Razorbacks off to a Hot Start Under New Head Hog

New Era for the Razorbacks

Arkansas Razorbacks basketball is in the dawn of a new era. After making the NCAA Tournament 3 times in the last 10 seasons, including only 1 Sweet Sixteen appearance, something had to change. Arkansas fired Mike Anderson and decided to hire Eric Musselman as the new Head Hog for the 2019-20 season. Through his first month as head coach, Musselman has been nothing short of a home run hire.

Gritty Start

The upstart Razorbacks have jumped to an 8-0 start to their season. The first month of play has included several gritty wins. Perhaps their most exciting so far came in an overtime thriller against Georgia Tech. This win came on the road with the help of a last second, overtime, banked-in, game winning 3 point shot from junior guard, Mason Jones. While Jones likely gained some popularity from his overtime heroics, this was not his first rodeo. He has been easily the most consistent piece for Arkansas for some time, even dating back to last season. Jones leads the team in both points and steals per game. He also ranks second on the team in both rebounds and assists. Also noteworthy is his free throw percentage. Shooting at a 93% clip ranks him 14^th nationally among D1 players with at least 20 free throws attempted. After playing the hero against GT, Jones was unavailable for the Razorback’s next matchup against Northern Kentucky with an injury. His absence was felt as the Hogs turned in one of their sloppiest performances of the season in a 6 point win over The Norse.

Stellar Defense

Although the Razorbacks are unarguably undersized, their lack of big men has yet to affect their defense. According to the NCAA, Arkansas ranks in the top 10 nationally in several categories. These include: opponent 3PT% (1^st), points allowed (5^th), total turnovers forced (6^th), and steals per game (9^th). Despite their stellar defense so far this season, Arkansas has yet to find consistent offense.

Pleasant Surprise

Perhaps the most surprising Razorback is grad transfer Jimmy Whitt. After starting his freshman campaign in Arkansas 5 years ago, Whitt transferred to SMU to play two seasons. This summer he returned home to finish his collegiate career with the Hogs. The lanky point guard has proven his midrange capability time and time again this season. Along with his inside scoring, he has provided steady contributions to stats across the board. Whitt is 4^th on the team in steals, 3^rd in points and assists, 2^nd in blocks, and 1^st in rebounds.

Razorbacks’ Star Struggles

It’s been a tale of two halves for the Razorback’s starting shooting guard, Isaiah Joe. Starting the season on many draft boards, he was projected to go late in the first round. Joe got off to a hot start making 16 of his first 39 3PAs, a staggering 42.9%. However is his last four games, Joe is only 9 of his last 36, a lackluster 24%. Joe’s struggles from behind the line have not done much to help his stock. While he still holds a place on most big boards, he needs to break out of his shooting slump if he or his team has hopes to succeed in the long term.

Balanced Attack

            Each game holds the potential for a new MVP.  This was evident during the Northern Kentucky game as the Razorbacks’ leading scorer Mason Jones sat out with injury. Sophomore guard Desi Sills scored nearly double his season average with 17 while sophomore forward Reggie Chaney put up a career high in both rebounds and assists. During the Hogs most recent outing against Austin Peay, yet another unexpected hero stepped up as the top three forwards on Arkansas’s roster were benched with foul trouble. Within a 5 minute span, sophomore forward Ethan Henderson blocked two shots in the same possession and grabbed an offensive rebound that quickly led to a put back slam. These sparks have propelled the Razorbacks to their 8^th consecutive win to start the season, their first such start in 22 years. Who will step up for the Razorbacks next?