All Hogs

Alabama Technically Wins, but Arkansas Biggest Winner in Overall Picture

Tide still in line to miss SEC Championships as Razorbacks vault national qualifying score

Kent Smith

The Arkansas Razorbacks celebrate Kalyxta Gamio's 9.90 to start the scoring on beam in a season high overall performance against Alabama in Bud Walton Arena.
The Arkansas Razorbacks celebrate Kalyxta Gamio's 9.90 to start the scoring on beam in a season high overall performance against Alabama in Bud Walton Arena. / Razorback Communications
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas got a huge boost to their national qualifying score against Alabama at Bud Walton Arena Friday night.

The Razorbacks needed at least a 196.875 to raise their national qualifying score and came away with a season high 197.425 after a near perfect finish on floor to close the meet that included a program record by freshman Joscelyn Roberson.

That allows Arkansas to drop a low score, meaning the Razorbacks no longer have anything in the 195s on their ledger, while now being able to count a 197.175 from an upset of Florida that was previously getting wiped away by the requirement to drop the season's highest score.

While Alabama technically won 197.650-197.425, Arkansas came out on top in the overall picture. The Razorbacks kept the Tide at bay in the national rankings because of a significantly increased NQS, which means if the SEC championships were today, it would be Alabama that would be the only school to be left watching from home by way of only being ranked No. 17 in the country, placing the Tide behind the other eight conference teams.

National Rankings:
1. Oklahoma 197.865
2. LSU 197.540
6. Florida 197.190
8. Missouri 197.095
9. Georgia 196.990
10. Kentucky 196.955
11. Auburn 196.925
16. Arkansas 196.715
17. Alabama 196.690

Arkansas still has No. 10 Kentucky on the road and No. 8 Missouri at Bud Walton. Next Friday's meet against Kentucky will be crucial as road scores that fall in the Top 6 meet performances overall automatically count at this point in the season.

It's also where the Razorbacks have the most room to improve. Jordyn Wieber's team would like to drop a 196.250 against Auburn in favor of adding a fourth 197+ score to the five that must be averaged to determine the national qualifying score. That would mean at least a .750 jump in total scores to be averaged, giving a minimum increase of .150 in NQS.

That would jump Arkansas up to No. 14 as things currently stand, providing a much safer cushion ahead of Alabama to avoid being eliminated from SEC Tournament contention. As for the Missouri meet, the Razorbacks would need to top the 197.000 posted against Denver and Texas Woman's University.

Since only two home meets can count on NQS and high scores are dropped, it would take a score similar to Friday's season high to move the meter in any meaningful way. Getting another 197.175 would only raise the overall score by .035.

Here are the scores Arkansas is currently counting.:
1. 197.175, Florida, (H)
2. 197.050, Geogia, (A)
3. 197.000, Denver/TWU, (H)
4. 196.400, Oregon St., Arizona, SEMO, (A)
5. 196.250, Auburn, (A)
Dropped high score: 197.425 vs. Alabama.

Arkansas and Kentucky have already faced off in the season opener at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad in Oklahoma City. The Wildcats won 196.500-195.875, but teams are vastly different than the ones who met in early January.

The meet will be shown in SEC Network+ at 6 p.m.

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Kent Smith
KENT SMITH

Kent Smith has been in the world of media and film for nearly 30 years. From Nolan Richardson's final seasons, former Razorback quarterback Clint Stoerner trying to throw to anyone and anything in the blazing heat of Cowboys training camp in Wichita Falls, the first high school and college games after 9/11, to Troy Aikman's retirement and Alex Rodriguez's signing of his quarter billion dollar contract, Smith has been there to report on some of the region's biggest moments. 

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