FAYETTEVILLE — University of Arkansas guard Joseph Pinion is making plans to enter the transfer portal, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette confirmed on Friday.
Pinion, a four-star signee from Morrilton, has met with Coach Eric Musselman and filled out the paperwork necessary to submit his name when the portal opens on Monday.
The news of Pinion’s plans was first reported by Nick Wenger.
The 6-5 guard, who averaged 2.9 points per game in 19 outings and 1 start this season, will have two years of eligibility remaining.
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Pinion’s departure would mean all six freshmen who signed with the program for the 2022-23 season are no longer at Arkansas. Anthony Black, Nick Smith and Jordan Walsh were all NBA Draft picks after one college season, guard Derrian Ford transferred to Arkansas State and guard Barry Dunning transferred to Alabama-Birmingham after last year.
Pinion logged six “did not play” games out of the last eight in Musselman’s tightened rotation and his last score came on a made three-point shot in a 92-63 loss to Tennessee on Feb. 14.
Pinion is the first Arkansas player to make clear his offseason plans since the Razorbacks lost 80-66 in the SEC Tournament on Thursday. The Razorbacks will have a minimum of five scholarship spots open for the recruiting cycle prior to the 2024-25 season.
Musselman plans to “fiercely” recruit the NCAA Transfer Portal based on the SEC Network’s coverage of the Hogs’ loss to South Carolina.
Pinion averaged 5.5 minutes per appearance as a Razorback and averaged 2.4 points per game in 45 career appearances. He made all seven of his free throw shots as a freshman and wound up 23 of 25 (92%) from the line, along with shooting 42.9% from the floor and 34.6% from three-point range.
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He set two Arkansas records as a true freshman: most free throws made without a miss in a season (7) and most minutes played in a season (148) without a turnover.
Pinion scored a season-high 12 points in a loss at Florida this year and also had 10 points in a loss at Ole Miss. He set his career-high of 13 points on Jan. 4, 2023, in a win against Missouri and matched that total on Jan. 21, 2023, in a win against Ole Miss, going 3 of 6 from three-point range in both contests to set his career-high in threes made.
KNOXVILLE, TN – January 16, 2025 – “We Back Pat” on jersey during the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers at Food City Center in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics
Lady Vols basketball is back in Knoxville for a matchup with Arkansas after a two-game road stand. Tennessee is not only looking to stay perfect in SEC play, but is hosting its annual ‘We Back Pat’ game.
Here’s everything to know about the matchup, from broadcast details to a prediction.
More From RTI: Everything Lady Vols HC Kim Caldwell, PG Mia Pauldo Said After Road Win At Mississippi State
How to Watch — No. 20 Lady Vols (11-3, 3-0 SEC) vs. Arkansas (11-7, 0-3 SEC)
Start Time: 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT
Location: Food City Center (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Watch: SECN+ | PxP: Andy Brock, Analyst: Kamera Harris
Online Streaming: Watch ESPN
Radio (Knoxville): The Vol Network/The Vol Network App
Vol Network radio crew: PxP: Brian Rice, Studio Host: Jay Lifford
Betting Odds
None listed yet
ESPN Matchup Predictor
Lady Vols – 98.3%
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Arkansas – 1.7%
What Kim Caldwell Said After Mississippi State
“Good to get a win on the road. We know it’s a tough environment and we know that we got to win on the road in the SEC. It was good to do that. I wasn’t really proud of the rebounding, but I thought we looked a lot better in a couple different categories so that was good.”
Last Five Games
Lady Vols:
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at Mississippi State, 90-90 W
at Auburn, 73-56 W
vs. Florida, 76-65 W
vs. Southern Indiana, 89-44 W
vs. Louisville (Brooklyn), 89-65 L
Arkansas:
vs. South Carolina, 93-58 L
at Alabama, 77-48 L
vs. Vanderbilt, 88-71 L
vs. Arkansas State, 81-72 L
vs. Stephen F. Austin, 82-73 W
Where They Land In Rankings
Lady Vols:
AP Poll – No. 20
Coaches Poll – No. 22
Bart Torvik – No. 13
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Arkansas:
AP Poll – Unranked
Coaches Poll – Unranked
Bart Torvik – No. 107
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Stat Leaders
Lady Vols:
Points: Talaysia Cooper – 14.9
Rebounds: Zee Spearman – 7.3
Assists: Talaysia Cooper – 4.3
Arkansas:
Points: Taleyah Jones – 16.9
Rebounds: Bonnie Deas – 9.7
Assists: Bonnie Deas – 2.6
Prediction
It’s been a rough start for Arkansas’ new coach, Kelsi Musick. The team is 0-3 in SEC games, and though it’s been against three good teams, the Razorbacks haven’t been competitive in any.
While neither side has been strong, Arkansas’ defense has been the weakest point. Not only is it coming off a game in which it gave up 93 points to South Carolina, but Arkansas State hung 81 in its win over the Razorbacks on the road.
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If the Lady Vols don’t get in their own way, then they should be fine. It hasn’t been perfect, and against three teams not necessarily in the mix to win the league, but Tennessee has looked much improved in the SEC slate compared to the lumps it took in the out-of-conference schedule.
I’d think UT jumps on Arkansas in the first quarter and takes a comfortable lead into the second quarter. From there, the lead should continue to grow behind forced turnovers in the press and easy baskets on the other end.
Rex Nelson has been senior editor and columnist at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette since 2017, and he has a biweekly podcast called “Southern Fried.”
After graduating from Ouachita Baptist University in 1981, he was a sportswriter for the Arkansas Democrat for a year before becoming editor of Arkadelphia’s Daily Siftings Herald. He was the youngest editor of a daily in Arkansas at age 23. Rex was then news and sports director at KVRC-KDEL from 1983-1985.
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He returned to the Democrat as assistant sports editor in 1985. From 1986-1989, he was its Washington correspondent. He left to be Jackson T. Stephens’ consultant.
Rex became the Democrat-Gazette’s first political editor in 1992, but left in 1996 to join then-Gov. Mike Huckabee’s office. He also served from 2005-09 in the administration of President George W. Bush.
From 2009-2018, he worked stints at the Communications Group, Arkansas’ Independent Colleges and Universities, and Simmons First National Corp.
