Razorbacks Star Leads Late Comeback

Heart Attack Hogs

Heart over Height

The Hogs had a truly abysmal performance on the glass in their last outing against the LSU Tigers. They allowed more offensive rebounds (23) than they had total rebounds (21). I wish I could say the flipped the script on Ole Miss, but that would not be accurate reporting. It was however, an improved effort as the team only lost the offensive rebound battle 10-5 in this one. Total rebounds yielded a wider margin at 40-28, yet the Hogs still found a way to prevail.

If coach Musselman can figure out how to keep his undersized team from allowing double-digit offensive rebounds, this team could be even scarier than it is. Winning a game on the road, and being one possession away from winning a second on the road, when being outrebounded by such a large margin, is astounding to say the least. The fight this team has to overcome stats, adversity, and their own mistakes is already proving to take them farther than most college basketball experts expected.

Silver Lining in Razorbacks Struggles

Aside from Isaiah Joe, the other rotation guys had many struggles in this game. Mason Jones and Jimmy Whitt both failed to reach 15 points. Adrio Bailey and Jalen Harris both spent substantial time on the bench with foul trouble. They would both finish the game with four fouls. Jeantal Cylla continued his offensive struggles going 0/2 with 1 point. He also dropped his season FG% to below 26%. In fact, the six players other than Joe that attempted a shot in this game combined to shoot 31.6% from the field.

All was not bad however! Despite only shooting 3-12 from the field, Mason Jones managed to contribute in just about every other way. He tallied 9 assists, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals while shooting a perfect 6/6 from the FT line. Cylla contributed a season high 5 rebounds, tied for second on the day with Adrio Bailey. Speaking of Bailey, he continued to show his defense prowess, adding another 2 blocks to his season totals. Jimmy Whitt struggled greatly from the field, but played stellar defense for stretches on scorer, Breein Tyree. He finished the game with 2 steals, but his stats do not speak for the contributions he made in his team leading 39 minutes of action.

Coaching Adjustments

Early in the game, Breein Tyree showed everyone why he is regarded as one of the best scorers in the entire conference. A large portion of his 27 points came in quick succession in the first half. While the Hogs never truly found a way to stay in front of the shifty scorer, Musselman flexed his basketball IQ with a few wrinkles in the game plan. After Tyree showed out in the first half, there were multiple possessions in the second half that saw Desi Sills coming running to aid the on-ball defender in doubling Tyree before he could create. This seemed to work in getting the ball away from the Rebel’s best scorer, but the rest of the team continually stepped up and hit big shots throughout the game.

Also in the second half, Musselman added yet another small wrinkle that could have easily gone unnoticed. Jimmy Whitt, Arkansas’s longest guard, began denying Tyree the ball. Though it was not 100% effective, it is clear that it disrupted several possessions for the Rebels down the stretch. Though he only finished with a couple of steals, Whitt’s defense cannot be understated in this one. I am well aware that Tyree still managed to finish with 27 points, but he was unable to keep the Rebels on top as the Hogs came roaring back late in the game. A tip of the cap to coach Musselman is well due for his scheming and execution down the stretch.

Razorbacks Star Shines Bright

Coming into the game at a respectable 8^th all-time in 3PM in Razorbacks history, Isaiah Joe knew he had the potential for a big game in Oxford. He only needed four triples to move into 7^th, but just to make sure, Joe knocked down seven threes including a four-point play! Joe tallied a season high 34 points while leading the Hogs to an incredible come from behind victory. However, the mind-boggling stats don’t end there. Along with his point total, Joe also accounted for: 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 61.1% FG, 53.8% 3PT, and 100% FT. Go back. Read that again. This was by far Joe’s best game of the year, and arguably his entire young career. Congratulations to Isaiah Joe on a career night, and to the Hogs on their second conference win!

Next Five

Four of the next five games for Arkansas will take place on their home court, the Basketball Palace of Mid America, Bud Walton Arena. Up next is a struggling Vanderbilt squad. The Commodores have lost three in a row, including a 19 point loss to the Texas A&M Aggies, a team Arkansas beat at home to open conference play. Although the team should not follow this example, I am looking ahead to the next matchup on Satuday, 1/18. #14 Kentucky is coming to town and it’s stacking up to be one of the biggest games in the SEC this season.

Jan. 15 vs Vanderbilt (8 – 7, 0 – 2)

Jan. 18 vs #14 Kentucky (12 – 3, 3 – 0)

Jan. 22 @ Mississippi State (9 – 5, 0 – 2)

Jan. 25 vs TCU (12 – 3, 3 – 0) – SEC Big 12 Challenge

Jan. 29 vs South Carolina (8 – 7, 0 – 2)

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