Analyzing Arkansas’ win over UNC-Asheville

FAYETTEVILLE — Tenth-ranked Arkansas’ recreation towards North Carolina-Asheville on Wednesday marked the seventh of the season performed with out star freshman guard Nick Smith.

As they did in 5 of six outings previous to his late-November debut, the Razorbacks dealt with their enterprise towards the Bulldogs. They ran away with an 85-51 victory in Bud Walton Area to maneuver to 11-1 and push their successful streak to 7 video games getting into Christmas break.

Previous to tipoff, Arkansas introduced Smith is out indefinitely — and for the second time this season — attributable to proper knee administration.

“Nick is a competitor and he appeared ahead to taking part in for the Razorbacks,” Arkansas coach Eric Musselman mentioned afterward. “He is form of been out and in of the lineup or no matter, and we simply need him to get wholesome as rapidly as potential and for him to be 100%.”

Requested if Smith’s absence Wednesday was associated to his exit early within the second half of final Saturday’s recreation towards Bradley in North Little Rock, Musselman mentioned there was no additional replace on the guard’s standing.

“He is out indefinitely and he will proceed to rehab as greatest as he can,” he mentioned.

With out Smith, Arkansas made fast work of UNC-Asheville. The Razorbacks led by as many as 25 factors within the first half and 35 after halftime.

They showcased cohesion on the defensive finish and, at instances, terrific ball motion that implies stable chemistry. Arkansas knocked down 12 of its first 15 photographs, and an help was connected to 9 of the scores.

“This group, clearly we’re younger, however I feel they’re actually mature,” Musselman mentioned. “Whether or not it is (Trevon Brazile) being out or Nick, it is a chance for anyone to step in.

“That’s simply form of the way in which it’s going to should be proper now, is anyone goes to should step up.”

In keeping with HoopLens lineup knowledge, the Razorbacks entered Wednesday scoring at a 1.05 point-per-possession clip with Smith unavailable or off the ground, and so they had allowed 0.80 PPP in these cases.

Towards the Bulldogs, Arkansas scored 1.25 PPP and UNC-Asheville’s offense was restricted to 0.75 PPP.

“We’re simply deep,” mentioned Jalen Graham, a switch ahead from Arizona State. “We’re a very good staff. I have not been part of a staff like this in my 4 years of taking part in school basketball. We’ve got some instances when individuals do not get within the recreation who’re actually good.

“If individuals go down, somebody’s going to step up — and that is for certain.”

Graham goes all out

The previous All-Pac-12 performer pieced collectively his greatest outing as a Razorback towards the Bulldogs.

Graham, 6-9, led all scorers with 16 factors and did so on an environment friendly 8 of 10 from the ground. It’s the first time since Feb. 17 towards Oregon — a span of 18 video games — that he completed with a game-high level complete.

He performed a key function within the Razorbacks’ second 14-2 run of the primary half. Graham went on a private 6-0 run that included two artful strikes on the inside and a dunk over Bulldogs ahead Drew Pember.

4-plus minutes after the dunk, he added two extra layups to push him to 10 factors at halftime. The spotlight of his evening was a one-hand dunk following a lob from freshman guard Joseph Pinion.

Pinion, who added 10 factors on a pair of threes and two dunks and made his first look within the postgame interview room, mentioned Graham made up for what he thought-about a nasty move on the play.

“He knew again at ASU (that) I used to stand up like that,” Graham mentioned with a smile. “I’ve nonetheless obtained just a little bounce left, you already know.”

Offensively, Musselman gave Graham’s efficiency an ideal 10. One critique was that the ahead wants to point out he can corral bodily, in-traffic rebounds. Graham completed with three boards in 19 minutes.

“I feel that is his problem, is to offer consistency,” Musselman mentioned. “Not simply in a recreation, however consistency in follow and consistency in getting within the health club on his personal. All these issues turn into actually necessary as a result of he is actually expert.

“Clearly, the rebounding turns into essential in site visitors as soon as we get into the SEC.”

Handsy forwards

UNC-Asheville battled turnover points in its first 12 video games of the season.

In keeping with KenPom knowledge, the Bulldogs completed with a turnover charge of 20% or larger seven instances, together with in six of their wins. Arkansas forwards Kamani Johnson and Makhi Mitchell didn’t make their lives simpler Wednesday.

On an evening when the Razorbacks tallied 15 steals, Johnson and Mitchell every got here away with three to tie for the staff lead. Their takeaways contributed to Arkansas once more posting a powerful points-off-turnovers complete (32).

In keeping with StatBroadcast analytics, Mitchell had an 11.0% steal charge towards UNC-Asheville, and Johnson’s steal proportion landed at 8.0%.

“I simply assume energetic fingers and making an attempt to be disruptive and all these issues are actually in our DNA,” Musselman mentioned. “I feel now we have a number of guys (who can defend), however actually Makhi’s fingers, for his measurement, and his anticipation, you don’t see a number of facilities create steals and blocks on the identical time.”

Wednesday’s recreation marked the third of the season for Mitchell through which he recorded three steals. KenPom knowledge reveals he’s fiftieth nationally in steal proportion (4.38%), and he’s one in every of two gamers within the prime 50 who stand 6-9 or taller.

Johnson’s three steals matched a profession excessive. His solely different three-steal recreation was towards Arkansas State on Feb. 2, 2019, whereas taking part in for Arkansas-Little Rock.

Musselman additionally gave Mitchell and Johnson — in addition to Jordan Walsh — a shoutout for his or her protection on Pember, who entered averaging 19.7 factors per recreation, however completed with 5 factors on 1 of seven from the ground.

Pember missed his remaining 4 photographs, and his lone bucket got here on the 14:51 mark within the first half.

“For the majority of that final 12 minutes of the primary half, Kamani did an important job on him,” Musselman mentioned. “(He did a) nice job being bodily.”