The Arkansas men's basketball team (9-4, 0-0 SEC) did not have the non-conference performance that the players, staff or fans envisioned.
What many anticipated as a possible undefeated slate turned into the worst non-conference record of the Eric Musselman era and the worst for the program since 2015-2016 (6-6).
Following a 3-0 start, the Razorbacks failed to hold home court in a 78-72 loss to UNC Greensboro before finishing just 1-2 overall in the Bahamas.
A big win over the No. 7 Duke Blue Devils had fans thinking the program was back on track after a rocky start, but then a trip to Tulsa to play No. 19 Oklahoma saw Arkansas dominated from the tip.
So, what happened? Despite the Razorbacks having a low retention rate, this team still returned the most players of any in the Musselman era. The Hogs added two highly rated freshmen and a lauded transfer class, but have not found the success they were hoping for early on this season.
Arkansas' offense struggled with consistency initially. The pace of play was much slower and the offense didn't flow at all with a high amount of isolation plays and bad shot selection.
Offensive issues have improved with the addition of guard Keyon Menifield Jr., who was granted a waiver by the NCAA prior to the Lipscomb game. The same cannot be said for the defense, however.
The Razorbacks have played the worst defense of the Musselman era up to this point of the season. They are forcing fewer turnovers, allowing more offensive rebounds, giving up a high shooting percentage from the perimeter and allowing too many free throw attempts.
