Small Goals Can Have Huge Effect on Hogs' Season

Arkansas Razorbacks take first step toward keeping fans interested until start of baseball season, keep NIT hopes alive

Author:
Kent Smith
Publish date:
Feb 1, 2024 10:32 AM EST

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The path back to glory after such a long fall is done so with small goals. For the Arkansas basketball team, that goal is to give Razorbacks fans just enough to be interested until the start of baseball season.

If successful, there can be bigger goals, but things have to be kept simple at the moment. That means finding ways to win games until at least Feb. 16 when Arkansas opens on the diamond with a four-game series against James Madison.

There is a feasible path to making that happen. It began with a 91-84 win over Missouri Wednesday night in Columbia against a Tigers team that has mirrored Arkansas in almost every way except managing to get at least one SEC win.

The Razorbacks got enough positive results and reaction from a strong defensive game against Kentucky that it appears the players found a desire to not only replicate the performance, but also build upon it. In what was expected to be a race to see who can get to 50, Arkansas almost hit the half century mark by halftime.

After getting a taste for defense, Musselman managed to convince the Razorbacks to sample a little ball movement. What resulted was an immediate jolt to the offense as players began finding teammates filling open gaps off double-teams and defensive miscues.

What Wednesday night's success has done is push things ahead to Feb. 3 for another road trip, this time to LSU. If overall record is what matters, then Arkansas has a chance to keep things going. However, it should be noted that the Tigers have continuously improved all season and are only six points away from being 5-2 in SEC play.

A win down in Baton Rouge would give Arkansas its first winning streak since December when the Razorbacks strung together three wins in a row over Lipscomb, Abilene Christian and UNC-Wilmington. If the trio of Makhi Mitchell, Jaylen Graham and Chandler Lawson can continue to match the 32 point, 20 rebound average they put up against Kentucky and Missouri, then the odds of that happening greatly improve.

Georgia rounds out the weekend Feb. 10 at Bud Walton Arena. The Razorbacks lost by 10 in Athens, but had an unbalanced night offensively. Tramon Mark put up 24, but was the only Hog in double figures. As for the inside game, there wasn't much of which to speak.

Both teams mirrored one another all night. Arkansas hit 24-of-60 shots. Georgia hit 25-of-60. Arkansas hit 15-of-22 free throws. Georgia hit 17-of-22. Arkansas had 39 rebounds. Georgia had 40.

The difference turned out to be 3-point shooting. The Razorbacks only managed 3-of-21 while the Bulldogs knocked down 9-of-27. A home game atmosphere, improved defense and a stronger presence inside makes this a potential toss-up if Arkansas can make it this far with a little momentum.

At that point, baseball season is upon us. The only thing between Razorback fans and first pitch is a weeknight home game against No. 5 Tennessee. If Arkansas can make it this far, two things will be certain.
1. The Hogs will be two games away from clinching a spot in the NIT.
2. Fans will watch because there will be a legitimate puncher's chance with the right environment inside Bud Walton.

That's a lot of ifs to meet such a simplistic goal, but the good news is the first if got taken care of Wednesday night in Columbia. A week ago there was no feeling of hope. Now at least there is a way for fans to imagine such a path without having to outright lie to themselves.

And that's a mini-goal accomplished in itself.