Kings of the Court

Bobby Portis steered Arkansas to a 2-0 start in Southeastern Conference play. Trailing Georgia at halftime, Portis opened scoring for the Razorbacks (13-2, 2-0 SEC) in the second period and sparked the 79-75 come-from-behind win. He led the Razorbacks with 21 points and finished 4-of-4 from the free-throw line and made one 3-pointer. Portis dropped 32 points and pulled down 11 rebounds against Vanderbilt as Arkansas moved past the Commodores 82-70 for its seventh consecutive victory. The performance was Portis’ sixth 20-plus-point game this season. Portis and Arkansas play at Tennessee (9-5, 1-1) on Tuesday.

 

 

 

 

 

Green Bay’s Keifer Sykes had career outings against Wright State and Milwaukee, registering a combined 62 points. In last Monday’s league-opening win against WSU, Sykes scored 28 points, including 8-of-12 shooting in the second half. He tied his career-high this past Saturday posting 34 points in a 79-63 win at Milwaukee. Sykes also finished 5-for-7 from beyond the arc. The senior point guard has scored in double figures in 15 of 16 games this season. Sykes and the Phoenix (14-3, 3-0 Horizon League) play at Oakland (Mich.) on Thursday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a 14-point showing in a loss to Seton Hall, Darrun Hilliard II recorded a pair of 21-point performances for Villanova. In last Wednesday’s 90-72 win against St. John’s, Hilliard erupted in the second half scoring 17 of his 21 points. He was 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. Against DePaul on Saturday, he registered four steals and a block in a dominating 81-64 win against the Demons -- their first Big East loss of the season. The Wildcats (15-1, 3-1 Big East ) play host to Xavier (11-5, 2-2) on Wednesday.