FAYETTEVILLE - The only reason Arkansas is ranked No. 12 to start the season and not higher, Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway explained Wednesday, is their youth.
"I think it's a top five team, not a top 12 team," Hardaway said. "I think that they're young. That's why they ranked them so low."
Hardaway saw that youth firsthand on Wednesday as the Razorbacks beat his Tigers 93-81 in a game that wasn't as close as the final score suggested.
"I'm very thankful for this game," Hardaway said. "Appreciate Coach Cal for allowing us to come in here to play against a really good team. We played this game because we understood what we had coming up in the first month and a half of the season, and this was a great bar for us starting off, getting ready to prepare for the season."
Five Hogs - Billy Richmond III (17 points), Jordan Smith Jr. (17 points), Davion Thompson (13 points), Jeremiah Wilkinson (11 points) and Miikka Muurinen (10 points) got into double figures for UA. It was a well-rounded effort from the Razorbacks, who open the season against UAPB in Fayetteville on Nov. 3.
"We played a really good team on their home court," Hardaway said. "And they showed, again, showed us what it looks like."
The Tigers were coming off an exhibition victory on the road against an SEC team on Oct. 23, when they went to Starkville and handily beat Mississippi State 75-58. Arkansas was a whole different animal.
"I think you played against seven or eight pros today," Hardaway said. "Mikka could be the number one overall pick. This dude is ridiculous. He's so long, so active. When he spreads out, man, it's like he covers the entire arena. I mean, that's really looking at like a Victor Wembanyama type player, a Greek freak, Giannis type player.
"Billy made it look easy. He's a veteran now, made it look really easy. Those guys just played really well. Jordan was more seasoned tonight. He wasn't this seasoned against Gonzaga. He kind of rushed himself. He was more under control today, and Davion [Thompson] played really well. I mean, those guys, they're going to be better. And Cooper [Bowser] was the anchor. He was the connector to everything."
Like Arkansas, Memphis' non-conference schedule is extremely tough. The Tigers play Iowa State, VCU, Vanderbilt, Louisville, Penn State, Dayton, Baylor and Texas before opening American conference play.
For what it's worth, Arkansas head coach John Calipari reciprocated Hardaway's commendation of his team.
"Memphis played well," Calipari said of his former school. "Memphis, my guess is they're going to win the league or be right there."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/arkansas as 'Seven Or Eight Pros': Hardaway Complimentary Of 'Top-Five' Razorbacks .
