 in Southeastern Conference), which never led in its previous two losses to LSU and Vanderbilt, battled with Tennessee (22-7, 10-5) early.
In fact, the Razorbacks held a 31-30 lead after guard Stefan Welsh knocked down a 3-pointer with 4:07 left and were tied at 36-36 thanks to a bucket by Marshawn Powell at the 1:16 mark. Tennessee took a 39-36 lead into the locker room, though, after Cameron Tatum converted a steal at one end into a 3-point play on the other in the final seconds of the half.
The Volunteers got more breathing room by opening the second half with a 10-2 run. But the Razorbacks cut it to four points before momentum shifted thanks to a technical foul called on Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl.
Pearl was given the technical after arguing a charge called on Tatum. Arkansas guard Rotnei Clarke made one free throw to trim the lead to 51-48, then Tennessee ripped off a 10-0 run to grab a 13-point advantage.
“After the technical foul Tennessee really hardened up,” Pelphrey said during his postgame radio interview. “They came at us and the crowd got loud. They made some plays. I thought everything just went Tennessee’s way.”
The Hogs cut Tennessee’s lead back six points with eight minutes left, but couldn’t get any closer.
Tennessee, which had five players score in double figures, shot 54.5 percent from the field in the win.
Arkansas, led by Courtney Fortson’s 21 points on 6 of 17 shooting, made 40.3 percent from the field. Two other starters struggled Wednesday: Marshawn Powell scored eight points on 4 of 16 shooting. Clarke had nine points and was 3-for-11 from the field.
“We got some good opportunities,” Pelphrey said. “You could live with (Wednesday) because sometimes shooting is a little bit fickle.”
The loss dropped Arkansas to third in the SEC West two weeks after the Razorbacks were alone atop the division. Arkansas will close the regular season against Ole Miss in Bud Walton Arena on Saturday.
The Razorbacks must beat Ole Miss — which plays LSU in Oxford, Miss., tonight — to finish second in the division and earn a first-round bye in next week’s Southeastern Conference Tournament. Ole Miss will finish second with a win.
“We had our chances,” Pelphrey said. “We certainly had our chances (Wednesday). Any time we lose, we’re certainly disappointed.”
Television and radio broadcasts contributed to this report.
