Razorbacks' Ball-Hawking Defense Put Trojans In Early Hole

Flurry of steals reminded longtime Arkansas fans of Walker-Robertson combination

Little Rock Trojans head coach Darrell Walker has trouble believing a call during the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena Friday. Walker's injury-plagued team kept it relatively close against No. 20 Arkansas but the Hogs had too much firepower and won 79-67. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Little Rock Trojans coach Darrell Walker might've felt like he was watching old game film of himself in the first few minutes of Friday's contest against Arkansas. This time, though, Walker didn't like what he saw.

The Razorbacks' quick hands and anticipation fueled a ball-hawking defense that put the Trojans in a permanent hole at Bud Walton Arena. Incredibly, Arkansas stole the ball four times before Little Rock even put up a shot.

That created a 7-0 lead. Last night's game started like this:
* Nelly Davis steal, bad lob to Zvonimir Ivišić.
* Adoo Thiero steal, lay-up and foul for 3-point play.
* Boogie Fland steal and lay-up.
* Davis steal and dunk.
* Little Rock timeout.

The lead grew to 17-3 as the Hogs picked the Trojans' pocket an eye-popping seven times in the first 6 minutes plus. It was hard not to feel sorry for Walker and the Trojans who were overwhelmed as Arkansas finished with 15 steals that led to 28 points in a 79-67 victory.

"Let’s just be honest, I thought my guys were just a little nervous," Walker said. "The first seven, eight minutes of the game that showed."

It was frustrating for Walker, but it was the same kind of larceny he committed that delighted Razorback fans back when he was a second-team All American at Arkansas. He played on teams that went 73-18 from 1981-83.

The wiry, athletic Walker partnered for two seasons with quick and ultra-strong Alvin Robertson to form one of the best defensive backcourt tandems not only in Arkansas history, but in all of college basketball.

Both were 6-foot-4, terrific rebounders, and experts in harassment. Both became NBA first round picks -- Walker No. 12 to the Knicks in 1983, Robertson seventh to the Spurs in '84 -- but not before they terrorized opponents with steals and dunks that made the home crowd go crazy and the other team tentative.

Walker was twice the Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year (1982 and '83) and was SWC Player of the Year in '83. He averaged more than five rebounds over three years while scoring 11, 15 and 18 a game.

All Robertson did was earn NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1986 after making the 1984 Olympic team along with fellow Razorback Joe Kleine. Robertson made the All-NBA Defensive first team twice, the second team four times, and led the league in steal three times.

Walker made the NBA All-Rookie team and played 10 years with the Knicks, Denver, Washington, Toronto, Detroit and Chicago. He won a title with the Bulls and Michael Jordan in '93 while earning respect throughout the league and was coach of the Raptors and Wizards, and an assistant coach and scout.

Still, when Walker played at Arkansas, nobody figured he'd become a coach. It's the old saying about Babe Ruth, who desperately wanted to be the Yankees' manager, or any team's manager. It never happened, because a player can't manage others when he can't manage himself.

Asked about returning to Fayetteville to play the Hogs, Walker touched on his days as a "wild kid" when he arrived at Arkansa before he matured under the guidance of Hogs coach Eddie Sutton and his wife Patsy who made a lasting difference in his life.

"It’s always special to be back in Fayetteville," Walker said. "I grew up here, met my wife here, so this has always been a special place. The people in the state have always been unbelievably great to me ever since I’ve been here. They’ve seen me grow up from a wild kid to where I am now and it’s always special to come back here."

Walker is in the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. He and wife Lisa are the only husband-wife team to be in the SWC Hall of Fame. Lisa Sparks was a two-time track All-American at Arkansas.

One thing that never changed about Walker was his tenacity. His team displayed that following its horrendous start and rallied after Arkansas grabbed its biggest lead at 49-31, capped by Adou Thiero's traditional three-point play followed by his steal and dunk.

Arkansas forward Adou Thiero rises for a left-handed slam in the second half against the Little Rock Trojans at Bud Walton Arena. Thiero led the Razorbacks with 23 points and eight rebounds. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

The Trojans fought back despite missing key players. Sidelined for the season is former Razorback guard KK Robinson, the Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Player of the Year. Also sitting out Friday was Creed Williamson, son of Arkansas legend Corliss Williamson, who led the Hogs to the 1994 national championship and now assistant coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Arkansas responded after Little Rock whittled the lead to seven with over 10 minutes left. The Hogs' 14-4 spurt was fueled by a 3-pointer from Boogie Fland and two by DJ Wagner.

Fland and Wagner are different, but not unlike Walker and Robertson when they played at Arkansas. In-your-face harassment without fouling, ability to get to the rim on offense and negate it on defense, plus game-changing athleticism and determination.

Arkansas guard Boogie Fland (2) plays tight defense against Little Rock Trojans guard Mwani Wilkinson (5), a transfer from LSU, at Bud Walton Arena Friday. Fland had 21 points and seven assists as Arkansas improved to 4-1. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Time will tell if Fland and Wagner become consistently elite defenders. If they do -- for 40 minutes a game, every game -- the rest of the Hogs will follow their lead. Then this group of Razorbacks could at least challenge any team in the country.

HOGS FEED:

• Winning Ugly Remains Early Recipe for Razorbacks

• Razorbacks use strong defense, timely shooting to put Trojans away

• Live Blog: Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Little Rock Trojans

• High tech machine makes it easier for players to break out of shooting slumps, improve

• Subscribe and follow us on YouTube
• Follow HogsSI on X and Facebook