Bad Play, Travel Problems Forcing Change in Bahamas

There won't be any "swimming with pigs" on trip as originally planned because of loss

Author:
Andy Hodges
Updated:
Nov 22, 2023 8:09 AM EST
Original:
Nov 21, 2023

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — That loss to UNC-Greensboro last week has given Arkansas coach Eric Musselman something to use for his players' attention. It's also cost them at least one fun activity while they are in the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis this week.

"We were going to go swim with the pigs," Musselman said Tuesday. "That got cancelled when we lost the game. You throw in the 6.5-hour delay. It really screwed up our prep yesterday. If we would’ve known we were leaving at 4 o’clock, we could’ve had a really solid practice yesterday, but from 8 on, we thought we were leaving every 40 minutes. It is what it is. We’re here."

The travel problems were part of it. He's also still using that 78-72 loss to UNC-Greensboro as a coaching tool. The players have probably watched so much film of the mistakes and failing grades he gave after the game, they're ready to keep that from happening again.

"We took a deep breath," Tramon Mark said. "Just examined all the things we did wrong, some of the things we did good. But we came out with the L, so we have to take that (as an opportunity) and just move on from it. We’re still getting better and we’re going to continue to get better as a team and that’s what we’re doing right now."

Musselman is probably glad to see the increased level in opponents. It forces his players to keep their focus because most of the Razorback teams over his four seasons have played much better against bigger name teams. They did beat Purdue in an exhibition game that got everybody worked up, but they've had continually declining performances since.

The Razorbacks will open play against Stanford on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The game will be on ESPNU and fuboTV. They will turn around and play either Memphis or Michigan on Thursday and again on Friday against a team to be determined.