Hoop Hogs' Menifield named SEC Player of the Week after career high 32 point outing sends Arkansas to 16 point win on Saturday

By Kevin McPherson LITTLE ROCK — Only 17 days and three games into his Arkansas playing career, Razorbacks sophomore guard , was named SEC Player of the Week on Monday after scoring a career high 32 points in the team’s 106 90 win over North Carolina Wilmington on Saturday. Menifield was 8 of 14 from the field, including 3 of 7 from 3 point range, and 13 of 17 from the free throw line.

He also had 5 assists, 4 rebounds, a boxscore plus 17, and he drew nine fouls while committing zero fouls. “(Menifield) is so quick with the ball,” Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman said after the UNC Wilmington game. “He’s got great basketball IQ. He sees plays before they happen, which … on the lobs, he just naturally sees plays develop.

And we felt that way when we recruited him. I was kind of amazed as a freshman how he could read the second and third line of the defense. He’s really good in transition too. He does make us a much different team that plays with much different pace.” Menifield scored 17 of his 32 points in the first half — including all the points in an 11 5 run to close out the first 20 minutes — as Arkansas took a six point lead at the break, 48 42.

He he hit 5 of 7 from the field, including 2 of 3 from distance, and he made 5 of 8 from the line. In the second half, his layup and one was good for Arkansas’ biggest lead to that point at 53 44, his 2 of 2 free throws gave the Hogs their first double digit lead at 67 57, his lob pass to Jalen Graham for a dunk extended the lead to 75 61, and his third three pointer plus 5 of 6 free throw shooting in the final four minutes of the game helped the Hogs to their largest margin of victory (16 points) since the team defeated Gardner Webb, 86 68, in the second game of the season on Nov.

11. He was the only Razorback to play all 20 minutes of the second half as he scored 15 points in the final 20 minutes, which included making 8 of 9 at the foul line. Through three games as a Hog, Menifield has scored in double figures twice and is averaging 15.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in 27.3 minutes while shooting 52.0% from the field, including 3 of 11 from 3 (27.3%), and 76.2% from the free throw line.

A Pac 12 All Freshman team selection last season at Washington before transferring to Arkansas in the offseason, Menifield missed the Razorbacks’ first 10 games as a designated “non scholarship redshirt” before receiving an NCAA waiver for immediate playing eligibility on Dec. 15. A day later, he made his Hoop Hogs debut in a 69 66 win over Lipscomb in North Little Rock.

He followed that up with an 11 point outing while playing all 20 minutes of the second half in the team’s 83 73 come from behind win over Abilene Christian on Dec. 21 at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville..