SEC INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

UA men on solid ground after Bruce's winning run

Arkansas distance runner Jack Bruce competes during the Razorback Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, in Fayetteville.
Arkansas distance runner Jack Bruce competes during the Razorback Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, in Fayetteville.

Jack Bruce made sure Friday night ended well for the Arkansas Razorbacks men's team at the SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships in Nashville, Tenn.

Bruce, a junior from Australia, capped the first of the two-day competition by winning the 3,000 meters in 7:58.61.

"Jack got a big win for us," Razorbacks Coach Chris Bucknam said. "It was a great way to finish off a very solid day.

"He ran a very smart race. He took the lead the last 600 meters and never relinquished it."

Bruce's victory was worth 10 points to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, which is going for its 22nd SEC indoor title in 26 tries.

Georgia leads in the men's team standings with 30 points. Arkansas, ranked No. 2 nationally, is second with 27 points followed by Kentucky (23), Alabama (21) and Florida (18).

Bucknam said he expects the Razorbacks' main competition to come from Texas A&M, which is sixth with 13 points but has plenty of athletes competing in today's events.

"Texas A&M is having a good meet as well," Bucknam said. "I think it's going to be a battle with them, but for the most part I thought we got the points we needed and did a good job of advancing our guys."

Arkansas junior Travonn White took second in the long jump in his first SEC meet. White, a transfer from Oregon, went 26-0¼ behind Florida's Deandre Bates, who won with a 26-4½ leap.

"Travonn's everything we thought he was when he joined our team this year," Bucknam said. "He was a great competitor in the biggest meet of the year so far for us.

"That's always a good sign of things to come. He did a great job in a loaded field."

Arkansas junior Andreas Trajkovski took fifth in the long jump at 25-3½.

Razorbacks senior Ken LeGassey -- last year's SEC champion -- went 7-1¼ in the high jump to take third place.

Three Razorbacks are in scoring position through four of seven heptathlon events with sophomore Gabe Moore third (3,257 points), junior Derek Jacobus fifth (3,129) and junior Brad Culp seventh (3,047).

Arkansas junior Kenzo Cotton advanced in the 60 (6.65) and 200 (20.85). Senior Josh Washington (20.97) advanced in the 200.

Advancing in the 400 for the Razorbacks were sophomore Obi Igbokwe (46.03) and senior Eric Janise (46.18). Juniors Devon Anderson (7.81) and Larry Donald (7.84) advanced in the 60 hurdles, and sophomore Ethan Moehn (4:10.59) advanced in the mile.

Bucknam said the coaching staff was hoping the Razorbacks could score 30 points Friday, but he wasn't complaining about their performance.

"This is an incredibly tough meet," he said. "So 27 points, we'll take that."

Bucknam said what happened in the 400 illustrates the meet's depth.

Missouri sophomore Kahmari Montgomery, the defending SEC champion, and LSU senior Michael Cherry, with the second-fastest time nationally, failed to make the final.

"That tells you about the level of competition in the SEC," Bucknam said. "There's talent everywhere you look."

Sports on 02/25/2017

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