After a slow start in two preseason exhibition games, Arkansas graduate senior guard Johnell Davis blossomed in the Razorbacks' season-opening 76-60 win over Lipscomb on Wednesday night inside Bud Walton Arena.
The former highly-touted Florida Atlantic transfer shot 7-of-12 from the floor (58.3%) with six rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block and only two turnovers. According to HogStats, Davis is the first Razorback since Marshawn Powell in 2009 with 15+ points, 6+ rebounds, 1+ blocks and 1+ steals in a debut game.
Head coach John Calipari pointed out Davis' physicality as a stand-out feature of his performance.
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"Well, you know what he did? He went at the rim," Calipari said after the game. "Like we need, I kept saying, why are you shooting jump shots? Go to the rim, and he did it. You know, just go by people.
"Now, you may get bumped. It’s a harder play than shooting a jump shot. You go in, there’s a chance you might lose it. He may block it. He might bump you. How about this thought? I may miss a layup. If I miss a jump shot or a three, I’m okay. But if I miss a layup, that’s embarrassing. You can’t be in that mode. Just go."
Davis was one of Arkansas' top transfer portal pickups over the offseason not only for his prolific scoring ability, but because of his efficient shooting from deep (41.4% on 140 attempts with the Owls last season).
The 6-foot-4 guard only shot 1-of-4 from three against the Bisons — a microcosm of the Razorbacks' 4-of-19 three-point shooting as a team — but that hasn't swayed Calipari from believing the shots will start falling.
"You want to shoot threes? Make threes," Calipari said. "Get in that gym. Prove it in the game. Create opportunities for each other so you can start making them. Throw it ahead. Drive the ball. Swing it, swing it. Three in transition."
Arkansas was up as much as 15 points over Lipscomb before the Bisons made things interesting with a 9-0 run in the second half, even getting the deficit to as little as three points. Despite the uneasy feeling from fans in Bud Walton Arena, Davis said he was never worried about finishing strong.
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"Nah no nervousness," Davis said after the game. "As a basketball player you go get jitters before the game, but all that goes away once the ball gets tipped...I've been playing college basketball for four years."
Big man Arkansas teammate Zvonimir Ivisic, who finished with 12 points all in the second half, praised Davis for his off-ball tenacity and motivation.
"First of all, you just saw how he follows the players," Ivisic said after the game. "Steal balls, rebounds, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds. Going strong all the time. When we see him, all of us, even bench players, when we see him, how he fights. It motivates us, so he’s a DOG."
Up next, the No. 16 Arkansas basketball team (1-0) will travel to Dallas to face the No. 8 Baylor Bears (0-1) inside American Airlines Center on Saturday. That game will tip-off at 6:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPNU.
