Arkansas rolls over No. 5 Tide

Posted 6:22AM on Thursday 21st February 2002 ( 23 years ago )

FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - Arkansas' fans got the message from coach Nolan Richardson just as clearly as his players. With less than three minutes to play in the first half against No. 5 Alabama (22-5, 10-3 Southeastern Conference), Richardson sent Charles Tatum and T.J. Cleveland to the scorer's table and the students went wild. They appreciated how hard Tatum and Cleveland had worked to help the Razorbacks (13-12, 5-8) build a lead and they wanted them back on the floor. After Jannero Pargo hit a 3 for 32-16, Tatum and Cleveland stayed on the bench. But, Tatum, Cleveland, Larry Satchell, Carl Baker and Alonzo Lane started the game and the second half and they were on the floor throughout the final 5.5 minutes of a 67-59 victory. Lane played 21 minutes and Satchell 26. Tatum and Cleveland were in for 33 minutes each and Baker played 34 minutes. Each scored at least six, but only Tatum was in double figures with 20. Most of all, they competed on the backboards, challenged shots, and played excellent half-court defense. When Richardson announced his starting lineup, the five were averaging a total of 16.2 points per game and that provided ammunition for those in the media room. Prior to Wednesday night, the five had started a total of 13 conference games. ``I started my blue collar offense,'' Richardson said. ``Blue-collar players put defense first. They think shoot second. You don't need as many players when you play the type of ball we played.'' In fact, Jannero Pargo and Brandon Dean played seven minutes each and their only offensive contribution was Pargo's 3. In a dozen previous SEC games, Pargo had played 348 minutes and Dean 340 far more than anybody else. Between them, they had attempted 114 of the Razorbacks' 303 shots. Arkansas' shooting against Alabama was subpar as it has been much of the year, but 38.5 percent was dazzling up against Alabama's 25 percent. The Crimson Tide's figures included 4-of-33, 12.1 percent in the first half. Alabama coach Mark Gottfried pointed a finger at his veterans, including junior Rod Grizzard who missed all nine of his shots. ``I tried to make some tough shots,but they were playing good defense,'' Grizzard said. ``Baker smothered Grizzard,'' Richardson said. ``He made me force some shots that I didn't really want to take,'' Grizzard said. Gottfried said the Razorbacks played good defense, but that Alabama had the same shots last game when it scored 95 against Tennessee. ``They just didn't fall,'' he said. ''...when you shoot 16-of-64 you just can't win.'' Tatum's third 3 of the first half made it 25-10 and, after Cleveland swiped the ball from Kenny Walker, Tatum made another 3 for 28-12. ``Charles Tatum was the best player on the court tonight,'' Richardson said. Making only his third start of the year against an SEC team, Tatum said, ``We weren't in there to score points. We were defensive minded.'' Earnest Shelton led Alabama with 18, including consecutive 3s that cut it to 50-39, but he was only 4-of-13 from the field. Maurice Williams scored 17, but he was 6-of-17. Alabama trailed by 14 at the half, but Erwin Dudley's three-point play sliced the Arkansas lead to 50-42 with 9:22 to play and there were immediate reminders of Razorback collapses earlier in the year. But Satchell and J.J. Sullinger attempted two shots each before Satchell's rebound basket increased the lead to 10. Arkansas did not score a field goal in the final 7:40, but Baker made two free throws for 56-49 at the 5:15 mark and Lane did the same for 59-53 with 1:42 to play. With a victory, Alabama would have clinched a share of its first Western Division title since the league expanded in 1992. ``We aren't in any position to whine about it, we just have to get ready for Florida,'' Gottfried said.

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