FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas forward Trey Thompson had more points and rebounds and nearly as many minutes in Sunday's Red-White intrasquad basketball game than he did all of last season.
Thompson, a 6-9 sophomore from Forrest City, had 19 points and 9 rebounds in 32 minutes to help the White team beat the Red 89-78 at Walton Arena before an announced crowd of 3,000.
Last season Thompson finished with 5 points and 6 rebounds while playing 33 minutes in 14 games. He didn't come off the court Sunday, when the Razorbacks played two 16-minute halves.
"This was big for me, because it was really my first game action," Thompson said. "I didn't get a whole lot of action last season."
Thompson hit 7 of 9 shots and 5 of 9 free throws and had 3 assists and 1 steal without a turnover.
"It's good to see Trey play with that kind of confidence," Razorbacks Coach Mike Anderson said.
"We need big Trey down there banging," said senior guard Anthlon Bell, who led the White team with 27 points and hit 5 of 10 three-pointers.
Thompson said he's lost about 35 pounds since arriving on campus last summer and is down to 255.
"I feel better running the floor and feel more explosive," he said.
Moses Kingsley, a 6-10 junior, led the Red team with 27 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocked shots while hitting 9 of 12 shots and 9 of 12 free throws.
Arkansas is counting on Kingsley and Thompson to play inside with the loss of so many front-court players from last season, notably SEC Player of the Year Bobby Portis -- who is now a rookie with the Chicago Bulls -- and Alandise Harris.
"Those guys are going to be critical," Anderson said. "When you look at the players that have moved on, it's important we have some guys step in there and be a force in the forward position."
Senior forward Keaton Miles also will be needed to help inside. He had 16 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 blocked shots Sunday for the White team while freshman guard Jimmy Whitt had 19 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals.
"Jimmy's real smooth," Anderson said. "He's sneaky athletic, he's long. Defensively he'll continue to get better.
"Offensively, he knows how to get into the paint to score. He adjusting real nice."
Junior guard Dusty Hannahs, who redshirted last season after transferring from Texas Tech, scored 22 points for the Red team. He hit 8 of 20 shots, including 4 of 8 three-pointers.
"Dusty's a guy that's never seen a shot he didn't like," Anderson said. "But he knows he's got to more than shoot the basketball."
Junior guard Manny Watkins had 14 points, 10 assists and 6 rebounds for the Red team. Senior guard Jabril Durham added 7 points, 9 assists and 2 rebounds.
"It was good to see our guys get out and play in front of some fans with some officials in a game setting," Anderson said. "I don't know if we're that kind of scoring team."
The White team shot 55 percent from the field (30 of 58) while the Red team shot 51.7 percent (33 of 60).
"We've really got to work on our defense," Anderson said. "It's a process and that's something we've really, really got to emphasize."
Each team had 22 assists Sunday.
"We have a team that's willing to share the ball," Bell said. "That's going to be big for us, because we know we have to play as one."
Arkansas plays an exhibition game against Southwestern Oklahoma State Thursday night in Walton Arena.
"I think we've got some pieces," Anderson said. "Now it's just a matter of putting those pieces together to form a team."
Thompson said he's excited to play more minutes Thursday. He played so much Sunday that he was called for five fouls.
"I was overly aggressive on defense," Thompson said. "I've got to play without fouling and adjust to the way the refs are calling the game."
Sports on 11/02/2015