By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ players have never been in Louisville’s Freedom Hall, but coach John Pelphrey said the Razorbacks are in for a treat when they play Seton Hall there Wednesday night.
“This is a great venue to play basketball,” Pelphrey said. “They’re going to be blown away at how nice this arena is. The background is terrific. It’s dark. It’s a great place to play.”
The compliment is surprising, considering the source. Pelphrey is a Kentucky alum who refers to Louisville as “southern Indiana” because “we don’t really claim that as part of the state.”
But Pelphrey has plenty of experience. The Kentucky native has played his share of games in the legendary arena in both high school and college. His memories go even further back, too.
“When I was a kid the state tournament used to bounce back and forth between Freedom Hall and Rupp Arena,” Pelphrey said. “I can remember being 8,9, 10 years old our family vacation was going to the state tournament. We didn’t go to the beach or whatever. We went to the state tournament.”
Pelphrey’s first trip back to Freedom Hall in some time will be one down memory lane. But Pelphrey doesn’t consider it a vacation. He’ll be more concerned with trying to lead the Razorbacks (5-1) to a win against the Pirates (3-3) in the first game of the SEC/Big East Invitational.
Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. and is part of a double header. Kentucky-Notre Dame will play at 8 p.m.
Two more games are set as part of the SEC/Big East challenge: Auburn-Rutgers and Tennessee-Pittsburgh will play in Pittsburgh on Dec. 11.
Pelphrey was asked why he thinks the venue for the challenge was set for Freedom Hall, which has been replaced by the Yum Center as Louisville’s home stadium. He offered one guess.
“I would say the reason we’re playing there, with Kentucky playing too, there’s no way (Louisville is) going to let Kentucky go in their building and set a record crowd,” Pelphrey said.
But Pelphrey said Freedom Hall as a great venue for shooters and hopes it will be a good experience for his team. Guard Rotnei Clarke, who leads the Razorbacks in scoring (16.5 points a game), said he and his teammates are looking forward to the opportunity in the building.
“It will be pretty cool,” Clarke said. “I’ve never been in there, never played there. So it will be something different. It’s always good to hear that it’s a good shooting background.”
No Hazell For Hall
Seton Hall will be missing a big part of its lineup Wednesday night. Guard Jeremy Hazell will miss his fourth game after suffering a broken bone in his wrist against Alabama on Nov. 19.
Hazell was averaging 24 points to start the season and was Seton Hall’s go-to player on offense. Pelphrey expects a tough test from the Pirates, though, who are 1-2 without Hazell and will be playing for the first time since Nov. 29.
“It’s pretty difficult to replace 24 points a game,” Pelphrey said. “I think having played three games since he got hurt and having a chance to practice for a week, there’s going to be a little bit of an unknown going into this basketball game about them. They really haven’t had a lot of time just to go back and practice. … They’re going to play their best game since his injury against us.”
Block Party
Arkansas big men Delvon Johnson and Glenn Bryant have been active in the paint defensively.
The two have combined for 37 of Arkansas’ 46 blocked shots, helping the Hogs enter the week ranked third in the nation in blocks a game (7.7).
“The blocked shot is a big weapon to defense and those guys are pretty good at that so far,” Pelphrey said. “Hopefully it continues.”
Schedule Conflict
Pelphrey would like to watch Arkansas play Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 4. There’s a problem, though. The Razorbacks will be at Texas, preparing for a game against the Longhorns.
The Sugar Bowl is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m., while Arkansas-Texas will tip at 8 p.m. in a game that will be televised on ESPNU.
“I want the Hogs to win that night in basketball and football,” Pelphrey said. “It would take a game for me not to watch that game.”
