LSU hopes it is taking an edge into a hostile environment when the Tigers face Arkansas tonight – even with their leading scorer banged up from the team’s most recent game. Junior guard Marcus Thornton sat out of the final part of Monday’s practice, saying he hurt his hip diving for a loose ball against Kentucky on Saturday. But he expects to play against Arkansas (17-7, 6-4). “I’m going to try to play against Arkansas,” Thornton said. “If I can’t, I’m not going hurt the team, knowing that I can’t run up and down the court.” After losing 68-52 to Arkansas at the PMAC on Jan. 26, the Tigers (9-15, 2-8) believe they have a better feel for the Razorbacks. “It [helps] because you know what plays they run for the most part – their bread and butter,” said junior guard Garrett Temple. “You know what guys do, and if you pay attention to details enough you can pick up on some things.” The only team the Tigers have faced twice this season is Auburn. LSU won 81-80 at Auburn on Jan. 30 after losing to Auburn, 74-67, two weeks earlier in the PMAC. While Arkansas will change some things in its playbook, LSU interim coach Butch Pierre feels the Tigers will benefit from seeing the Razorbacks’ personnel in the teams’ earlier meeting. “They have more guys who have played more minutes in the Southeastern Conference than any other team in the league,” Pierre said. “They have pro prospects on their team, and [our younger players] realize that now after the way they came in here and played us the first time, how they dominated us.” Five of the Razorbacks’ top seven scorers are seniors, and the veteran lineup particularly gave LSU fits in the first half of the teams’ first matchup. The Razorbacks took a 39-22 lead against the Tigers at halftime behind 19 points by senior guard/forward Sonny Weems. Now LSU hits the road, and Temple called Arkansas’ Bud Walton Arena one of the toughest places to play in the SEC. He joked that he still does not understand the famous “Hog Call Cheer.” “Woo, woo, woo, pig sooie – something like that,” Temple said. “I have no clue. I have no clue at all. Woo, woo, woo, pig sooie is all I know.” Temple is LSU’s only active player who played in the Tigers’ most recent victory at Arkansas two years ago, but the newer Tigers are aware what they are up against. “I’ve heard a couple stories about Arkansas’ arena and their fans – especially when they do good things,” Thornton said. “We’re just going to try to go up there and take their fans out of it early.” To help overcome a veteran lineup and a rowdy home crowd, the Tigers will need another solid performance from forward Anthony Randolph. The freshman enters the game fresh off game highs of 24 points and 14 rebounds against Kentucky. He also earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors. Randolph and Vanderbilt center A.J. Ogilvy have each earned the honor a conference-high three times.
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