Walsh, Davis Finding Confidence, Defining Roles Key to Arkansas Win

Recent indicators suggest Razorbacks finding formula needed to go on run

Author:
Kent Smith
Publish date:
Jan 21, 2023 3:41 PM EST

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – You could see it unfold during the Missouri game.

While Arkansas added another frustrating loss to its ledger, for the first time all season, it was possible to see this season's Razorback team as something other than a first weekend exit in the NCAA Tournament.

Despite wins against relatively weak opponents back during the fall semester, it was the first time players began to sink into clearly defined roles, put in the dirty work, be relentless on defense and play with renewed confidence all at the same time.

While fouls and turnovers got the best of Arkansas at Missouri, that wasn't the case against Ole Miss as the Razorbacks cruised to a ho-hum 69-57 win in Bud Walton that wasn't nearly as close as the score indicates.

Arkansas was only charged with 16 personal fouls, less than half the number in Columbia on Wednesday. The Razorbacks also only gave up 11 turnovers while forcing 17 out of Ole Miss.

That's almost half as many turnovers as the Hogs gave up Wednesday night.

The second Jordan Walsh realized against Missouri that by leaving him wide open for threes that opponents were also leaving themselves open to drives for lay-ups and short jumpers, Arkansas immediately became a better team.

The confidence came flooding back and Walsh became the weapon he's meant to be. By the time Ole Miss rolled into town for an early morning exchange, he was his old self again. Walsh racked up 13 points, seven rebounds, a steal, and most importantly, a single foul.

It was like unlocking a new power in a video game, only it's something Walsh has had in him all along. He just needed it to click.

Speaking of clicking, it finally clicked with Davonte Davis that he is truly the leader of this team and that he needed to accept that role in every sense of the word.

Much of the season, he's been explaining to this cast of new players where they're supposed to be and what to expect in certain places and situations. However, Davis hadn't put together that he needed to summon his inner JD Notae and be the guy who drops daggers here and there when his teammates need it most.

Against Missouri, every time the crowd got loud, Davis called for the ball and never hesitated in shutting them up.

He didn't think. He just shot.

As a result, Davis has developed a full game. He's now a three-point threat, a mid-range threat, a threat to go to the rack and also a threat to wrap a pass around everyone and find an open guy no one else sees.

The problem is that no one else quite thinks at the level Davis does on these plays so they're not ready for a pass to hit them in the hands that no one else saw coming. However, the other Razorbacks are getting better at being ready at all times and to always expect a pass from Davis no matter how improbable.

While Arkansas struggled in the first half against Ole Miss, Davis made play after play to keep them in it. He's gone to that other level that he has flashed in brief glimpses over his years as a Razorback and it appears to be becoming more permanent.

With Walsh and Davis finding their groove and Makhi Mitchell growing more confident and versatile in the center position, Anthony Black is finally getting to settle into natural position as a highly dangerous role player.

He focuses on distributing the ball while still going to the rim when he sees an opening. In this role, Black's always a threat to score, but no longer carrying the burden of feeling he has to force a score.

The freshman guard is most efficient when he can let the game come to him, and that's exactly what happened at both Missouri and against Ole Miss.

Black had 17 points, eight assists and five steals on Saturday and nothing felt forced.

If these roles continue to be defined with greater clarity and Council, Pinion and Derrian Ford chip in with quality minutes when they're on the floor, Arkansas can pull this together just in time to squeeze into the NCAA Tournament and make a run.

Saturday was important simply for the much needed win. However, if Arkansas shows improvement on Wednesday against LSU to avenge a loss and can steal one, or at least be highly competitive against Baylor on Saturday, it will be the sign Razorback fans have hoped for all season.

At that point everything else will be available for the taking.