SEC road always rough

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas won two of its first three SEC road games under Coach John Pelphrey.

In the two years since then - zilch.

The Razorbacks have lost 13 consecutive SEC road games since winning at LSU 68-52 on Jan. 3, 2008.

The losing streak matches two 13-gamers Arkansas had in SEC play spanning parts of the 2002 and 2003 seasons and parts of the 2003, 2004 and 2005 seasons.

If the Razorbacks (7-8) loseat Mississippi State (13-3, 1-0) in their SEC opener Thursday night, it will be Arkansas’ longest conference road losing streak since a 17-gamer in the Southwest Conference spanning parts of the 1969, 1970 and 1971 seasons

Losing conference road games has plagued Arkansasfor several seasons.

The Razorbacks haven’t finished SEC play with a winning road record since 1995, when the defending national championship team was 5-3, and they are a combined 10-54 the previous eight years.

“It’s something you wantto do as a program, be able to go and win on the road,” Pelphrey said. “I think those are the best moments for a team ... to go into somebody else’s back yard and withstand all the adversity that comes your way.

“We weren’t able to accomplish that last year. We got close on a number of occasions, but we couldn’t get it done.”

Arkansas finished 0-8 in SEC road games last season, but blew a 15-point halftime lead at Mississippi State and a 10-point halftime lead atAuburn. The Razorbacks also lost in overtime at South Carolina.

“We have got to come together and unite and make sure we’re going to get it done,” Arkansas sophomore guard Rotnei Clarke said. “We were always there [last season] ... It just came down to the end and little things we weren’t doing.”

Pelphrey said a key to winning on the road is playing well for a long period of time to be in the game at the end.

“Then obviously when the game gets close down the stretch, you’re going to have to make some plays, both offensively and defensively,” he said. “Grab a rebound, get a loose ball, convert a free throw.

“Be able to execute a play and get space and hit a shot. Then be able to get a stop when you need it. There are a lot of things that go into it.”

Arkansas hasn’t been able to stay close in going 0-3 away from Walton Arena this season, losing 99-69 to Louisville at St. Louis, 67-47 at Oklahoma and 70-47 to Baylor at North Little Rock.

But sophomore point guard Courtney Fortson, now back from a suspension, didn’t play in any of those games, and senior forward Michael Washington missed the Oklahoma game and the first half against Baylor with a back injury.

Fortson returned against Texas - now ranked No. 1 - and had 19 points and seven assists in Arkansas’ 96-85 loss last Tuesday. The Razorbacks were within two points with 1:30 left.

“When you look at this Arkansas team, forget their record, they’re a totally different team now since they have Fortson back,” Mississippi State Coach Rick Stansbury said. “With Fortson, as we saw against Texas, they’re as good as anybody.

“He gives them some swagger, gives them some confidence. He can really get to the rim for easy baskets and get other players easy baskets.”

Stansbury said the Bulldogs’ challenge is to continueto play at the level they did in winning 80-75 at Ole Miss in their SEC opener last Saturday.

“It’s a 15-game season now, and you’ve just got to take them one at a time,” Stansbury said. “There are no easy ones, and the first time you think you can overlook somebody, home or away, you’re going to get beat.”

Arkansas has lost nine consecutive years at Mississippi State since winning there 87-81 in 2000, but Clarke said opening SEC play on the road against the Bulldogs can be a positive.

“To have a chance at getting a road kill is a really good opportunity for us,” Clarke said. “Hopefully, we can capitalize on it.”