Hogs’ Eric Musselman Probably Just Threw Plan in Trash Against Auburn

When you miss layups, free throws, commit turnovers result is predictable

Author:
Andy Hodges
Updated:
Jan 8, 2023 3:53 PM EST
Original:
Jan 8, 2023

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — At one point in the second half Saturday night, Arkansas coach Eric Musselman just threw down the stats sheet he was looking at.

Nothing he planned worked out, primarily due to execution ... or lack of it.

"Obviously it’s really frustrating," he said later.

You can look at the stat sheet and see exactly where the frustration came from, but you have to look deep to see the 7-of-22 layups. That's bad enough by itself.

Add in 13 missed free throws and 14 live ball turnovers and the 72-59 final was surprisingly close.

"We can’t miss that many foul shots," Musselman said. "The thing that’s the most amazing is Anthony Black went 13 of 16 from the foul line."

If you're old school and think the answer is just keep the players shooting free throws until they nearly pass out, that won't happen. The NCAA rules won't allow it.

"The only thing I know is you’ve got to get in the gym on your own," Musselman said. "That’s something that’s been part of our culture. Guys working relentlessly on their game outside of practice."

Apparently that isn't happening enough or else they just can't hit water falling out of a raft on the lake.

It may be the same story on three-pointers that this team hasn't really been able to consistently hit all year long.

"Everybody knows it," Musselman said. "The three-point shooting, you’re not just going to miraculously wake up and all of a sudden become a great three-point shooting team.

"You’ve got to figure out other ways to try to put points on the board."

Throw in a night where they can't make a layup, either, and you end up with a 13-point loss on the road.

Oh, and don't forget the turnovers. The Hogs have figured out ways to get them and eliminate handing them out, primarily because Musselman absolutely hates live-ball turnovers and double digits on that won't let you win many games.

Kamani Johnson-Auburn — Auburn Tigers guard Wendell Green Jr. (1) and forward Jaylin Williams (2) fight for a rebound against Arkansas Razorbacks forward Kamani Johnson (20) during the first half at Neville Arena. (John Reed / USA TODAY Sports)

"The defensive game plan has not changed other than the execution by some of our guys," Musselman said. "We had four steals tonight, and two of them were by our power forward-center Kamani Johnson.

"That kind of tells you what our perimeter did from a defensive creating turnovers standpoint. Not much at all. You can't play 35, 36 minutes and not have a steal in our system."

The Hogs have to flush this game quickly because No. 7 Alabama comes to town Wednesday night and that is a game this team has to at least make respectable.

"Right now this is a ball club that’s struggling on the road," Musselman said. "And we’re young. That’s plain and simple. You take two talented players off any team in the league like we have that are out with injuries and you are probably going to struggle offensively."

Fans were hoping this year was different than the previous two, although some of us kept saying just check back in the middle of January to see what this team actually is.

That's been the usual way things have gone under Musselman.

Barring a complete collapse, this team will be playing games in March, regardless what the doomsday folks are saying right now.

How long is what Musselman is trying to figure out.