FAYETTEVILLE – The Arkansas males's basketball staff will host Abilene Christian on Thursday in its first sport at Bud Walton Enviornment in additional than two weeks.
The Razorbacks, who’ve two extra non-conference video games scheduled, and the Wildcats tip off at 6 p.m. on the SEC Community. Right here are some things to be careful for:
• Protection with out fouls
Arkansas and Abilene Christian are two of faculty basketball's finest at attending to the free throw line.
As of Wednesday, the Razorbacks are twelfth nationally in free throws towards Division I opponents and the Wildcats are eighth, in accordance with KenPom. Abilene Christian is tenth within the nation in free throw makes an attempt per sport at 26.7, and Arkansas is true behind at 26.5, which is thirteenth.
Whereas not horny, it is going to be attention-grabbing to look at for a number of causes.
For one factor, each groups additionally foul so much and sometimes ship their opponents to the road. Which facet can defend finest with out fouls and unforced errors? And second, the Razorbacks solely tried eight free throws towards Lipscomb final Saturday in North Little Rock, so I anticipate Arkansas to strain the rim.
The Razorbacks' 4 sacks and eight makes an attempt towards the Bisons are tied for the fewest, or tied for second-most, throughout a sport underneath Eric Musselman. Khalif Battle, a switch from Temple, didn’t try a free throw for the primary time this season after coming into Saturday averaging 7.8 per outing.
In the meantime, the Wildcats are contemporary off a sport by which they shot extra free throws (48) than subject targets (42). Six Abilene Christian gamers tried no less than 5 free throws towards Texas El-Paso, and Hunter guard Jack Madden made 13.
“They do an awesome job attacking the rim. They do an awesome high-low job,” Musselman stated. “Their bigs do an awesome job of hiding inside. [Ali Abdou Dibba] it does an awesome job cornering within the small entrance spot. They’ll function a [dribble handoff] and turns the nook. They put a dribbling man on his elbow and let him dribble.
“Their backup guard. [Nasir DeGruy] does job dribbling. Madden is a little bit of a combo guard. Did an awesome job towards UTEP's FTA draw. [Airion] Simmons can foul. Clearly, in case you go arduous and go high-low, they're going to have the ability to create free throw conditions for folks as effectively.”
• Trevon Brazile's aggressiveness
The redshirt sophomore ahead hasn't been his normal self since spraining his ankle late within the staff's win over Furman on Dec. 4.
Within the Razorbacks 1-1 sport towards Oklahoma and Lipscomb, Brazil had 6 factors on 9 subject objective makes an attempt, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 1 block. May he return to type towards the Wildcats?
In opposition to Lipscomb, Brazil tried to drag perimeter jumpers, regardless that they’re largely open. Because of this, it hampered his off-side play as opponents got here to anticipate a shot pretend and dribble.
The ahead is Arkansas' greatest risk statistically at this level within the season. He’s 14-of-32 (43.8%) total and second in threes behind Battle, who has 21.
Brazil have received 2 three-pointers of their final two video games. He scored 10 towards Duke and Furman, and the Razorbacks' offense carried out at a excessive degree.
A wholesome shot rely for Brazil is wholesome for Arkansas. He's averaging 6.7 per sport proper now — down 1.9 from 9 video games in 2022-23.
The Razorbacks would be the finest model of themselves when he’s the point of interest of the offense and retains opponents on their heels. Let it fly.
• Jeremiah Davenport
Since arriving at Arkansas in April 2019, Musselman has established that effort, power and enthusiasm are the pillars of his program.
Davenport, a capturing guard switch from Cincinnati, might finest embody these rules by way of 11 video games. And if nothing modifications on his finish, it might result in a constant function in Musselman's rotation.
The 6-6 guard's finest two video games as a Razorback have come within the final two video games. In that stretch, he added 10.5 factors on 36.4% capturing from deep, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals in 22.5 minutes per sport.
Davenport was the spark plug for an Arkansas staff that at occasions desperately wanted an infusion of life. This was the case whether or not he was on the bench or within the lineup.
“When he makes threes, he stretches our protection,” Musselman stated Wednesday. “He's a high-energy participant. It offers us an identification of power on the ground.”
Musselman added enhancements for Davenport, which begin with a greater understanding of the second and third possibility offensively and serving to out on the glass extra.
Davenport had 9 factors, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and a couple of steals in an in depth win over Lipscomb and unofficially held the Bisons to 4 subject targets on 10 saves. Whereas he was whistled for scoring late on a Lipscomb layup, the hustle to even give the officers one thing to have a look at on a monitor must be counseled.
Davenport additionally had six potential assists, one behind Tramon Marko for the staff lead.
I could also be off base, however I believe we'll see loads of Davenport on Thursday. He's dependable for power and for the staff, and if he begins pulling down threes like he's able to, be careful.
• Stray ideas
— Keyon Menifield, a 6-1 switch from Washington, acquired his toes moist with the Razorbacks final weekend. He scored 2 factors, 3 rebounds and a couple of assists in 19 minutes. Debut positives included disruption on the ball defensively, fast and sharp passes into assault that created attractiveness and poise. Menifield appeared comfy on the ball, and one would think about his consolation will develop with extra enjoying time. If he will get the keys to the lengthy stretch offense, I ponder what influence he could have by way of shot choice and effectivity.
— Like Davenport, ahead Jalen Graham has achieved effectively in back-to-back video games. Will it give the workers confidence to play him extra? The defensive rebound was an necessary level for Musselman when discussing Graham after the Lipscomb sport. Once more, like Davenport, it is a level of emphasis. However I used to be inspired by his defensive flashes towards Oklahoma and Lipscomb, with 4 blocks and extra altered pictures. Graham seems assured on either side. When he performs effectively, he offers the Razorbacks with the form of jolt that few can present.
— Abilene Christian will not be a staff in love with three-pointers. The Wildcats common 17.1 three-point makes an attempt per sport, a quantity that ranks 339th nationally, and 40.6 pictures contained in the arc. Abilene Christian has achieved job this season of taking pictures on objective as an alternative of turning them away. Can Arkansas flip that round? The Razorbacks maintain a KenPom block price of 17.5%, which ranks fifth within the nation. In accordance with CBB Analytics, the Wildcats made simply 56.5% of their makes an attempt on the rim and 41% of their different pictures within the lane.
