There May Actually Be an Answer to Hogs’ Three-point Problems

After a 7-for-31 effort behind the arc, Eric Musselman may suspect a reason he's not revealing

Author:
Andy Hodges
Updated:
Oct 17, 2022 1:32 AM EDT
Original:
Oct 16, 2022

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — All summer and fall, Arkansas coach Eric Musselman has talked about bad long-range shooting.

That continued in the Red's 64-59 win in the Red-White game at Barnhill Arena on Sunday afternoon.

Musselman sounded like he's just going to coach around it, but putting a couple of things together in the press conference later the solution may be in an answer to a different question.

Eric Musselman-Gus Argenal-Red White — Arkansas Razorbacks coach Eric Musselman and assistant coach Gus Argenal on the sidelines during Sunday afternoon's Red-White Game at Barnhill Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. (Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images)

Although he didn't offer much real hope from what he's seen.

"It's not going to change," Musselman said after the Razorbacks went 7-of-31 firing away from behind the arc. "We're not a good three-point shooting team.

"There's too much of a body of work that we struggle behind the three-point line."

They may not be great at scoring from there, but the Hogs may balance that by not letting other teams beat them from there.

"We're really, really good at blocking shots from the perimeter," Musselman said. "(Anthony Black) does a great job of it, (Trevon) Brazile is going to block jump shots regardless of what position he plays. Council is really, really good at blocking jump shots."

Last year's team led the nation taking charges with Jaylin Williams leading the way. Now it's defending an area Musselman talked early was a problem — defending outside shooting.

"It's kind of wacky," he said. "We have some guys who are incredibly gifted blocking perimeter shots."

Eric Musselman-Red-White — Arkansas Razorbacks coach Eric Musselman on the sidelines during Sunday afternoon's Red-White Game at Barnhill Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. (Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images)

Nobody thought to ask if that might be some of the problem with three-point shooting.

The Hogs do have to face those outside shot blockers every day in practice.

That's a subject for those who know far more about the technical aspects than you'll find here, but it is a question hanging out there.

The Hogs play another exhibition game Monday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. in Bud Walton Arena against Rogers State before closing out the exhibition schedule Oct. 29 against Texas in Austin.

The regular season starts Nov. 7 against North Dakota State that will only be available via streaming.