Fans Encouraged to Attend Basketball Practice Friday

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Arkansas officially begins basketball season on Friday and fans are invited to attend the first practice of the season. Head coach Stan Heath is encouraging fans to attend the 7-9 p.m. practice in Bud Walton Arena. Doors open at 6 p.m. Heath will introduce the players when they take the floor at 7 before the team goes through a standard practice for the first 90 minutes. For the final 30 minutes, Heath will put time on the clock and scrimmage for the remainder of the session. "We encourage all of our fans to come out for our first practice," Heath says. "It will be intense and well scrimmage towards the end. Were excited about the season and hope as many fans as possible will come out and get their first look at what we think is a very exciting team." The Razorbacks return four starters and seven lettermen from last years 18-12 club. Junior guard Ronnie Brewer, a preseason All-American and preseason Southeastern Conference player of the year, is the top returnee. A member of the preseason watch list for the Wooden Award, which goes to the top player in the country, he is the top returning scorer in the league (16.2). Other key returnees are senior guards Jonathon Modica and Eric Ferguson, sophomore forwards Darian Townes, Vincent Hunter and Charles Thomas, and sophomore center Steven Hill. Modica, a preseason All-SEC selection by Athlon Sports and Lindys Basketball, enters his final season 24th on UAs all-time scoring list with 1,074 points. Ferguson is ninth on Arkansas all-time assists list (297). Townes, a preseason All-SEC pick by Athlon, was second on the team last year in scoring (10.2), rebounding (4.6), shooting (.519), free throw percentage (.698) and blocked shots (1.6). Hunter, who started nine games as a freshman in 2004, is back after missing last year with a medical redshirt. Thomas started 18 games last year and Hill was second in the league with 1.8 blocked shots per game. Season tickets are now available. They can be purchased online at www.Hogwired.com, or by calling the UA Ticket Office at 800-982-4647 or 575-5151.