FAYETTEVILLE — College of Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman didn’t get to have his full roster of 13 scholarship gamers accessible for lengthy.
“It’s a disgrace this ballclub will actually have just one sport collectively that it was totally wholesome,” Musselman stated. “That’s not going to alter. That’s simply going to be a reality for your entire yr.”
It’s not going to alter as a result of sophomore ahead Trevon Brazile tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his proper knee in a 65-58 victory over North Carolina-Greensboro on Tuesday and can miss the remainder of the season.
Freshman guard Nick Smith missed the primary six video games recovering from a proper knee harm and returned towards Troy when the Razorbacks gained 74-61, however junior guard Davonte “Devo” Davis was out for private causes.
Davis returned for a 99-58 victory over San Jose State for what turned out to be the one sport the place all of the scholarship gamers have been wholesome and accessible.
Brazile was injured with 7:30 left within the first half towards UNCG. The extent of his harm, which would require surgical procedure, was introduced Wednesday.
“It’s life,” freshman level guard Anthony Black stated when requested about having only one sport with a full roster. “Stuff doesn’t all the time go your manner.
“We’ve simply been determining methods to regulate to it. Though not having Nick sucked after which Devo, we understood what he needed to do.
“And now dropping T.B., it’s powerful, however stuff occurs and good groups simply determine methods to maintain going and maintain getting higher whatever the situation.”
The No. 9 Razorbacks (8-1) will play their first sport since Brazile’s harm towards Oklahoma (7-2) at midday Saturday on the BOK Heart in Tulsa.
“I really feel horrible for the younger man,” Sooners Coach Porter Moser stated when requested concerning the impression of Brazile’s absence on Arkansas. “I do know him a little bit bit from the recruiting course of. I received to fulfill him one time.
“A very nice child, actually was enjoying effectively. So you’re feeling for him.
“That stated, the place do they go from right here, they nonetheless have 4 extra guys on the NBA Draft board. There’s loads to nonetheless focus in on. Nick Smith, Anthony Black, Ricky Council, Jordan Walsh. All of them. You may go down the record.
“I simply suppose they’re a really deep staff, very athletic, so there’s a number of items there. However any time a younger man goes out for the yr, really it’s greater than one sport. My ideas and prayers exit to him.”
Musselman stated that when the Arkansas teaching employees put collectively a roster with 11 newcomers, the flexibility of Brazile — a switch from Missouri — was a key issue.
Brazile performed off the bench in each sport this season, however he averaged 11.8 factors and a team-high 6.0 rebounds in 27.0 minutes, shared the staff lead with 11 blocked pictures and hit 11 of 29 three-pointers.
“It positively adjustments our staff, there’s little question about that,” Musselman stated of dropping Brazile. “In my view, he’s one of many prime 5 gamers within the league, so it’s going to harm us due to his expertise stage and his measurement.
“However these items occur in athletics. We’ve received to determine how we transfer ahead. I imply, it’s what it’s. As my spouse [Danyelle] stated, ‘Get to work, and have a very good angle, and get your staff able to play.’”
Musselman was Nevada’s coach through the 2017-18 season when the No. 24 Wolf Pack misplaced junior place to begin guard Lindsey Drew in February to a ruptured Achilles tendon in his proper foot.
“Lindsey Drew was the primary participant I recruited and he and I couldn’t have been on extra of the identical wavelength as some extent guard and a head coach,” Musselman stated. “He tore his Achilles and we moved our energy ahead, Cody Martin, to the purpose guard spot. Which was exceptional at that exact time, to maneuver Cody from the place we did to the purpose.
“We ended up being 10, 15 seconds away from getting yet one more cease and going to an Elite Eight.”
With Martin — who now performs for the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets — on the level, Nevada superior to the NCAA Match Candy 16 earlier than dropping 69-68 to Loyola-Chicago, which was coached by Moser.
Nevada was 22-5 when it misplaced Drew for the remainder of the season. The Wolf Pack completed 29-8.
“When Lindsey received damage, fairly frankly, I didn’t know if we have been going to have the ability to win a sport as a result of we relied on Lindsey a lot,” Musselman stated. “So I simply used that for instance with [the Razorbacks].
“Roles, positions, they’re going to alter. Any person’s going to get a brand new alternative, or a pair guys are, after which we simply need to hope that guys play effectively.”
After Brazile went down towards UNCG, the 6-4 Davis performed 29 minutes off the bench and was at energy ahead a lot of the time, and 6-9 senior heart Makhi Mitchell performed a season-high 32 minutes.
Walsh, a 6-7 freshman ahead who has been beginning and is averaging 22.0 minutes, might see his enjoying time enhance.
Others who might have greater roles are Jalen Graham, a 6-9 senior averaging 7.0 minutes in six video games; 6-7 senior Kamani Johnson, averaging 12.1 minutes in seven video games; and 6-10 senior Makhel Mitchell, averaging 8.4 minutes in seven video games.
“We now have some gifted bigs and now they comprehend it’s time to step up,” Black stated. “We simply misplaced a extremely key participant.
“I really feel like all people may help us another way. So we’re going to want all people to step up from right here on out.”