Jim Harris with the Buzz – The 2015 NCAA Tournament

 

Each week Jim Harris appears on 103.7 The Buzz FM at 11 a.m. during the The Zone with Justin Acri and Pat Bradley. This week Jim Harris discusses the 2015 NCAA Tournament with a few upset predictions and where he sees the Hogs falling. Oh, and Jim and Pat talk in-depth about the future of Bobby Portis and Michael Qualls.

AT A GLANCE
Fresh off a run to the program’s sixth SEC Tournament championship game, No. 5 seed Arkansas returns to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008 on Thursday when it takes on No. 12 seed Wofford in the second round of the West Region. The winner will advance to play the winner of No. 4 seed North Carolina and No. 13 seed Harvard on Saturday.

• Arkansas is making its 30th appearance at the NCAA Tournament.
• Arkansas finished second in the SEC regular season standings (13-5) and at the SEC Tournament.
• Arkansas’ 26 wins are the most since 1994-95 and the second-most in coach Anderson’s career.
• Portis was named the SEC Player of the Year by the Associated Press and league head coaches.
• Portis and Qualls are the top scoring duo in the SEC at 33.0 points per game.

#RAZORFACT
Head coach MIKE ANDERSON is one of 23 current coaches in the country to lead three different programs to the NCAA Tournament, doing so at Arkansas, Missouri and UAB.

GAMEDAY #RAZORFACTS

GAME

 #5 ARKANSAS (26-8) VS. #12 WOFFORD (28-6)

DATE | TIME

Thursday, March 19, 2015 | 8:50 P.M. CT

SITE | ARENA

Jacksonville, Fla. | Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena (14,679)

TV | VIDEO

TNT

TALENT

Andrew Catalon (PBP), Steve Lappas (Analyst) & Jamie Erdahl

AUDIO

Razorback/IMG Sports Network

TALENT

Chuck Barrett (P-B-P) & Scotty Thurman (Analyst)

STATS

ArkansasRazorbacks.com

TWITTER

@RazorbackMBB | #Fastest40 | #BeatWofford

STREAK

W1

LAST 5

3-2

LAST 10

7-3

VS. WOFFORD

1-0

NCAA TOURNAMENT (APP)

40-29 (29)

LAST APPEARANCE

2008

@RAZORBACKMBB FAST BREAK FACTS
• First NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008.
• Hold a 40-29 overall record at the NCAA Tournament.
• Own a 20-9 record in NCAA Tournament openers.
• Won its first two NCAA Tournament games 10 times.
• Only other NCAA Tournament game played in the state of Florida came in 1983 in Tampa against Purdue (W, 78-68).
• Head coach MIKE ANDERSON is one of 23 current coaches to lead three different programs to the NCAA Tournament.
• Actually the 31st NCAA Tournament bid in program history, but the 1944 team was unable to participate due to a car accident.
• Made sixth SEC Tournament championship game appearance and first since 2008.
• Most overall wins (26) since 1994-95 and the most SEC wins (13) since 1994.
• Finished No. 19 in the ESPN RPI with 12 wins over the top 100.
• One of 19 teams in the nation that currently has 26 or more wins.
• Rank in the top 25 nationally in points (78.0/15th), assists (16.1/12th), assist/turnover ratio (1.4/21st), turnover margin (+4.2/7th) and offensive rebounds (13.0/23rd) – all SEC bests.
• Lead the SEC in overall scoring (78.0) and in SEC games (75.1).
• Won 31 straight games when leading at the half.
• Portis and Qualls have combined for 30+ points 22 times (16-6) and 40+ points in seven games (7-0).
• Own a 20-0 record when forcing 15+ turnovers.

COACHING MATCHUP
@RazorbackMBB
Head Coach: Mike Anderson (Tulsa ‘82)
Record at Arkansas: 85-47 (4th Season)
Overall Record: 285-145 (13th Season)
At NCAA Tournament (Appearances): 7-6 (6)

Wofford
Head Coach: Mike Young (Emory & Henry ‘86)
Record at Wofford: 217-191 (13th Season)
Overall Record: Same
At NCAA Tournament (Appearances): 0-3 (3)

FIRST TIME SINCE …

 Category/Stat  Last Time It Happened or Best Since
 26 Overall Wins 1993-94
 24 Regular Season Wins 1994-95
 NCAA Tournament Berth 2008
 SEC Championship Appearance 2008
 SEC Tournament Win 2008
 24 Wins 1997-98
 13 SEC Wins 1993-94
 7-Game SEC Win 1993-94
 6 SEC Road Wins 1993-94*
 3-Game SEC Road Win Streak 1997-98
 Winning SEC Road Record 1994-95
 7 SEC Wins by 5 Points Or Less 1994-95^
 Back-to-Back 20-Point SEC Wins 1993-94
 Ranked at the NCAA Tournament 1999

^ – Program record

* – Equals program record

FOLLOWING HIS MENTOR
Growing up in Little Rock, sophomore BOBBY PORTIS was coached during his youth AAU days by former Arkansas Final Four MVP and current Sacramento Kings assistant CORLISS WILLIAMSON. Portis grew up idolizing Williamson and on the eve of the SEC Tournament he joined his mentor as the only two Razorbacks to be named SEC Player of the Year. Portis’ SEC Player of the Year nod comes 20 years after Williamson captured his second straight in 1995.

“Coach Corliss was a father figure to me growing up. He was more than my coach. I wanted to be like him on and off the floor so everything he told me I listened to it. He was able to represent the state of Arkansas when he played and I’m happy I get to do the same.” – Bobby Portis

1K CLUB
For just the second time in program history, Arkansas has four current players with 1,000 points on its roster. The quartet of ALANDISE HARRIS, RASHAD MADDEN, BOBBY PORTIS and MICHAEL QUALLS have all surpassed the 1000-point plateau this season. The 1990-91 club (Todd Day, Ron Huery, Lee Mayberry, Oliver Miller) is the only other Arkansas team to have four active 1,000-point scorers.

2014-15
Player  Points Rank
Alandise Harris* 1,207 N/A
Rashad Madden 1,089 30th
Michael Qualls 1,053 33rd
Bobby Portis 1,014 36th
1990-91
Todd Day  2,395 1st
Lee Mayberry 1,940 3rd
Oliver Miller 1,674 9th
Ron Huery 1,550 13th

* – Harris played his first two seasons at Houston before coming to Arkansas.

IN A CLASS BY HIMSELF
In less than two full years as a Razorback, sophomore BOBBY PORTIS has put his name in the conversation with some of Arkansas’ elite players in program history. Portis is the first player in program history with 1,000 points and 500 rebounds as a sophomore. Portis is also just the third sophomore to reach the 1,000-point plateau, joining TODD DAY (1990) and SCOTTY THURMAN (1994).

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