Across the nation sports fan’s pride and loyalty are typically allied with a professional sports team. Arkansas, however, is an anomaly. Within state-lines, the Razorbacks are touted and respected like a professional team. For athletes from the state, who grew up idolizing the players before them, their ultimate collegiate goal is to wear cardinal and white.
“It’s a great experience growing up as a kid watching the Razorbacks play…and to represent your home state is crazy,” Bobby Portis said. “If I walk down the street to the gas station, all I see are Razorbacks…just to have the Razorback on my chest is big for me.”
The 6’11” sophomore forward from Little Rock was the only Arkansas player to start in all 34 games last season.
“I grew up wanting to come here, it was a dream of mine to play for the Razorbacks,” he said.
Portis had a record breaking freshman season with the Hogs, setting the Arkansas freshman rebound record with 230 and the freshman single-game scoring mark at 35 points by putting up 29 of the team’s first 35 points in a win over Alabama. In that game, he hit 14-of-17 from the field with nine rebounds and six blocks. Portis was the sixth Razorback to earn All-SEC second team honors as a freshman.
Alandise Harris, the 6’6” senior forward also from Little Rock, took a different path. He began his collegiate basketball career at the University of Houston. After two years with the Cougars, he transferred to Arkansas, redshirting the 2013 season.
“It’s something like a dream come true because that’s all Arkansas people know are the Razorbacks,” Harris said.
Harris played in 33 games last season, reaching double-figures in 12 games, highlighted by 21 points against old Southwest Conference rival SMU in just his third game at Bud Walton Arena.
Arkansas natives hold seven of 14 roster spots this year, the most since 2008-2009 during former head coach John Pelphrey’s second season.
Harris wasn’t the first to transfer after head coach Mike Anderson took over the team. He was preceded by Fred Gulley, a two-time state player of the year at Fayetteville High School who transferred from Oklahoma State in 2012.
Most recently, junior guard Dusty Hannahs transferred after two seasons at Texas Tech. Hannahs, also from Little Rock, played in all 32 games with the Red Raiders last season, starting in nine of them. He also led the Red Raiders in free throws, sinking 60 of 65 (.923) and had the team's third highest three-point percentage, shooting .369 from the field.
“[Playing for the Hogs is] big for everybody from Arkansas because [their] the biggest thing we have going in sports, and you’re a part of it,” Harris said.
Also on the roster from the state are sophomore guard Manuale Watkins, senior guard Rashad Madden, freshman forward Trey Thompson, and freshman guard Anton Beard.
“It was a dream to play for the Hogs, to play for my state, and to be able to put my state back on the map,” Beard said.
Each year the team grows closer to contending for another national championship title. The only national title in program history came in 1994. Last season, the Razorbacks went 22-12, making it to the post-season for the first time since 2008 by earning a spot in the NIT.
With all the glory that comes with representing Arkansas, Beard said there’s pressure that comes with it too. This season, fans are not only expecting a repeat postseason appearance, but also an improved one.
“Everybody is counting on big things from us this year,” Beard said.
Anderson and his "The Fastest 40 Minutes in Basketball" style of play have brought Arkansas back to Bud Walton Arena.
This feature was published in the Arkansas vs. Alabama Gameday Football Program.
“It’s a great experience growing up as a kid watching the Razorbacks play…and to represent your home state is crazy,” Bobby Portis said. “If I walk down the street to the gas station, all I see are Razorbacks…just to have the Razorback on my chest is big for me.”
The 6’11” sophomore forward from Little Rock was the only Arkansas player to start in all 34 games last season.
“I grew up wanting to come here, it was a dream of mine to play for the Razorbacks,” he said.
Portis had a record breaking freshman season with the Hogs, setting the Arkansas freshman rebound record with 230 and the freshman single-game scoring mark at 35 points by putting up 29 of the team’s first 35 points in a win over Alabama. In that game, he hit 14-of-17 from the field with nine rebounds and six blocks. Portis was the sixth Razorback to earn All-SEC second team honors as a freshman.
Alandise Harris, the 6’6” senior forward also from Little Rock, took a different path. He began his collegiate basketball career at the University of Houston. After two years with the Cougars, he transferred to Arkansas, redshirting the 2013 season.
“It’s something like a dream come true because that’s all Arkansas people know are the Razorbacks,” Harris said.
Harris played in 33 games last season, reaching double-figures in 12 games, highlighted by 21 points against old Southwest Conference rival SMU in just his third game at Bud Walton Arena.
Arkansas natives hold seven of 14 roster spots this year, the most since 2008-2009 during former head coach John Pelphrey’s second season.
Harris wasn’t the first to transfer after head coach Mike Anderson took over the team. He was preceded by Fred Gulley, a two-time state player of the year at Fayetteville High School who transferred from Oklahoma State in 2012.
Most recently, junior guard Dusty Hannahs transferred after two seasons at Texas Tech. Hannahs, also from Little Rock, played in all 32 games with the Red Raiders last season, starting in nine of them. He also led the Red Raiders in free throws, sinking 60 of 65 (.923) and had the team's third highest three-point percentage, shooting .369 from the field.
“[Playing for the Hogs is] big for everybody from Arkansas because [their] the biggest thing we have going in sports, and you’re a part of it,” Harris said.
Also on the roster from the state are sophomore guard Manuale Watkins, senior guard Rashad Madden, freshman forward Trey Thompson, and freshman guard Anton Beard.
“It was a dream to play for the Hogs, to play for my state, and to be able to put my state back on the map,” Beard said.
Each year the team grows closer to contending for another national championship title. The only national title in program history came in 1994. Last season, the Razorbacks went 22-12, making it to the post-season for the first time since 2008 by earning a spot in the NIT.
With all the glory that comes with representing Arkansas, Beard said there’s pressure that comes with it too. This season, fans are not only expecting a repeat postseason appearance, but also an improved one.
“Everybody is counting on big things from us this year,” Beard said.
Anderson and his "The Fastest 40 Minutes in Basketball" style of play have brought Arkansas back to Bud Walton Arena.
This feature was published in the Arkansas vs. Alabama Gameday Football Program.