Arkansas opens SEC season with No. 8 Alabama at Walton Arena

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) _ Arkansas doesn't have to battle high expectations when it opens its Southeastern Conference season against No. 8 Alabama on Saturday. <br/><br/>Arkansas (11-3) has spent the

Thursday, January 4th 2007, 2:30 pm

By: News On 6

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) _ Arkansas doesn't have to battle high expectations when it opens its Southeastern Conference season against No. 8 Alabama on Saturday.

Arkansas (11-3) has spent the non-conference portion of the schedule learning to work without last year's SEC scoring leader Ronnie Brewer, who left as a junior for the NBA. Freshman Patrick Beverley has taken up some of the slack but he is still learning the college game. Having also lost senior Jonathon Modica, the Razorbacks are still finding their way to play as a team for 40 minutes.

Alabama (13-1) has five players that average double figures in scoring, led by Richard Hendrix's 15.3 points per game and 14.8 each by Jermareo Davidson and Alonzo Gee. Mykal Riley averages 12.4 and Ronald Steele averages 10.9 points while also averaging 4.7 assists.

So far this season, Davidson averages 9.5 rebounds per game and Hendrix 9.2, putting each close to averaging a double-double.

Hendrix, who scores from the paint, has a .613 shooting average for the season. Gee, who has made 14 of 31 3-point attempts for the year, averages .574 shooting from the field.

Alabama coach Mark Gottfried said Hendrix and Gee have improved this season.

``Those two guys _ they're only sophomores, obviously _ but look at them last year and look at them this year. They've improved a great deal. They're playing with a lot of confidence and they're consistent,'' Gottfried said.

He said he is trying to play Steele less to allow Brandon Hollinger more minutes at point.

Beverley leads Arkansas with 13.9 points per game, followed by Charles Thomas at 12.8 points. Sonny Weems averages 11.7. Only Beverley, at .512 percent, makes more than half of his shots on average.

Thomas is the Razorbacks' leading rebounder at 5.4 per game.

``We've got so many newcomers, with a totally revamped backcourt, and we've had a couple of bumps along the way, but we've improved,'' Heath said. ``The guys have learned and they've been working very hard and I think where we are right now compared to where we were a month and a half ago is a whole other level.''

Heath said Alabama has one of the nation's top teams.

``So we've got our hands full,'' Heath said. ``We've got to guard home court. That's always key in conference play and it should be a great ballgame.''

Heath singled out Steele, Davidson, Hendrix and Riley for praise.

``It seems like the pieces are fitting very, very well together and they're firing on all cylinders,'' Heath said.

The Crimson Tide's one loss was at Notre Dame, 99-85, on Dec. 7. Alabama is coming off a New Year's Day shellacking of Oklahoma, 70-55.

Arkansas has lost three games to quality opponents _ Texas, Texas Tech and Missouri. The Razorbacks pulled out a 61-53 overtime victory over Southern Illinois on Nov. 23. They have beaten West Virginia, and they beat Tulsa 68-59 on Jan. 2, a game in which Heath sent Darian Townes to the showers early after he lost his temper following a poor start.

Heath said Beverley is making a difference and is filling a void.

``He's been a perfect fit for especially what we've lost in Ronnie Brewer and Jonathon Modica....'' Heath said.

Heath says he has yet to see a 40-minute game from his team, but he expects to.

``We've shown flashes and we've shown long moments of playing very, very good basketball. That's our key force if we can put it together for longer periods of time,'' Heath said.