Powell, Hogs slam Gamecocks

All the Arkansas-South Carolina pregame hype centered on South
Carolina point guard Devan Downey and Arkansas point guard Courtney Fortson.

Wednesday’s late night  results at Walton Arena, though, hinged, 92-79 in Arkansas’
favor on  Arkansas freshman forward Marshawn Powell, the Arkansas bench and one
especially big play before half by Arkansas guard Marcus Britt.

Wednesday’s win advances Arkansas to 14-12 and alone as best in the SEC West at 7-4
going into Saturday’s game at Auburn as Mississippi State tumbled out of a
first-place tie to 6-5 losing last Tuesday night to Kentucky.

South Carolina’s Downey led Gamecocks, the only team to beat the 25-1 Kentucky
Wildcats, fell to 14-11, 5-6 in the SEC East.

Downey, a game high 28 points, 7 assists and 4 steals, and Fortson, 19 points,  9
rebounds and 8 assists both had impacts good and bad (8 turnovers each).

“I thought we did a good job on Downey, Arkansas coach John Pelphrey marveled, “and
he ONLY scores 28 points.”

Downey’s sixth and last  turnover of the first  half, glancing to hear South
Carolina coach Darrin Horn’s instructions, was picked by junior Britt with 10
seconds left. The Madison native/ Forrest City High grad took it for a uncontested
layup and 40-33 halftime lead. Britt’s bucket carried over to the Razorbacks’ rocket
second-half start.

“That was a mental boost for everybody,” Fortson said.

Horn took the blame for distracting Downey.

“That was my fault,” the coach said. “Nobody picks Devan Downey’s pocket.”

Pelphrey praised Britt for seizing the moment.

 “That was huge,” the Arkansas coach said.  “He (Downey)  kind of turned his head
and Marcus saw it. We’re up five and they have a chance to cut it to two or three
and instead we’re up seven. That was a big momentum lift for us.”

The Razorbacks rolled to start the second half.

“They made basket after easy basket,” Horn said. “It was too much to overcome on the
road.”

It wasn’t as Arkansas easy as the final score indicated.

With South Carolina center Sam Muldrow scoring 23 points, including 4 treys,  with 8
boards and 2 shot-blocks, and Arkansas senior Preseason All-SEC forward Michael
Washington limited to 13 foul-troubled minutes, the Razorbacks needed Powell’s
team-high 26 points up front.

And they needed a strong bench in general and JC transfer big man Delvon Johnson
particular with Washington shackled both halves.

McGehee native Washington still had a night to remember ascending Wednesday
Razorbacks milestones of 1,000 career points and 100 blocked shots.

Grabbing a career high 10 boards in 19 minutes, blocking a shot and scoring five
points, Johnson assured Washington’s milestones were achieved in victory.

“We don’t win without him tonight,” Pelphrey said of Johnson. “He was playing
against a guy (Muldrow)  having a really good basketball game. So for him in the
second half to get those rebounds is a big deal.”

Forwards Glenn Bryant, Julysses Nobles, Jemal Farmer contributed off the Arkansas
bench, too, but this game started, and finished, Horn said, with Marshawn Powell.

“We did a good job on Fortson in the first half,” Horn said, “but Powell really hurt
us. He’s big and athletic and he finishes. I can tell you from not having a finisher
that having a big guy finishing around the basket makes a big difference.”


Powell said he was Fortson fueled for his big night.

“Courtney told me I was due for a 20-point game,” Powell said. “I tried as hard as I
could and the shots were falling and they couldn’t do anything with me inside.
Especially with Courtney penetrating. That makes it a lot easier on me.”

Fortson said, “Just looking at the matchups I knew with his offensive skills he
would be hard to stop down there. Especially with Big Mike down low.”

Except they only had Big Mike for 13 minutes and  played reserve Delvon for 19 minutes.

“Delvon had 10 rebounds,” Fortson said. “And a lot of other things he did don’t show
up in the stats. He changed some of their shots that would have been layups.”