Tough stretch ahead will test youthful Hogs
The No. 13 Arkansas Razorbacks dropped their SEC opener at LSU last week, and the upcoming schedule does not get any easier.
In front of head coach Eric Musselman's squad is a three-game stretch against a trio of ranked opponents. First up will be the No. 20 Missouri Tigers, who are 12-1 and have back-to-back wins over top-25 opponents (No. 16 Illinois and No. 19 Kentucky).
With two significant contributors out in Nick Smith Jr. (knee) and Trevon Brazile (torn ACL), the Hogs will have to continue to find ways to make up the production.
"We’ve cleaned up some things both offensively and defensively," Musselman said. "And we’ve gone more live than we probably ever have in the seven-and-a-half years I’ve been a college coach to try to clean up some areas that we want to improve on, both offensively and defensively."
Defensively, things went pretty well for Arkansas in the 60-57 loss at LSU last Wednesday. It was Hogs' the first loss under Musselman when limiting opponents to 60 or less points in a game.
Offense proved to be an issue, as the team shot just 36.9% from the field and saw zero points from bench players. Those numbers will need to see an uptick if Arkansas wants to down a pesky Missouri team.
"We can't have any turnover shots, meaning ill-advised shots," Musselman said. "We have to have a high quality of shots. They thrive off turnover shots, and they jump in passing lanes and create disruption with their defense and that allows for the offensive numbers that you see. But they have a lot of really good offensive players."
Musselman said one of his biggest takeaways from the loss at LSU was that it was the first road SEC experience for most of the team. Five of the available freshmen and four of the available transfers had not experienced a conference matchup in the SEC in their careers.
"With our age and our lack of SEC experience, we are going to be a team that continues to learn, especially through the first half of this season," Musselman said. "And we knew that coming in. We knew with six freshmen out of 13 players that that was going to be the case.
"Regardless of talent level, it’s the first time going through this experience, close games, all those things. I’m hopeful that this team will continue to grow and continue to get better with each new experience that we go through as a group."
Wednesday's game against Missouri will feature a ranked matchup in the SEC home opener for Arkansas. Musselman said he doesn't look at the number next to the opponent's name.
"I look at Missouri, regardless of their ranking, and think this is a really well-coached team that has an identity that they’ve created," Musselman said. "A style that they’ve created on both sides of the floor with their transition baskets, with their ability to make threes, with their ability to get to the cup and with their disruptive defense, playing both the 1-3-1, also playing a bit of a matchup zone so to speak and picking up full court. So, they’ve created an identity.
"They’ve created a style of play, which is the hardest thing to do as a coach, let alone a coach in year one. So, tremendous respect for them regardless of if we’re ranked, they’re ranked. A team that’s 12-1 and playing great basketball, especially their last two games."
The Hogs and Tigers will tipoff at 7:30 p.m. CT Wednesday inside Bud Walton Arena. The matchup will be televised on the SEC Network.
Following the contest with Missouri, Arkansas will travel to face No. 22 Auburn on Saturday evening. After that, the Hogs will return home for a matchup with No. 7 Alabama in Fayetteville on Wednesday, Jan. 11.