Just as it did the game before, Arkansas basketball overcame a seven-man rotation to beat Little Rock on Friday. It was the Razorbacks’ third straight win, improving them to 4-1 on the season.
Playing with a severe lack of depth because of lingering injuries to Trevon Brazile and Jonas Aidoo was likely a factor in the Trojans’ second-half comeback attempt that cut a 22-point lead down to single digits with only 2:14 remaining.
It seems that every mid-major opponent the Hogs have played so far has hung around far longer than Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari would’ve liked.
“If you do what you did [against Little Rock] and you back off, you’re going to lose,” Calipari said of his team’s second-half performance. “So if you want to win, you’ve got to do this for 40 [minutes]. Got to get guys healthy right now because it’s hard playing seven guys, and I’m playing my guards too many minutes, but the game got close in the second half, so I left them in trying to win the game.”
The next chance for Arkansas to field its full roster may also provide something of an ironic gift: Monday night is probably the Hogs’ best opportunity to let Aidoo and Brazile remain sidelined and continue to recover, rather than rushing the duo back.
That’s because the next opponent, Maryland-Eastern Shore, is ranked No. 358 out of 364 total teams in KenPom’s rankings. The Hawks are 2-6 on the season with both wins coming against non-DI schools. Two of their losses have come on the road against Penn and Old Dominion, which are ranked No. 352 and No. 308, respectively.
The Arkansas vs Maryland-Eastern Shore matchup is scheduled to tipoff at 7 pm CT Monday at Bud Walton Arena. It will be the Razorbacks’ final tune-up before a grueling four-game stretch that includes neutral games against No. 25 Illinois and Michigan, as well as a road game against Miami (Fla.).
What to Expect from Maryland-Eastern Shore Basketball
The Hawks’ leading scorer is much like Arkansas’ in that he followed his head coach to a new school this offseason.
As underrated as it may have been at the time, Adou Thiero leaving Kentucky and joining John Calipari in Fayetteville still received far more fanfare than Ketron Shaw leaving Division II Winston Salem State to join Cleo Hill Jr. in the Division I ranks at Maryland-Eastern Shore.
The jump in competition hasn’t seemed to bother the 6-foot-5 guard, as he’s averaging 21.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists. He’s also shooting 50% from long range, albeit on low volume.
The majority of Shaw’s points come from inside the 3-point arc and the free throw line, where he’s averaging 9.1 attempts per game and shooting 70% on the season. The key to slowing down the junior might be as simple as playing disciplined defense and not allowing him to force his way to the charity stripe.
Thiero noted that staying disciplined for a full 40 minutes has been one of the issues Arkansas has faced early in the season as they adapt to a short rotation. When asked about Little Rock staying alive with a second-half comeback, Thiero noted that defense was a big focus in the second half.
“We were very undisciplined,” the junior forward said postgame. “[We were] getting away from things we went over. We know some of the sets they would go to and we still would gamble on steals – myself included… We’ve got to be disciplined for a full 40 minutes.”
Christopher Flippin, a 6-foot-8 junior, serves as Maryland-Eastern Shore’s starting center, averaging 10.6 points and 6.4 rebounds while shooting 57% from inside the arc. He’s the most likely to give the Hogs some problems on the inside if they’re forced to go small – which is possible depending on potential foul trouble for Zvonimir Ivisic and the status of Brazile and Aidoo.
The Hawks have a quartet of guards providing a notable 3-point threat this season, combining to shoot 47 of 118 (40%) from long range. They’re led in attempts and makes by Kyrell Shaw, a 6-foot-4 freshman, who has hit 16 of 46 (35%). The younger brother of Ketron Shaw also averages 8.4 points per game.
Cardell Bailey is next in total makes with 14 on 36% from distance, followed by Jose Cuello at 9 of 18 (50%) through eight games.
However, Evan Johnson is perhaps the most intriguing of this quartet of sharp shooters. He’s made only eight total 3-pointers, but that’s largely because he’s appeared in just four games this season. The 5-foot-10 senior is hitting over 53% of his long-range attempts and averaging 11.8 points per game in his limited action so far – including a 23-point outburst against Murray State.
This is the type of explosive, experienced player that could give the Razorback guards fits if they’re not ready to lock in for a full 40 minutes.
It’s likely that the combination of Boogie Fland and DJ Wagner will hold Johnson in check for most of the game, but don’t be shocked if Johnson hits a flurry of 3s to lead a run for the Hawks at some point in the game. Arkansas simply must be ready to respond and adapt if he does find his rhythm in Bud Walton Arena.
What to Expect from Arkansas Basketball
Adou Thiero has continued to be Arkansas’ best player on both sides of the ball this season, turning in a 23-point, 8-rebound performance against Little Rock in his last outing. He’s now averaging 22.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.0 steals, 1.3 assists and 1.3 blocks while shooting 67% from the field, 36% from deep and 76% from the charity stripe over his last four games.
The only thing to watch for Thiero is if he’s able to continue this level of play as the minutes rack up due to the short-handed rotation and the level of play increases over the coming weeks.
The Razorbacks’ version of a unicorn in Zvonimir Ivisic had a relatively off shooting game in his last contest, hitting only 1 of 3 from distance. However, his off night dropped him to averaging only 14.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.3 blocks and 1.3 steals – while shooting 60% from long range – over his last three games.
Needless to say, Big Z has been vital for the Hogs as they wait on their other two big men to return from injury. The game against Maryland-Eastern Shore should be no different – whether or not Brazile and/or Aidoo suit up. The Hawks’ starting big man is only 6-foot-8 and shouldn’t pose much of a threat in terms of contesting Ivisic’s shots.
Boogie Fland has also continued his stellar play, averaging 17.5 points and 6.0 assists on 59% 3-point shooting over his last four games. But it’s the play of Arkansas’ other two guards that best indicates just how good the team as a whole can become.
DJ Wagner has now hit 50% of his 3-point attempts over the last two games on his way to averaging 12.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals. His stepping up as a true secondary ball handler and shot creator is crucial as the Hogs wait on Johnell Davis to return to his old form.
The Florida Atlantic transfer looked better from the field against Pacific before going 1 of 5 from the field against Little Rock. Davis averaged 18 points per game on 40% shooting from beyond the arc a season ago. He may never get back to that level of superstar, but Arkansas would go from good to great if he can improve upon the 8 points per game and 21% 3-point shooting he has tallied this season.
What to Watch in Arkansas vs Maryland-Eastern Shore
The Hogs have yet to fully put away a lesser opponent early in a game. Despite winning each contest against mid-majors by double digits, they allowed each team to keep the score close late in the game when they could have blown a few of them out of the water.
For this reason, it’s less likely that Arkansas would fall into the clutches of a potential trap game scenario – especially since each of its last three contests were against inferior opponents.
However, Maryland-Eastern Shore poses all the telltale signs of a trap game. The Hogs have won three in a row by an average of 15.7 points per game, and the Hawks are statistically one of the worst teams the Razorbacks will play all season.
Still, it may be difficult to fully put aside the schedule picking up with a few marquee matchups within the next couple of weeks.
“Thank goodness it’s November,” Calipari said after Little Rock made a late push in the Hogs’ last matchup. “You have a chance to put somebody away, and you mess around. So at half, instead of being up bigger and bigger, we’re up only 18.”
The time is quickly approaching for Arkansas to learn how to keep its foot on the gas even if the opponent makes runs throughout the game. If the Razorbacks don’t learn to do it early in the season against these types of opponents, certain situations against SEC-caliber teams will become much more difficult.
Game Prediction
Arkansas is 1-0 all-time against Maryland-Eastern Shore, absolutely dismantling them by a score of 100-40 back in January of 2001. That game saw seven different Razorbacks score in double digits, led by a 6-foot-7, athletic scoring wing named Joe Johnson.
This time, a different 6-foot-8, athletic scoring wing will once again lead the Razorbacks in scoring as Adou Thiero continues his run of stuffing the stat-sheet against early-season opponents. The trio of Razorback guards will do their part in earning a fourth straight victory, while Big Z puts up another impressive performance as Arkansas’ main – and potentially only – big man, depending on the status of Brazile and Aidoo.
This shouldn’t be much of a challenge for Arkansas. Even a few lapses shouldn’t allow the Hawks to stay alive the way other mid-major opponents have against the Hogs throughout the early season.
Arkansas wins, 87-62
How to Watch Arkansas vs Maryland-Eastern Shore
Date: Monday, Nov. 25
Location: Bud Walton Arena (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Tipoff Time/TV Schedule: 7 pm CT (SEC Network+ / ESPN+)
KenPom: Arkansas has a 99.7% chance to win, with a projected score of 86-56
ESPN BPI: Arkansas has a 99.0% chance to win, favored by 28.8
Odds/Betting Line: Arkansas, -35.5 | O/U 146 (BetSaracen)
***
More on Arkansas vs Maryland-Eastern Shore:
***
More coverage of Arkansas basketball from BoAS…
