On the back of some impressive performances from their backcourt pieces, the Arkansas Razorbacks (12-11, 3-7 SEC) earned a 78-75 win over the Georgia Bulldogs (14-10, 4-7 SEC) on Saturday at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.
The Hogs defended home court and avenged their 10-point loss in Athens from exactly a month ago.
Transfer point guards El Ellis and Keyon Menifield Jr. tied for the team lead in scoring, with both players scoring 15 points on 6-11 shooting from the field. After spending the week searching for changes to improve the team’s performances, head coach Eric Musselman found success using a four-guard lineup to facilitate ball movement and defensive disruptions.
“We played with four point guards,” Musselman said. “I thought the ball really, really moved…Tonight, we created more steals than we have. There’s been a lot of nights where, you know, you pick up the stat sheet and our defensive activity is missing…nine steals is a lot of steals.”
Ellis’ impact was felt in all facets of the game, as he orchestrated the offense efficiently with three assists, three made 3-pointers and just one turnover. On the defensive end, the senior floor general added five rebounds and three steals. After not getting any playing time the last two games, he said he has been working hard in practice to earn his place.
“Staying ready, staying in the gym,” Ellis said. “I produce at this level, so I just had to keep that confidence in myself and keep that mindset.”
Musselman offered praise for the Louisville transfer’s resilience over a tough stretch, citing his impressive practices in the leadup to the game.
“I thought [Ellis’] practice habits were really good,” Musselman said. With no mid-week game we had a lot of time to adjust…I thought he was extremely focused. Keyon played really good off the bench, too.”
The Razorback backcourt also welcomed the return of senior Devo Davis, who was back after a three-game stretch away from the team. Musselman said that Davis’ effort was a major factor in the win.
“Obviously Devo changes things for us, getting loose balls and, defensively, we’re much different with Devo in there. He really busted his behind this week to play catch-up a little bit from a conditioning standpoint. He did ask to come out tonight, which (laughs) since I’ve been coaching him, that's the first time I can ever remember him asking to get a quick blow. But he played really hard.”
The only thing the backcourt seemed to struggle with tonight was an inability to color inside the lines. On numerous occasions, Razorback players inadvertently stepped out of bounds while driving the baseline or coming out of the corner. Menifield did this on three occasions, which led to him having five turnovers on the night in an otherwise-solid performance.
Overall, it was an important bounce-back win for the Hogs as SEC play progresses during a tough season. Up next, Arkansas will take on the No. 6 Tennesee Volunteers (17-5, 7-2 SEC) on Wednesday inside Bud Walton Arena. The game is set to tip off at 8 p.m. CT and will broadcast on ESPN2.
