A year removed from ranking 315th nationally and 12th in the SEC with a team 3-point shooting percentage of 31.29%, the Arkansas Razorbacks might have a pair of legit sharpshooters this season.
Head coach Eric Musselman has led the Hoop Hogs to three straight Sweet Sixteen's and a pair of Elite Eights, but one weakness most of his teams at Arkansas have had is shooting from three.
Musselman returned sophomore Joseph Pinion and added Cincinnati transfer Jeremiah Davenport for the 2023-24 season, and that duo put on a clinic from beyond the arc during Wednesday's Red-White Showcase at Barnhill Arena in Fayetteville.
Pinion led all scorers with 20 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field and a 3-of-4 performance form three. He was a perfect 6-of-6 from the field with 17 points in the first half and he added three more in the second half to help his Red team to an 88-70 win over the White squad.
"He is not a good shooter, he’s a phenomenal shooter," Musselman said of Pinion. "He’s done a good job rebounding defensively, because that’s been an area that we felt we needed him to go to the glass defensively a little bit. He’s got to improve defensively and it starts with getting lower — having a little bit lower disposition defensively.
"We’re a no middle team and it should help him. I think that if a quicker player has got the ball and you know where you have to shade it, it should help him. He gave up middle a little bit too much tonight and the good thing is we’ll be able to go back and talk to him and tell him ‘Hey, you’ve just got to shade this guy where the help is.’"
Checking in at 6-foot-5, 195 pounds, Pinion is stronger and leaner ahead of his sophomore campaign in Fayetteville.
"I think he’s gained some weight, but it’s really, really good weight," Musselman said. "I think he’s actually leaner. It’s not often you can have a player get stronger, gain a little bit of weight and lean out as well, and he’s done that."
Pinion credited his maturity as a big part of the growth in his game, and being around veterans like Davenport — a graduate senior — has made him better.
"I feel like I've always been the only shooter that's been here at Arkansas," Pinion said. "We bring in JD, now I’ve got some competition. Competition makes everything better. Thats how you win more games, is competition. He’s really been pushing me, and I feel like I've been pushing him a little bit to be the best shooter we can be.
"I was about to say he’s been pushing me for sure. He's been pushing me just to knock down shots. I’m seeing him knock down shots, and I’m like aw man, I’ve got to knock down the shots. After practice, we are shooting together, things of that nature, so definitely helping each other, definitely."
As for Davenport, he scored White team's first 11 points and all 19 of his points came in the first half. He's a streaky shooter who was 6-of-10 from the field and 5-of-8 from downtown.
"He's a guy that can put points on the board in a hurry," Musselman said. "Defensively, we need him to improve. We need Joseph to improve. But those guys, both of them, are really good shooters. And really with Davenport, when his feet are set, he's not a good shooter, he's a great shooter."
While he put up 19 points, Davenport's game-high six turnovers stood out much more to Musselman.
"He'll work on playing in a crowd tomorrow or whenever we get back together and work on not getting the ball stripped," Musselman said. "But 19 points in a half can change the game for you if you really think about it. If a guy does that in a regular season game or SEC game, you're probably in a pretty good spot if you have a player who can get close to 20 in a half."
While Davenport comes from Cincinnati, where he averaged 25.6 minutes per game at last year, Pinion is back with the Hogs after appearing in just 24 games and averaging just 5.7 minutes per game last year. A knee injury suffered in high school at Morrilton might've led to some of the lack of play time as a freshman.
"When he got here, he was wearing a knee brace," Musselman said. "It was pretty heavy. I think it affected his mobility for sure. And then when you take that thing off, you’ve got to get through some (mental) stuff, too. And then he’s a freshman. And he’s been patient and I think we’re seeing a better player today than last year.
"Look, when Joseph got the opportunity last year, he helped us win the Missouri game. He flat out as a freshman went into the game and helped us. You know, we had enough confidence to have him in the game at the end of the Baylor game when he took the last shot that could’ve put it into overtime or whatever."
Arkansas has plenty of other scoring threats, but this duo could realistically help the team win a handful of games this year with their ability to stretch the court and be legit threats from outside.
"I've been doing this for four years, so I'm kind of used to it," Davenport said. "Not to be cocky or anything, but my work speaks for itself. It's just regular to me, to be honest. That's what I've built over time. I've put myself in game situations in my head to prepare me for situations like tonight. I'd say it's just preparation for me."
Up next for the Razorbacks is an exhibition matchup with UT Tyler on Friday, Oct. 20. The game is set for a 6:30 p.m. CT tipoff inside Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.s
