Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson made himself right at home Friday afternoon at the Downtown Tip-Off Club.
The Razorbacks' men's basketball coach opened his speech by calling the Hogs, much to the delight of the crowd at the Wyndham Riverfront in North Little Rock.
"Now I feel like I'm at home," Anderson said.
He should, because the Razorbacks are playing today in their second home. Arkansas (7-2) plays Southeast Missouri State (5-5) at 7:30 tonight in their annual appearance at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock.
The Razorbacks used to play multiple games every season in central Arkansas, mostly at Barton Coliseum in Little Rock or the Pine Bluff Convention Center, but that changed when they moved into Walton Arena for the 1993-1994 season. Now they play one game a year in central Arkansas.
"We went all over," said Anderson, who served as Nolan Richardson's top assistant at Arkansas from 1985 to 2002. "Wherever they had a gym, we'd go. It was great because we're the pros in our state. This is our state. The fans want to get a chance to see you and touch you.
"I understand that. Our players get it as well."
Anderson said the hospitality is second to none when the Razorbacks play in central Arkansas and that his team appreciates the enthusiasm and passion fans show.
"We love coming down here," he said. "It gives us an opportunity to showcase our team with our fans."
Fans will notice a distinct Arkansas flavor on this particular Razorbacks team. Arkansas has six players from the state: seniors Alandise Harris (Little Rock) and Rashad Madden (Lepanto), sophomores Bobby Portis (Little Rock) and Manuale Watkins (Fayetteville) and freshmen Anton Beard (North Little Rock) and Trey Thompson (Forrest City).
Anderson said the talent level in the state has improved since he returned in 2011, when he left Missouri and replaced John Pelphrey as the Razorbacks' coach.
"When I was here before, there would be one out of every five years you may get a player," Anderson said. "It tells me the tremendous job that the high school coaches are doing and the different AAU programs are doing. Now we have an opportunity to get those kind of players.
"I want the best players in our state to play for me at the University of Arkansas. ... Some of the best players in the state are the best players in the country."
Anderson said success comes down to finding the right players.
"I think we have the right players up there on the hill right now, and I think we're bringing in the right players," he said. "You get the players who want to be part of something special. We're creating that atmosphere where they want to be a part of it."
Anderson also said another good sign for the Razorbacks is that several former players are paying more attention to the team now.
"A lot of things are starting to come together," Anderson said. "I think that's great for some of the past and some of the present, and hopefully some of the future. ... A lot of special things are getting ready to take place."
Sports on 12/20/2014