MIKE CAWOOD

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman announced today that graduate senior forward Justin Smith will be out three-to-six weeks after having successful right ankle arthroscopic debridement surgery Friday.

Smith injured his ankle during the first half of Arkansas’ SEC opener at Auburn (Wednesday - Dec. 30). While he returned to the floor in the first half, he sat out the second half in the 97-85 win.

Smith started each of the first nine games and he was averaging 11.6 points and 7.1 rebounds. Prior to his injury, Smith had double-digit rebounds in back-to-back games, including his fifth career double-double versus Oral Roberts (22 pts and 17 rebs). Smith ranks third in the SEC in offensive rebounds (3.44).