History not on Arkansas' side
Matt Jones
Issue date: 11/24/08 Section: Sports
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Not a bad house-warming party.
Saturday night was dubbed by many as the biggest in the history of Missouri State basketball. It certainly lived up to its billing as the Bears made the big shots down the stretch to down Arkansas 62-57 in the first game at John Q. Hammons Arena.
"It was an unbelievable atmosphere, and we didn't come out as focused as they did," Arkansas freshman Rotnei Clarke said. "Their fans and [players] obviously wanted that game, and we didn't play tough enough and execute enough to win."
A crowd of 10,285 more than got its monies' worth in the new $67 million facility, as the two teams traded big shots down the stretch in a game that featured six ties and seven lead changes.
Missouri State guard Chris Cooks hit the game's biggest shot to give the Bears a 60-57 lead with 19 seconds remaining.
After having a shot blocked out-of-bounds by Arkansas' Montrell McDonald, the Bears inbounded the ball underneath their basket with one second left on the shot clock. Spencer Laurie lobbed the ball into Cooks who laid it in as the buzzer sounded.
Fully expecting that type of play coming out of the timeout, Arkansas coach John Pelphrey wasn't happy with his defense, which drifted three defenders to the post player, leaving Cooks open for an uncontested lay-up.
"We didn't defend the play very well at all," Pelphrey said. "It's not something we weren't expecting. It was just poorly executed defensive switching.
"We're certainly disappointed we didn't stop that play, but it's not what lost the game for us. We didn't execute the next time down the floor."
Arkansas (2-1) had taken a 57-56 lead on a pair of free throws by Stefan Welsh with 1:41 remaining, but failed to score again.
Missouri State players noted they fed off the energy of the frenzied crowd - which stormed the floor after the game - in the closing minutes, but Pelphrey said the crowd was no excuse.
Saturday night was dubbed by many as the biggest in the history of Missouri State basketball. It certainly lived up to its billing as the Bears made the big shots down the stretch to down Arkansas 62-57 in the first game at John Q. Hammons Arena.
"It was an unbelievable atmosphere, and we didn't come out as focused as they did," Arkansas freshman Rotnei Clarke said. "Their fans and [players] obviously wanted that game, and we didn't play tough enough and execute enough to win."
A crowd of 10,285 more than got its monies' worth in the new $67 million facility, as the two teams traded big shots down the stretch in a game that featured six ties and seven lead changes.
Missouri State guard Chris Cooks hit the game's biggest shot to give the Bears a 60-57 lead with 19 seconds remaining.
After having a shot blocked out-of-bounds by Arkansas' Montrell McDonald, the Bears inbounded the ball underneath their basket with one second left on the shot clock. Spencer Laurie lobbed the ball into Cooks who laid it in as the buzzer sounded.
Fully expecting that type of play coming out of the timeout, Arkansas coach John Pelphrey wasn't happy with his defense, which drifted three defenders to the post player, leaving Cooks open for an uncontested lay-up.
"We didn't defend the play very well at all," Pelphrey said. "It's not something we weren't expecting. It was just poorly executed defensive switching.
"We're certainly disappointed we didn't stop that play, but it's not what lost the game for us. We didn't execute the next time down the floor."
Arkansas (2-1) had taken a 57-56 lead on a pair of free throws by Stefan Welsh with 1:41 remaining, but failed to score again.
Missouri State players noted they fed off the energy of the frenzied crowd - which stormed the floor after the game - in the closing minutes, but Pelphrey said the crowd was no excuse.
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