What to watch for in Arkansas-South Carolina

FAYETTEVILLE — After three consecutive SEC house video games, Arkansas’ males’s basketball crew is again on the street in league play this weekend.

The Razorbacks will face South Carolina in Columbia, S.C., on Saturday and look to notch their first street win of the season. Tipoff is ready for two:30 p.m. Central on SEC Community.

Listed here are a handful of issues to look at for:

Can Council proceed his roll?

Following a stretch wherein Ricky Council scored a mixed 12 factors on 5 of 19 from the ground in opposition to Ole Miss and LSU, he has fallen again right into a rhythm of kinds for the Razorbacks.

Council scored a game-high 25 factors at Baylor final Saturday, then pitched in 19 in Tuesday’s 81-70 victory over Texas A&M. He was a spark offensively in opposition to the Aggies, and his quite a few pro-like moments in Waco, Texas, almost led to Arkansas choosing up a marquee win.

Council’s play was spectacular sufficient at Baylor that KenPom.com designated him the sport’s MVP regardless of the Razorbacks falling 67-64.

The bouncy wing has been a problem for opponents to defend of late. Council is flattening his mid-range jumper at a top quality clip and making sufficient threes to present himself shot credibility.

In flip, his perimeter shot pretend has develop into extra of a weapon and created alternatives to drive the ball, which is the energy of his recreation. Minus a number of powerful three-pointers late within the shot clock, Council has largely taken photographs in his wheelhouse and been decisive attacking mismatches.

Although the SEC has numerous gifted particular person defenders, few are outfitted to constantly defend Council 1-on-1 when his deal with — and crossover — is as tight because it has been these days. Search for him to be in assault mode in opposition to the Gamecocks, who’ve allowed three of their final 4 league opponents to make a minimum of 61.5% of two-point makes an attempt.

Whereas spectacular as a scorer within the final week, Arkansas coach Eric Musselman on Thursday gave Council props for his shot creation for teammates. He has 13 assists within the final 3 video games, together with 11 in opposition to LSU and Texas A&M.

“He is studying over-helps and (has) completed an important job getting another teammates concerned with some simple dump-off passes for dunks or spray-out, kick-out three-balls,” Musselman stated. “I believe that is why you are seeing a few of our different gamers enhance their three-point taking pictures, due to (Anthony Black’s) passing and Ricky being a facilitator.”

The Razorbacks scored 1.11 factors per possession with Council on the ground within the final two video games, based on HoopLens knowledge. They usually have made 59.5% of their two-point makes an attempt, partly, due to Council’s creativity as a scorer and passer.

Affect of Makhel Mitchell

Seldom used within the early phases of the season, the 6-10 Rhode Island switch seems with every passing recreation to be rising into a vital a part of the equation in Arkansas’ frontcourt.

It is smart given his mixture of productiveness and toughness.

Makhel Mitchell, on a sore foot, blocked three photographs at Baylor and 7 photographs Tuesday in opposition to Texas A&M, serving as a stout final line of protection for the Razorbacks. The Aggies and Bears, based on HoopLens, shot 34.6% on two-point makes an attempt within the ahead’s 87 defensive possessions.

“He simply makes the most effective of it. Extraordinarily happy with him,” stated ahead Makhi Mitchell, Makhel’s brother. “I believe everyone else on the crew is happy with him, too. He is discovering himself inside this crew.”

Makhel Mitchell is an intriguing participant as a result of he has proven in most appearances to be a deterrent on the inside. He has 9 multi-block outings this season, and 5 have are available Arkansas’ final 7 video games.

Musselman on Tuesday stated the Razorbacks are doing “some distinctive issues” with Makhel Mitchell defensively with reference to his defensive placement. He acted as a goalie of kinds when Arkansas threw its half-court entice at Baylor and Texas A&M.

Having a participant who contributes 7.3 blocks and a couple of.6 steals per 100 possessions performed, based on Sports activities Reference, because the anchor of that defensive look is sound technique. Makhel Mitchell owns a team-best defensive ranking of 93.7 in SEC play.

Makhi Mitchell, per Sports activities Reference, is No. 2 at 98.0.

No crew within the SEC has had two-point area purpose makes an attempt blocked at a better charge in league video games than the Gamecocks — 14.1%, per KenPom. It appears like one other recreation wherein Makhel Mitchell generally is a presence across the rim.

South Carolina missing an enormous who can stretch the ground might enable him to concentrate on defending the lane. Contending with 7-foot heart Josh Grey on the glass will likely be a problem. He has 20 offensive boards within the Gamecocks’ final 4 video games.

GG Jackson and Meechie Johnson

Primarily every little thing South Carolina does offensively entails these two. They’re averaging a mixed 27.7 factors per recreation in SEC play on 27.8 area purpose makes an attempt.

Jackson is a 6-9 do-it-all freshman who has been tasked with shouldering a whole lot of the Gamecocks’ offensive load. Based on KenPom knowledge, he’s third in league-only video games in shot share, making an attempt 33.6% of South Carolina’s area purpose makes an attempt when on the ground.

Jackson is taking pictures beneath 37% on two-point appears to be like and under 27% from three-point vary, however he’s greater than able to giving opponents matches. He scored 30 factors on Auburn on Jan. 21 and 20 at Florida the following day out.

Hoop-Math numbers point out a lot of Jackson’s offense is self-created. Solely 4 of 32 made two-point jumpers have been assisted, and simply 18 of 59 scores on the rim have come straight after a teammate’s go.

However 26 of his 39 three-pointers have been arrange by one other Gamecock, so he is a little more reliant on others in that regard.

“It’ll be necessary for us to find him as quickly as he crosses half courtroom,” Musselman stated. “He’s a three-dimensional scorer within the truth he can submit up, he can offensive rebound (and) he’s bought deep three-point vary. He’s a high-volume shooter.”

Musselman added that Johnson is the table-setter for South Carolina and likewise possesses deep vary. He made 3 of seven threes in Tuesday’s loss to Mississippi State after a 4-of-28 funk past the arc within the earlier 4 video games.

The Ohio State switch has tried 5 two-point appears to be like and seven.4 threes per recreation in SEC play. Arkansas’ perimeter defenders should be on excessive alert when Johnson has possession past the arc.

His fearless shot-taking can overwhelm the Gamecocks’ offense, but it surely additionally keyed the crew’s win at Kentucky.

Producing turnovers and simple scores

Arkansas, based on KenPom knowledge, posted two of its 4 lowest defensive turnover charges of the season in opposition to Baylor and Texas A&M.

In the meantime, South Carolina recorded its worst offensive turnover share of the season earlier this week in opposition to Mississippi State (28.5%). The Gamecocks are final in league-only video games in that class, giving the ball away on 21.2% of possessions.

Ought to the Razorbacks be capable of disrupt a struggling South Carolina offense by means of taking part in passing lanes and making use of nice strain on the ball, it will go a great distance towards getting within the win column on the street and constructing confidence forward of Tuesday’s journey to Kentucky.

Jackson and Johnson are averaging 6.5 turnovers per recreation in convention play, and so they mixed for 22 miscues within the final two video games.

Based on CBB Analytics, Arkansas is averaging 8.8 factors off turnovers in street video games, down from 19.6 in house video games and 20.8 on impartial flooring. 

The Razorbacks, although, scored 21 fast-break factors Tuesday in opposition to the Aggies. It was their highest complete in a recreation since including 23 in opposition to San Jose State on Dec. 3.

Arkansas has not scored greater than seven fast-break factors in a street recreation. Working when alternatives current themselves may benefit the Razorbacks in opposition to a crew exterior the highest 300 nationally in tempo.