Struggling Davenport's Start Got Some Humor into Tip
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Eric Musselman probably wasn't expecting a humorous beginning to the Arkansas Razorbacks' game with Duke last Wednesday night, but that's what he got with a struggling Jeremiah Davenport starting.
"You want me to let it fly?" Davenport asked Musselman before the opening tip. Since nobody had ever bothered to ask him before, it kinda caught the coach by surprise.
"I don't know if I can remember a player [doing that]," Musselman said Saturday previewing Monday night's game with Furman at Bud Walton Arena. "He literally was serious."
Davenport didn't do that. After looking like he was going to be shooting lights-out early in the season, he disappeared for a few games. He got 6 points against the Blue Devils in an 80-75 win the Razorbacks desperately needed after losing three of their last four games.
"That's one of the big reasons we injected him into the starting lineup was to help build his confidence," Musselman said. "We want to see JD shoot the ball with confidence. It really opens up our spacing for dribble drives when he’s knocking down shots. Certainly that was a real, real positive from a roster management standpoint and a rotation standpoint, to see Davenport knock down those two big threes at the end of the first half."
Musselman didn't exactly green-light him to start the game firing up shots whenever and wherever he got the ball. But the patience probably paid off, setting up a park of three-pointers near the end of the first half.
Hogs' Jeremiah Davenport celebrating with Tramon Mark late in second half of win over Duke.
(Nelson Chenault / USA TODAY Sports)
TRAMON MARK UPDATE
After concern over his back after an ugly fall in the Bahamas, Tramon Mark is apparently not having issues with that, although he was on the sideline in sweat clothes for the win over Duke last week.
"Just nothing there to report," Musselman said. "Went through some things [Saturday] that were non-contact. Went through some things that were not going to be reactionary plays, meaning things on defense. The concern right now is not the back."
On a fall like Mark had, everything in his mid-section was seriously jostled around, which can cause a reaction in the surround muscles that take a little longer to settle down. It does keep a player from his best effort, which is what Musselman wants.
"The concern continues to be the hip and groin," Musselman said. "He did a lot more today than what I thought he would have done. We’ll see where he’s at tomorrow. After practice and how he is at shootaround Monday will determine it. We feel very confident he would play in the game after Monday based on the progress. Monday is still up in the air."
The Hogs play Furman on Monday night Bud Walton Arena, tipping off at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
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