Sports

Hogs upset Kentucky in Cal’s return

Published

1 year ago

February 2, 2025

Staff Reports

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Arkansas used one of the team’s best shooting performances of the season to upset No. 12 Kentucky 89-79 in Head Coach John Calipari’s return to Rupp Arena on Saturday night.

The Razorbacks made 13 3-pointers – the second-most in a game this season and the most in a road game vs. a ranked opponent since 2019 – to down the Wildcats on an emotional night. The two teams battled back-and-forth throughout the first half with neither team leading by more than six. Karter Knox’s 3-pointer with in the final minute of the half gave the hogs a 46-45 lead at the half.

Arkansas opened the second half with a 12-2 run to take a commanding lead that the Hogs never gave up, leading the rest of the game. Kentucky cut the deficit to six points with just under seven minutes remaining but the Hogs responded with a Zvonimir Ivisic 3-pointer to push the lead back to nine before Nelly Davis pushed the lead back to 11 points when laid one in with 5:54 on the clock.

Five Razorbacks scored in double digits led by Kentucky transfer Adou Thiero’s team-high 21. Thiero added eight rebounds while going 10-for-12 from the free throw line. Fellow Kentucky transfers DJ Wagner (17 points) and Ivisic (14 points) were key in the victory as the former Wildcat trio combined for 52 points in their return to Rupp Arena. Davis matched his season-best with 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting while Karter Knox chipped in 10 points. Arkansas shot 55.2% (32-58) from the field for the game, including 64.0% (16-25) in the second half.

Amari Williams led all scorers with 22 points for the Wildcats with former Razorback Jaxson Robinson adding 20 for Kentucky.

Arkansas returns to action on Wednesday night at Texas with tipoff set for 8 p.m. (CT) on ESPN2.

FIRST HALF: Arkansas: 46 – Kentucky: 45

Kentucky made its first four 3-point attempts to take an early 18-12 lead. Arkansas was 4-of-7 from deep to start.
Billy Richmond III had a steal and dunk to tie the game at 20-20.
Arkansas had seven assists on its first eight made baskets, including four from D.J. Wagner.
Thiero made back-to-back baskets and Knox capped a 6-0 run with a fastbreak dunk to give Arkansas a 31-30 lead and force a UK timeout. Davis hit a 3-pointer to extend the run to 9-0 and a 34-30 lead.
Knox hit a 3-pointer with 32 seconds left to provide the 46-45 Razorback lead at the break.
Davis was 3-of-5 from 3-point and led Arkansas with 12 first-half points. Thiero added 11 and Knox eight.
Arkansas finished the half with 11 assists on 16 made baskets.
Jaxson Robinson led UK with 12 points, making all three of his 3’s.
Arkansas forced eight first-half turnovers and out-scored the Wildcats 14-5 on fastbreaks.

SECOND HALF: Arkansas: 43 – Kentucky: 34

Arkansas opened the second half with a 12-2 spurt to lead 58-47.
Wagner hit a 3-pointer and Knox had a fastbreak dunk to put Arkansas up 67-56 and force a UK timeout with 13:02 to play.
Kentucky got to within six (76-70) with 6:58 left before Ivisic answered with a 3-pointer and Davis converted a fast break layup to put the Hogs up 11 (81-70) with 5:54 remaining.
Kentucky made a final push, getting to within eight with 5:05 left. Wagner made a free throw, Thiero made a free throw, Thiero made a layup and Wagner sank a jumper to put the game out of reach and give Arkansas a 14-point lead (87-73) with 2:49 left
Wagner played all 20:00 minutes of the second half and scored all 17 of his points in the period.
Arkansas shot 64% from the field in the second half while holding Kentucky to 39.4%.
Kentucky was 7-of-10 from 3-point range in the first half but was just 3-of-13 in the second. The ‘Cats were also just 5-of-10 at the free throw line.

GAME NOTES:

For the first time this season, Arkansas’ starting lineup was D.J. Wagner, Johnell Davis, Karter Knox, Adou Thiero and Zvonimir Ivisic. It is Arkansas’ eighth starting lineup this season.
Arkansas won the opening tip. The Razorbacks have won the tip in 17 of 21 games this year.
Johnell Davis scored game’s first points, a 3-ponter at 19:49.
Trevon Brazile was Arkansas’ first sub.
Arkansas was out-rebounded 33-30 and won for just the second time (2-7) this year when being out-rebounded.
Arkansas had 17 assists. The Hogs only had 16 assists total over the previous two games combined.
Arkansas made 13 3-pointers. The Hogs only had 12 3-pointers in the previous two games combined.
Arkansas made 13-pointers. It was the second-most this year (making 15 versus UMES) and tied for the most by Arkansas versus a ranked opponent in a true road game. (Also made 13 at #19 LSU on 2/2/19.)
Arkansas has been impressive defending the 3-point shot in the second half. Kentucky was just 3-of-13 from deep in the second half. In the last four games (at Missouri, Georgia, Oklahoma and Kentucky), opponents are a combined 5-of-29 (17.2%) in the second half from deep. (Note, in the first half over the span, opponents are 28-of-52 (53.8%).
Arkansas got its first ever road win over a team ranked #12 in the AP poll, improving to 1-3 all-time in such games. Overall, Arkansas is now 7-8 when playing #12 (3-2 at home, 1-3 on the road and 3-3 at neutral sites.)
However, Coach Calipari is now 6-0 when playing an opponent ranked #12. He was 1-0 at UMass, 4-0 at Kentucky and now 1-0 at Arkansas. It was his first win versus #12 on the road.
Coach Calipari is now 249-28 in games played in Rupp Arena. He was 0-1 at UMass, 0-1 at Memphis, 249-26 as UK head coach and now 1-0 at Arkansas.
D.J. Wagner and Johnell Davis combined for 14 assists and three turnovers. Wagner had a season-high eight helpers and Davis tied his season high with six.
Adou Thiero had three steals, his best effort in an SEC game. He has a steal in nine straight games and 17 over the span.
Johnell Davis had two steals and has nine over the last three games. He only had 10 steals in the previous 16 games combined.
D.J. Wagner tied his season high with 17 points. It was his second-best effort in an SEC game. Ironically, his career best in an SEC game was scoring 19 versus Arkansas in Rupp Arena last March.
Arkansas and Kentucky have met on 51 previous occasions, all but four since Arkansas joined the SEC (1991-92). Arkansas snapped a three-game losing streak to the Wildcats. Despite the loss tonight, Kentucky owns a 36-15 advantage in the series, including a 32-15 mark in SEC games.
Arkansas has won three of the last four meetings in Lexington. However, Kentucky still owns a 16-6 advantage all-time in games played at Kentucky.
Razorback head coach John Calipari is 3-4 all-time when facing Kentucky and is 1-2 when facing the Wildcats in Rupp Arena.
Arkansas is 8-1 this year when leading at the half, 11-2 when leading with 10 minutes to play, 11-0 when leading with five minutes to play and 11-0 when leading with two minutes to play.

For more information on Arkansas Men’s Basketball, follow @RazorbackMBB on X.

Sports

Camden Fairview Hires New Football Coach

Published

2 weeks ago

February 18, 2026

Grant Merrill

CAMDEN — The Camden Fairview School Board approved the hiring of Jamie Carter as the next Camden Fairview Cardinal head football coach and assistant athletic director during its regular board meeting Monday night.

Carter comes to Camden Fairview from Marion, where he most recently served as associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator. He previously spent four years as head football coach and assistant athletic director at Osceola, compiling an 18–5 conference record. Carter brings 17 years of coaching experience, including two seasons as Marion’s defensive coordinator.

“I am truly honored and grateful to be named the Head Football Coach at Camden Fairview High School,” Carter said. “This is more than just a position; it’s an opportunity to serve young men, build meaningful relationships, and represent a proud community the right way.”

Carter emphasized his commitment to discipline, accountability, trust, and respect, saying those principles will serve as the foundation of the program. He added that values instilled in him by his parents—hard work, character, integrity, and treating others with respect—are the same standards he expects from his players.

The coaching search began January 9, when former head coach Nick Vaughn announced his resignation to accept the head coaching position at Maumelle. The interview committee included Assistant Athletic Director Johnny Jackson, Assistant Superintendent Andre Toney, Assistant Superintendent Cara Bowie, Human Resources Director Fred Lilly II, and Cardinal football booster club president Jamie Semple. Interviews were conducted last week before Superintendent Mrs. Armstrong met with Carter and presented her recommendation to the school board.

“Our community has always shown strong support for our students and for Cardinal athletics,” Armstrong said. “I’m confident that Coach Carter is the right leader to continue building on our proud tradition of Cardinal Football, developing our student-athletes, and moving our program forward with integrity and purpose.”

Carter is scheduled to meet with Cardinal football players on Monday, February 23, and the district will host a community meet-and-greet on Thursday, March 19. Additional details are expected to be released in the coming days.

Sports

West Side Christian Warriors and Lady Warriors Dominate at HCAA Quarter Finals in Ft. Smith

Published

3 weeks ago

February 17, 2026

Jax Sanford

The West Side Warriors of El Dorado hosted the Regional Heartland Christian Activities Association (HCAA) Regional Basketball Tournament for boys and girls teams over Valentine’s Day weekend, where they came out on top of the tournament in dominant fashion. West Side Warriors and Lady Warriors won their games and advanced to the HCAA Quarter Finals hosted in Fort Smith, AR. It was there where they, again, showed their dominance and advanced to the Semi-Finals to be played in Oklahoma City, OK on February 20, 2026 @ The Firelake Arena. The winner of that matchup will play in the Championship, also hosted in OKC on February 21, 2026.

West Side Lady Warriors won 43-5 over the Southwest Christian Lady Lions in the Quarter Finals in Fort Smith during their 2 pm matchup. They showed a dominant effort on the boards, defense, and efficient scoring opportunities.

West Side Warriors Boys won 62-49 over the Lakewood Christian Lions in their 3:30 pm Quarter Finals matchup in Fort Smith. The Warriors showed hustle, grit, and determination to come out of this tournament the victors.

West Side Jr. High Warriors finished 2nd in the 2A HCAA State Tournament after falling to Garrett Memorial out of Hope, AR.

Sports

El Dorado Cheer Wins National Championship

Published

1 month ago

February 1, 2026

Grant Merrill

ORLANDO, FL – El Dorado High School’s cheerleading team claimed a national championship on Sunday, winning the Division II title at the 2026 UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship, part of the National High School Cheerleading Championship (NHSCC), in Orlando, Florida. The Wildcats competed against top Division II programs from across the country at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, emerging as national champions on cheerleading’s biggest high school stage.

The NHSCC is the premier national competition for high school cheer teams in the United States and is organized by Varsity Spirit and the Universal Cheerleaders Association. Each year, it brings together elite programs from across the nation to compete for national titles in multiple divisions, with teams judged on execution, difficulty, synchronization, crowd leadership, and overall performance.

El Dorado advanced through preliminary rounds earlier in the weekend before taking the floor Sunday in the championship finals. The Wildcats delivered a clean, confident routine featuring strong stunting, tumbling, sharp motions, and high energy, separating themselves from a highly competitive Division II field to secure the championship.

The national title reflects months of preparation, discipline, and teamwork by the athletes and coaching staff. It also places El Dorado High School among the nation’s elite cheer programs for the 2025–26 season.

The competition was streamed nationally on Varsity TV, allowing family members, classmates, and supporters back home to watch the Wildcats’ championship performance in real time. With the Division II NHSCC title, El Dorado High School adds a significant national accomplishment to its athletic tradition and brings home a championship that will be celebrated throughout the school and community.

Sports

Hogs Roll Past Vanderbilt In Statement Win

Published

1 month ago

January 21, 2026

Grant Merrill

FAYETTEVILLE — No. 20 Arkansas delivered one of its most complete performances of the season Tuesday night, dominating No. 15/14 Vanderbilt 93-68 at Bud Walton Arena.

Six Razorbacks scored in double figures as Arkansas (now 4-0 in ranked matchups this season) used balanced offense, high-efficiency passing, and stifling defense to cruise past the Commodores in their eighth all-time meeting as ranked opponents.

Trevon Brazile recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 10 points, a season-high 14 rebounds, and added five assists, four steals, and two blocks. Darius Acuff Jr. led the scoring with 17 points and five assists — all in the second half — while Meleek Thomas added 13 points and five assists. Malique Ewin and Karter Knox each scored 16, and D.J. Wagner contributed 11 off the bench in a strong bounce-back performance.

Head coach John Calipari moved Wagner to the bench to “get him going,” and the sophomore responded with efficient play — three assists, no turnovers, and confident scoring.

Arkansas led 46-35 at the half after racing out to a 13-2 start and holding a 20-point advantage midway through the opening frame. The Hogs never looked back. They shot 54.5% from the field in the first half and out-rebounded Vandy 23-13, then torched the Commodores for 61.3% shooting in the second half while forcing cold shooting on the other end.

Vanderbilt (previously 10th nationally in scoring and 24th in field goal percentage) was held to just 68 points on 37.9% shooting. Tyler Nickel was the only Commodore in double figures with 17 — all in the first half.

Arkansas totaled 25 assists to just seven turnovers and threw down 13 dunks, including four by Ewin and three from Nick Pringle.

With the win, Arkansas improves to 32-15 all-time against Vanderbilt and 17-5 in Fayetteville. The 25-point victory marked the fourth-largest margin of victory over a ranked opponent in program history.

The Razorbacks return to action Saturday night when they host LSU at Bud Walton Arena. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on SEC Network.

Sports

Muleriders Set For In-State Road Trip

Published

1 month ago

January 21, 2026

Grant Merrill

MAGNOLIA, Ark. — Southern Arkansas men’s basketball (7-9, 4-6 GAC) hits the road for a pair of key in-state matchups this week, visiting Arkansas-Monticello on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. before facing Henderson State on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.

Thursday marks the 118th meeting between SAU and UAM, with the Muleriders holding a 73-44 series lead. They’ll then square off with Henderson State for the 120th time, with the Reddies leading 64-55 all-time.

SAU looks to bounce back after a tough 69-64 home loss to Northwestern Oklahoma State. Greg Moore Jr. led the way with 22 points, his best since early December. Junior Williams added 12, and Jair Horton finished just shy of a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds. Despite the loss, the Muleriders shot a strong 46.2% from the field and 47.1% from three.

Moore continues to shine at the line, ranking second in the GAC with a 91.1% free throw percentage. As a team, SAU leads the conference in three-point shooting at 34.4%.

Thursday’s opponent, UAM (7-9, 3-7 GAC), enters on a two-game skid and sits just below SAU in the standings. Ashton Price leads the Boll Weevils with 14.6 points per game, while Isaac Jackson adds 13.7. UAM averages 66.1 points per game and shoots 45.4% from the floor.

Saturday’s opponent, Henderson State (8-8, 5-5 GAC), also comes in after back-to-back losses, including a triple-overtime battle with nationally ranked SNU. The Reddies average 76.6 points per game and are led by Zaveion Okoh (15.8 ppg) and Xavier Owens (12.9 ppg).

Both games will be streamed live on YouTube through UAM and HSU’s athletic channels, with radio coverage on KVMZ 99.1 FM. The matchups mark the start of a four-game road stretch for the Muleriders.