ARKANSAS 99, DELAWARE STATE 71
FAYETTEVILLE -- When it came to scoring points off turnovers, Arkansas treated Delaware State just like the Razorbacks did Wake Forest.
Arkansas' 99-71 victory over Delaware State on Friday night before an announced crowd of 8,400 in Walton Arena included the Razorbacks' outscoring the Hornets 33-16 in points off turnovers.
The Razorbacks (3-0) had the exact same advantage when they beat Wake Forest 83-53 Wednesday night in Walton Arena.
"They impose their will and their system on you," Delaware State Coach Keith Walker said of the Razorbacks' defense. "If you're going to play against them, you're going to need to have five guys on the floor that are very disciplined in order to withstand that pressure for 40 minutes."
Arkansas, which beat Alabama State 97-79 in the season opener, had a 27-10 edge in points off turnovers.
"I tell you what, it just tells me we're active," Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said. "I think it's just a continuous wear and tear on the opponents."
Arkansas forced Delaware State into 24 turnovers, including 15 in the first half when the Razorbacks outscored the Hornets 20-4 in points off turnovers.
"You feel great and want to celebrate, but Coach gets on us about that because he wants another steal," said junior guard Michael Qualls, who led the Razorbacks with 20 points. "Back-to-back-to-back [turnovers forced] is how it's supposed to be.
"The better defense, we play the better offense we have."
Sophomore forward Bobby Portis, junior guard Anthlon Bell and junior forward Jacorey Williams each added 14 points for Arkansas. It was a career-high scoring game for Williams, whose previous best was 11 points against Longwood when he was a freshman.
"It was an efficient time for Jacorey," Anderson said. "He only played 15 minutes, but those 15 minutes probably to him was more like 30 minutes because of how hard he was playing."
Williams said he had no idea he set a personal scoring high.
"I was just out there playing, trying to think about nothing but defense and playing with energy," Williams said.
Arkansas senior guard Ky Madden had 9 points, a career-high 8 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals.
"I thought Ky did a good job of taking command of the team with assists and just calming people down out on the floor," Anderson said.
Senior forward Tyshawn Bell led Delaware State (2-2) with 19 points. Sophomre guard DeAndre Haywood added 15 points for the Hornets, who for much of the first half was able to slow the tempo by spreading the floor and and attacking to take a 26-25 lead.
Arkansas outscored Delaware State 19-4 over the final 5:40 of the first half to take a 44-30 lead -- the same advantage the Razorbacks had against Wake Forest.
The Hornets had seven turnovers in the final 5:46, including two steals by sophomore guard Manny Watkins.
"We were up one, then we just started turning the ball over," Walker said. "If we take care of the basketball, we're still in this game."
Delaware State got a three-point play from Todd Hughes and a three-point basket from Bell to cut Arkansas' lead to 57-48 with 12:23 left.
The Razorbacks then outscored the Hornets 16-6 over a 2:24 span as Arkansas moved ahead 73-54.
Watkins started the run with a 15-foot jump shot and finished with a layup on an assist from Madden. Williams scored five points in the run and Madden hit a three-point basket.
"We started fumbling that ball and turning it over again, and then that just stretched out their lead," Walker said. "But that's what they cause you to do.
"They rotate a lot of players in and out and you have to be very disciplined in order to compete and beat a team like Arkansas. I was very impressed with how they played and what they did on the floor."
Anderson said Delaware State deserved credit for how it executed its game plan in the first half.
"They were going to slow the tempo down, and I thought it worked," Anderson said. "But it didn't frustrate our guys.
"I thought our guys really picked up the intensity on defense and we saw the game really just kind of change with one of those patented runs where our defense creates some easy offense or hurrying up Delaware State."
Qualls had two dunks and passed to Williams for a dunk. The Razorbacks and 26 assists on 35 baskets.
"When you start having guys share the rock and play that unselfish, it puts a lot of pressure on a defense," Anderson said. "Normally [Qualls] is the guy that's scoring and now he's making the assist and the other guy is scoring. That's neat to see."
Sports on 11/22/2014