When the Arkansas basketball team gets a short Christmas break after playing Sam Houston State tonight at Verizon Arena in North Little Rock, Anton Beard, Dusty Hannahs and Daryl Macon won't have to travel to see their families.
The trio of Arkansas guards already are home.
"It's awesome," Hannahs said. "We're all just really excited to go play in our city."
Beard is from North Little Rock and Hannahs and Macon are from Little Rock.
"I'm sure they'll be charged up about it, but they have to understand that it's basketball," Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said. "It's a team sport.
"We're trying to get better. Let's stay in the now."
Playing at home has been a topic of conversation for Beard, Hannahs and Macon since the season started. They'll get the chance tonight.
"We talk about it all the time," Macon said. "We even mess with the other guys."
After the Razorbacks (10-1) beat North Dakota State 71-55 on Tuesday night, the Arkansas men's basketball Twitter account posted a picture of Beard, Hannahs and Macon in action with the headline "501 BOYS," in reference to the central Arkansas area code.
"I don't think everybody liked it, because we were bragging about it and looked so good on the picture," Macon said with a smile.
"It's a great feeling being able to play in your hometown where you actually come from," Beard said. "Most people don't get the chance to do it, and we do.
"So we're blessed."
Hannahs, a fifth-year senior from Pulaski Academy, transferred to Arkansas from Texas Tech after two seasons. He's averaging a team-high 15.7 points in 23.3 minutes and shooting 44.7 percent from the field (55 of 123) -- including 38.6 percent on three-pointers (22 of 57) -- and 91.1 percent on free throws (41 of 45).
Hannahs, who has played off the bench the last five games after starting the first six, scored all 11 of his points against North Dakota State in the second half.
After being 0 of 3 from the field in the first half, Hannahs was 4 of 7 in the second half. His steal and assist on a Jaylen Barford basket started a 16-0 run for the Razorbacks after the Bison had tied the game 29-29.
Hannahs scored eight points in the run, including back-to-back three-pointers in a 49-second span.
"You can see it on tape with him," North Dakota State Coach David Richman said. "That kid's just a basketball player. He understands it."
Macon, a junior, played at Little Rock Parkview and transferred to Arkansas this year from Holmes (Miss.) Community College. He had a team-high 15 points along with 6 rebounds and 5 assists against the Bison after scoring a season-high 23 points in Arkansas' 77-74 victory over Texas in Houston last Saturday.
"He has all the quickness, all the ability," Anderson said. "It's a matter of him getting more and more consistent.
"You're seeing him getting more comfortable out there on the floor."
Beard, a juior in his third season with the Razorbacks after playing at Parkview and North Little Rock, is averaging 8.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 20.4 minutes.
Late in the Texas game Beard sustained a shoulder injury, but he continued to play and was part of Arkansas' defensive stop on the Longhorns' final possession when a three-point attempt by Kerwin Roach missed the basket.
Beard said he was hurt on a rebound attempt but didn't want to come out of the game.
"It just tells you the grittiness, the toughness that he has," Anderson said. "He has the heart of a winner. He has the heart of a Razorback. How about that?
"You can say tiger, but I'm going to say Razorback because I think that's what he epitomizes. He's willing to lay his body on the line for the team, and we see such a big difference when he's out there.
"He's a calming force. His experience is very evident offensively and defensively, in the huddles, out of the huddles."
Macon said tonight's game is another opportunity to play well for the Arkansas fans.
"That is why I came here," Macon said. "Dusty and Anton have already done it. Now it's my time to do it."
Arkansas' game in Verizon Arena last season drew a crowd of 9,470, but Mercer won 69-66 in overtime.
Hannahs, who scored 10 points, missed an open three-point attempt with six seconds left in overtime that would have put the Razorbacks ahead.
"It was a pretty bad feeling leaving Little Rock last year," Hannahs said. "I don't want to leave it with anything near the same."
Arkansas men vs. Sam Houston State
WHEN 7 p.m. today
WHERE Verizon Arena, North Little Rock
RECORDS Arkansas 10-1, Sam Houston State 9-3
SERIES Arkansas leads 3-0
RADIO Razorback Sports Network
TELEVISION None
TICKETS $25
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
SAM HOUSTON STATE POS. NAME, HT, YR PPG RPG G Dakarai Henderson, 6-3, Sr. 11.5 2.8 G John Dewey, 6-0, So. 9.7 2.4 G Paul Baxter, 6-2, Sr. 7.0 1.9 F Aurimas Majauskas, 6-8, Sr. 10.1 3.8 F Tory Butler, 6-6, Sr. 9.3 7.2 COACH Jason Hooten (125-88 in seven seasons at Sam Houston State) ARKANSAS POS. NAME, HT, YR PPG RPG G Jaylen Barford, 6-3, Jr. 10.2 3.3 G Daryl Macon, 6-3, Jr. 12.9 3.4 G Manny Watkins, 6-3, Sr. 6.2 4.4 F Dustin Thomas, 6-8, Jr. 7.2 3.9 C Moses Kingsley, 6-10, Sr. 10.7 8.4 COACH Mike Anderson (112-65 in six seasons at Arkansas, 312-163 overall in 15 seasons)
TEAM COMPARISON
SHSU ARK 81.5 Points for 83.0 72.4 Points against 70.6 +4.8 Rebound margin +5.8 +3.8 Turnover margin +1.5 47.3 FG pct. 46.3 33.6 3-PT pct. 36.7 70.2 FT pct. 79.5
CHALK TALK Arkansas has won seven consecutive games since losing 85-71 at Minnesota and is off to its best 11-game start in Mike Anderson’s six seasons as coach. The previous best was 9-2. ... Sam Houston State, the preseason favorite to win the Southland Conference, has won fi ve consecutive games. ... The Bearkats are 20-53 all-time against teams currently in the SEC, but have lost all three of their games against Arkansas. ... The Razorbacks and Bearkats met most recently in the 2012-2013 season opener, when Arkansas won 73-68 in Fayetteville. ... The Razorbacks are 8-9 all-time at Verizon Arena. ... Sam Houston State’s senior forward Tory Butler is from Monticello.
— Bob Holt
Sports on 12/22/2016