After one of the more dismal starts to an Arkansas basketball season in almost 40 years, there’s not been a whole lot to ‘hang your hat on’ these days. One of the exceptions is sophomore guard Rotnei Clarke.
A little over halfway through the regular season, Clarke has 61 three-point field goals in 125 attempts. That’s a gaudy 48.8% average and is on pace (projected 114) to shatter Scotty Thurman’s three-point record of 102 for a season set in 1995.
Clarke already holds the single game three-point mark of 13 set earlier this year, breaking the record held by the legendary Al Dillard. That was also an SEC record, as well.
After only a year and a half, Clarke finds himself ninth on the Arkansas career three-point list with 144. Pat Bradley tops the career chart with 366.
One thing to note about Rot this year is his improved mid-range game. When struggling to get a look from three-point land, Clarke has been efficient in putting the ball on the floor (or coming tight off a screen) to hit the 10 to 15-foot floaters. That’s helped him up his per game scoring average to 18.4, second in the SEC.
Courtney Fortson’s return has been a big boost, not only for the team, but for Clarke’s chances to break the record. The cupcakes are over, though, and with the SEC slate in full swing, getting to 102 will be tough. Fun to watch, yes…easy, no.
Rotnei puts in the hours to be a great shooter. And, his whole game is better than expected. More importantly, his only chance in the SEC is to play on a complete team where he is only one option a defense must consider. That is always the case with a deep shooter, Al and Pat being great examples. Both played on complete teams with point guards and an inside game.
It looked like we were headed there the other night. Can we stay focused and improve?? We have the horses to be the surprise team of the SEC if we will play basketball and keep our heads out of dark places.
This Pel's chance to cut out the sad sack and go back to coaching.
Rotnei is a very special player, so let's all enjoy watching him play while he is at the U of A. Player like him don't come around very often. Besides being a great basketball player, he also appear to be a very nice and humble young man. What more can we, as fans, ask for? I wish our entire team could be comprised of young men of his caliber. Wouldn't that be GREAT!!!
P.S.– Not that the rest of the players are not good athletes and good people. I just think that Rotnei has something special that is found in very few student athletes.