College Students, get a year of HawgBeat coverage for just $11.95. Request details via email from your school account (.edu) to nchavanelle@yahoo.com.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe for free for 30 days w/code HAWGS30
NEW USERS | RETURNING USERS
FAYETTEVILLE — For the second time this season, Jalen Tate notched a double-double Saturday afternoon.
The graduate transfer from Northern Kentucky had 15 points and 10 assists in Arkansas’ 99-69 blowout win over Georgia. He also had a double-double with 17 points and 11 assists against UCA last month.
It was the first time in five years that the Razorbacks had a player reach double figures in scoring and assists in an SEC game, as the last to do it was Jabril Durham (12 points, 10 assists) against Auburn on Feb. 17, 2016.
Perhaps the most impressive part of Tate’s performance, though, was that he did it while committing just one turnover despite playing five more minutes than when he had six turnovers a few days earlier at Tennessee.
“Tennessee, they swarm you and they send long defenders at you and they make it difficult on the guy who’s trying to initiate on offense,” head coach Eric Musselman said. “Today he was great. The 15 and 10, those numbers are hard to get in a 40-minute college game. He spearheaded our offensive attack.”
Tate’s 15 points came on 5 of 10 shooting, including 1 of 2 from three-point range, and 4 of 5 free throws. Musselman said he didn’t force anything and did a good job of cutting and getting to the rim, which also helped him draw five fouls.
In fact, it was Tate who picked up the two quick fouls by Toumani Camara in the first half, limiting the Bulldogs’ leading scorer to just 16 minutes.
On the other end of the floor, Tate was tasked with defending Justin Kier and did so brilliantly. The graduate transfer from Georgia Mason managed just 5 points on 1 of 5 shooting - well below his season average of 12.6 points. Kier came into the game shooting 42.9 percent from beyond the arc, but missed both of his three-point attempts, and also had four turnovers.
Here are several other notes, tidbits and stats from the Razorbacks’ blowout win over the Bulldogs…
Freshman Trio
Moses Moody and Davonte Davis stole the headlines Saturday and it’s easy to see why. They combined for 45 points and became the first Arkansas freshman duo to each score 20-plus since Corliss Williamson and Scotty Thurman against Tennessee in 1993.
However, a third member of the Razorbacks’ freshman class was also a significant contributor in the win over Georgia. Jaylin Williams came off the bench and had a team-high nine rebounds.
The trio accounted for three of the top four plus/minus figures in the game. Moody and Davis were each plus-33, while Williams - in 15 fewer minutes - tied Tate with a plus-29.
In the 15 minutes and 42 seconds the three freshmen were on the floor together, Arkansas outscored Georgia by 27. Average that over a full 40-minute game and it comes out to a 69-point margin.
“We really don't look at it as us being freshmen,” Williams said. “We just try to do whatever we can to help the team and I'm pretty sure all three of us just came into the game trying to get the win and just do whatever we could to help the team get the W.”
Update on KK
The Razorbacks actually signed a quartet of in-state four-star recruits in the 2020 class. They were without guard KK Robinson on Saturday, as he didn’t dress out because of a foot injury.
