By Jimmy Carter

Arkansas’ team videographer might as well have taken Saturday off.

Overcoming the Razorbacks’ 101-70 drubbing at now top-ranked Kentucky won’t involve the team reliving the Hogs’ worst Southeastern Conference loss ever.

“I don’t know how much we’ll watch of that,” Arkansas coach John Pelphrey said of the Kentucky game film. “It will obviously be talked about but I don’t know what there is to watch. Hopefully we’ll respond. If you’re an athlete, you’ve got to have a short memory.”

The Hogs (8-11 overall, 1-3 in the Southeastern Conference) shot just 31 percent from the field and were outrebounded 59-39. Kentucky jumped out to a 10-0 lead and never looked back en route to attaining its first No. 1 ranking since 2003.

“I’ve never played against anybody that strong and that fast,” freshman forward Marshawn Powell said. “I stopped thinking about it after the clock hit zero. There isn’t too much you can do about that. Coach wrote that on the board, you can’t let it hold you back you’ve got to keep going. You can’t keep dwelling on it, or it will hold you back from getting better.”

Kentucky controlled the paint Saturday and the Hogs will have to improve before Thursday to compete against the SEC’s leading shot blocker, Mississippi State’s Jarvis Varnado. The senior produced a triple-double against the Hogs in the teams’ first meeting, recording 17 points, 12 rebounds and 10 blocked shots.

“They’ve got the best shot-blocker ever in the SEC in the middle of the floor,” Pelphrey said. “He’s very, very unique. I don’t think there’s anybody who’s ever blocked it better than him. And he does it without fouling. He stays in the game. Good rebounder too, and even though he’s slight of build, it’s not like you can just move him out of there. He’s always in there, gets the tough rebounds.”

Varnado’s 494 career blocks puts him 42 rejections away from the all-time NCAA record as he anchors the SEC’s top-ranked scoring defense. Arkansas center Mike Washington has struggled with foul trouble recently, but Pelphrey said the senior would need to stay on the court to match up with Varnado and provide leadership.

Washington played just 37 minutes combined in the Razorbacks’ losses to Florida and Kentucky after getting into foul trouble early in both contests. The Hogs were outrebounded by 33 in the two games.

“It’s hard,” Pelphrey said about playing without Washington. “He’s a leader. He scores, he rebounds, and makes the middle of our defense good too because he takes charges. We need him out there, no question about that. We want to play him 30-plus minutes a night, and Mike’s got to figure that out. There are a number of things that factor in to that that need to get better.”

Washington’s foul troubles have forced freshman forward Marshawn Powell to slide to the center position often, a spot the 6-7, 220-pounder said he’s not comfortable with on the college level.

“If he was out there for 32 minutes, I wouldn’t have to play the five (position),” Powell said. “It’d be pretty decent for me. I’m pretty comfortable playing the five, I’ve played it all my life, but I wouldn’t want to play it here because I’m not bigger or stronger than half the fives here (in the SEC).”

The learning experience at Kentucky – the Wildcats blocked nine Razorback shots – will aid the Hogs in their rematch with Varnado.

“(Varnado) is athletic and long,” Powell said. “He’s a guy that’s hard to score over the top of. I’m used to throwing up my little hook shot, but you that with Varnado. I know from last game that I have to be a force inside immediately, and not wait until we’re in the hole.

“You’ve got to go into a shot-blocker. I’m gonna keep going at him. I’m not scared.”

While Varnado’s 13.8 points per game leads the Bulldogs (15-4, 3-1), guards Ravern Johnson, Dee Bost and Barry Stewart key the SEC’s top 3-point shooting squad. The Bulldogs shoot nearly 40 percent from 3-point range and the Razorbacks have the conference’s worst 3-point defense – allowing opponents to shoot 38 percent.

“Transition defense is always big against those guys,” Pelphrey said. “They also shoot it from four spots whether they’re big or small. They’re a tremendous 3-point shooting team.”

A win over the Western division-leading Bulldogs would put Arkansas back in the pack in the division race heading into a quick-turnaround Saturday contest at No. 18 Ole Miss (15-4, 3-2).

“We’re going to stay positive,” Pelphrey said. “Hopefully we can get out and defend, rebound some balls and get out in transition. We always knew (playing twice in three days) would be challenging. The hard part is coming back and playing the Saturday game in less than 48 hours.”

The Razorback players are eager to bounce back from their 31-point loss.

“I’m a basketball player, it shouldn’t be hard,” Powell said. “I just come in with a great attitude and get ready to work like I always do. I’m just trying to go in there steady-headed and knowing what I need to do. When the lights are on, you’ve got to play.”