Arkansas vs. San Diego St.: Live Reaction to Big Win for Razorbacks

Live honest opinion of everything as it unfolded, including the play of Kamani Johnson

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
Nov 24, 2022 1:01 AM EST
Original:
Nov 24, 2022

In this story:

Before we get into the live reactions from throughout the game, here is the video of the scuffle involving Arkansas coaches that everyone is trying to find.

As written here earlier, this should be a game where the match-up favors Arkansas over San Diego State in the third place game of the Maui Invitational.

The biggest obstacle for the Hogs tonight is the potential to come out flat after such an emotional game against Creighton.

Arkansas will need a big game from Anthony Black, but his percentage of the offense can't be as high as the past couple of games. The Hogs need numerous players involved on the offensive end.

Black has a height advantage early on that he will need to use as often as possible.

Black 4, San Diego St. 2

That young man has made himself a lot of NBA money these last few days.

Tremendous defensive play by Black after the turnover that led to a transition. Surprised the refs didn't call a foul as they have been quick to call fouls early on.

The crowd is definitely toned down compared to the rowdy bunch we saw last night between Arkansas and Creighton.

The Aztecs have nothing for Arkansas in the paint. The only issue is the Razorbacks aren't making San Diego State pay on the other end.

Mikhel Mitchell with a great dunk down inside, but in his excitement, he loses all bodily control on the way back and almost Patrick Beverly's an Aztec.

Mitchell with a huge block. Arkansas has the height and talent to dominate the paint all night long.

No doubt Trevon Brazile made the right decision to leave Missouri and come to Arkansas.

Great slash move by Jordan Walsh. The ball movement by the Razorback offense is dramatically improved over last night's game.

Arkansas should have seen the lack of success the Aztecs had against Arizona when the big man inside stood his ground and forced San Diego State to try to go through him. Instead, Arkansas continues to move inside instead of standing firm and it's cost them.

Block with a monster dunk, and again Arkansas fans are left to wonder what's really wrong with Nick Smith based on the way he celebrated afterward. He's been moving wonderfully throughout the tournament from his seat.

Brazile shows off inside on offense. Arkansas can go down low and get points most of the time tonight, but will they have the patience?

Arkansas is going to have to get more consistent from the free throw line if they're going to make a deep run this March.

Musselman is much more calm with this team when they make a mistake. However, his fuse with the refs this year appears to be even shorter than before, which is saying a lot.

Nick Smith is becoming the "Jalen Battles told Van Horn he'd come back if could have his jersey number" of Arkansas basketball. So much talk about a man not playing all tournament long.

Arkansas is good enough as a shooting team to miss wide open shots and be OK.

Questionable foul call as Arkansas has gone cold and Musselman is hot.

The ball movement that helped the Hogs gets good shots a bit ago is gone. We're back to the one man dribble down and toss a single pass at most that caused Arkansas to struggle in stretches last night.

Aztecs on a 9-1 run as Arkansas tacks on another foul for good measure. The Razorbacks are starting to look tired.

Musselman has kept the bench short so that might be coming into account.

It's amazing how a team loaded with so much talent has apparently evolved into a one-man team. It seems Black will not be able to get into foul trouble again this entire season.

Things are so sloppy without Black able to be on the floor.

Considering how Arkansas is getting out-hustled tonight, the record set by last night's incredibly short postgame press conference may be shattered. This is hard to watch.

Arkansas should not be getting pushed around inside.

Hogs just can't buy a 3-pointer. It might be time to let those go and take a few mid-range jumpers.

Score check: 22-29 3:02 1H

Two questionable shot clock violations against Arkansas. Last one definitely not a violation.

Musselman is going to need to make serious adjustments at the half. He may even need to dig into the bench for fresh legs.

It's going to take great ball movement and a commitment to shutting down the paint if Arkansas is going to come back.

Halftime: Arkansas 26, San Diego State 35

Finally, someone hits a 3-pointer. It's the first of the game. The concern is whether this causes the Hogs to start jacking them up left and right.

And there it is. Quick pass and throw up a three. Good thing Arkansas is playing better defense.

Walsh hits a mid-range jumper to cut the lead to 35-31, but Arkansas immediately gives up an easy basket.

Brazile hits a three and for the first time all night the fans are into it. However, Arkansas goes down and lets San Diego St. run off a pair of dunks and an easy shot in the paint.

The Aztecs then come up with a steal and go the distance for a reverse lay-up. This got ugly really fast.

The Razorbacks seem stuck on the 3-point shot and it's just not their game.

The film showed Arkansas should have had the advantage inside, but lack of discipline on defense and a willingness to stake a claim on a section of the paint has left the Hogs with their heads spinning.

It went from a one possession game to 45-34 in the blink of an eye.

Council drives and shoots against three defenders. At no point did a Razorback enter the screen on the replay to even give a hint someone might set a screen to free him up.

Council manages to hit the shot anyway to cut it to single digits.

Jordan Walsh with great defense, but the help defense from behind is without proper form as far as getting hands up, causing another sloppy foul.

Good to see Kamani Johnson on the floor. He's out there working hard, especially on defense. Maybe he can be the spark. Has anyone seen Devo Davis?

Score check: SD St. 47, Arkansas 40

Not sure I will ever get used to the buzzer in Maui.

Good job getting in among the trees for the put-back by Walsh, but hard to see how he didn't draw a foul in the middle of all of that.

Johnson is intimidating right now with his physical play. At some point Black needs to give him the ball and let him just start backing guys down.

Brazile hit with charge after dishing to a wide open Johnson for what would have been a dunk. However, not only does he wipe out an easy two, he nearly wipes out Johnson's knee. That could have been bad.

Speaking of bad, Brazile's face is taking abuse again, this time on a foul by Mensah.

Council with a towering lob to Brazile who lays it off the glass to get Arkansas back in the game. You keep seeing flashes from the Hogs, but it feels like they're behind by 20.

Council with the steal before going coast to coast for the reverse dunk in traffic. For the first time tonight Arkansas feels like it has a little energy and fight.

Score check: SD St. 53, Arkansas 49 2H (8:00)

If Arkansas can't figure out a way to pull this out someone is going to need to tranquilize Musselman for the sake of his wife. He's not going to handle it well if the Razorbacks head to the mainland 1-2 in this tournament.

Apparently Anthony Black getting called for reaching near mid-court last night wasn't something from which Ricky Council was willing to learn as he gets called for the exact same mistake. Musselman has that "I told them not to do that a dozen times" look on his face as he throws his head back in frustration.

Arkansas plays great defense for 29.9 seconds, but gives up the dunk at the last possible moment and San Diego St. has energy back on its side.

Council hit a three a minute ago and then slashed to the basket for a tough bucket to keep Arkansas in it. Brazile then hits another three, but even though the Hogs are within two at 61-59, it just feels like they'll never get over the hump.

Council with a long three and no one crashes the boards even though everyone knows odds are high a rebound is going to be necessary.

That foul on Mensah could be the glimmer of hope Arkansas needs. He's a large disruptive body whom the Razorbacks need on the bench.

Just loving the work Johnson is putting in. He's putting in the dirty work. Yes, he will foul every now and then, but it's usually because of effort.

Council goes to the line with a chance to put Arkansas in the lead since 11:24 in the first half, but fittingly, it is a miss at the line that keeps the score tied 61-61.

Council down the middle and suddenly down is up and snakes can run because Council was short on a wide open dunk that would have given the Hogs the lead.

Not sure if the bird's eye view camera is going to be something we will see all season long, but it has been great for instant replay during this tournament. If it's not permanent, then it should be.

Black gets to the glass and is fouled, but the shot doesn't go down. It's hard to feel confident the Hogs will tie it here because free throw shooting is such an achilles heel for this team. However, Black knocks them down and we're tired again.

One minute left. Discipline, conditioning and focus are about to determine this one.

Was just thinking back to previous Musselman teams that featured a dog mentality. You never felt like they were going to lose so long as there was time on the clock.

However, for some reason, I just can't shake the feeling this team is going to lose when it comes to crunch time. It may come with time, but this team has a lot of growing to do until that happens.

How hard is it to figure out how shot clocks work? Yet again another definite mistake on a shot clock violation call.

Cannot understand how the refs went to replay and still called a shot clock violation on Arkansas. It was easy to see that the ball hit out of bounds before the light went red.

Poor free throw shooting is so well known about Arkansas that the Aztecs intentionally foul Black to put him on the line with 13 seconds left. However, it backfires and the Razorbacks have cut it to a 2-point game with 13 seconds left.

Hogs trap in the corner with Black and Brazile and the big man comes up with the steal and the timeout. Arkansas will have a chance to win this game with 7.5 seconds left to play.

Black misses lay-up, but Johnson uses his strength to hold off the larger Damarshay Johnson to barely muster enough to get the ball up and in as the buzzer goes off to force overtime.

Arkansas 67, San Diego St. 67 OT

Body language says Arkansas is about to put this one away. San Diego State looks down.

Ricky Council with a short jumper and the Razorbacks have their first lead since before the midway point of the first half.

Council with a shot, rebound by Johnson and Brazile slashes to the basket. Together it generates the largest lead of the game for Arkansas at 3 points.

What a rebound by Johnson! Another huge rebound. He is fighting in the paint and no one can handle him. Johnson puts it back up and in and Cousin Mo is fully on the Razorbacks' side.

There has been something missing with this Razorback team and it's obvious that it's the toughness and grit that Johnson brings. For the past seven to eight minutes, this has looked like a Musselman team for the first time all season.

Score check: Arkansas 75, San Diego St. 72 OT (1:15)

That's a flop. That's a flop. That's a flop. Walsh got hosed by the refs as he is called for a foul despite the obvious flop Keshad Johnson.

I spend a lot of time telling Arkansas fans that a foul or travel they thought wasn't called actually wasn't a foul or walk. However, Razorback fans are fully justified in their frustration with the referees tonight. This is a 1-point game and it shouldn't be.

Council takes a knee to the ribs on a drive with 13.8 left in the first overtime. If this game goes to a second overtime it will become a war of attrition in the Razorbacks' favor as the individual fouls are piling up for San Diego State.

Kamani Johnson better get the big pancake and extra bacon at the breakfast table tomorrow morning. He just played perfect vertical defense down low on what should have been a game-tying drive and then came away with the rebound, hugging it like a little kid who was lost and just found his momma.

Johnson hits both free throws to put this one away, but Musselman is hot. He's not into feels or celebration. He wants his team's attention and he's going to get it.

Johnson with the steal! It's over. Arkansas wins.

On one final note, a correction needs to be made. Brazile was named player of the game. He had a good game, but player of the game is Kamani Johnson. He was the dirty, dirty bird Arkansas needed tonight. Without him there is no victory.