Arkansas' Biggest Preseason Concern Is Finishing at the Rim, Here's the Best Available Fix

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach John Calipari has once again assembled one of the most talented rosters in the country this season, but Saturday's exhibition 76-72 victory over Gonzaga showed a glaring weakness that must be fixed quickly and not let it linger into the regular season.

For a team loaded with efficient veterans, athleticism, length and highly regarded freshmen, finishing around the basket shouldn't be nearly as difficult as it was against the Bulldogs.

Arkansas made just 36.9% of its field goal attempts and were only 5-of-16 on layups and dunks, which is an alarmingly high number for a team that's expected to make attacking the basket off the dribble a big part of the offense.

As easy as some of the shots at the rim can be, Gonzaga did present a size advantage near the rim, resulting in the Razorbacks shooting beyond the arc at an efficient rate. Arkansas connected on 11-of-24 attempts (45.8%.), but perimeter shooting will vary each night and cannot be relied on every night.

That was a major red for last season's Sweet 16 team that was blasted by several teams such as Houston, Duke, Florida and Arizona due to their elite big man play. The Razorbacks struggles could of simply been caused by first-game jitters because of so many new players gelling together in their first live action against legitimate competition.

Cooper Bowser with an amazing performance in PNR Defense, V Gonzaga, a top front court.

20 minutes

9 points
10 Rebs (2 offense)
1 Block
86.7 Defensive Rtg (team best)
81.5% Individual defensive stops %
Forced multiple turnovers
1-6 as primary defender
+12 +/-
+44.1 Net pic.twitter.com/AcC10oaNwM
— lukelbj (@lukelbjfoif) October 24, 2026

Feed Cooper Bowser

Known as the most efficient offensive player in the country last season at Furman, Cooper Bowser surprised many for his ability to battle inside, fighting for rebounds and becoming a lob threat in the post.

Perhaps the most encouraging development from Saturday's exhibition was the performance of Bowser. The 6-foot-11 center finished with nine points, 10 rebounds and a team-best plus-12 rating in just 20 minutes.

Bowser converted four of his six field-goal attempts and provided the type of interior presence Arkansas desperately needed against Gonzaga's frontcourt.

While three of his made baskets came off dunks, there was one post-up opportunity against Massamba Diop where the banged himself to the cylinder before rising for an effortless hook shot.

Teams are probably going to adjust to Bowser's strengths, but he gives Arkansas a dependable offensive weapon near the basket thas was inonsisistent most of last season.

It will be interesting to see if Arkansas utilizes him in more high pick-and-rolls and drags to the rim than relying so heavily on guards going downhill to take on 7-footers. His screening ability can create cleaner driving lanes, while his presence near the basket gives defenders another player to account for when Arkansas attacks.

Miikka Muurinen with a good showing in his first exhibition game. Really good 2-way impact + rebounding in traffic. Miikka showed a desire to defend, rebound, make passes to open teammates

25 minutes

10 points
6 rebs
2 blks
Multiple deflections
94.3 defensive rtg (2nd best) pic.twitter.com/txadOgQHzh
— lukelbj (@lukelbjfoif) October 25, 2026

Spacing The Floor With Midrange Game

Freshman forward Miikka Muurinen displayed a clean offensive game to go along with his ability to crash passing lanes, rebound and block shots. One part of his game that can help draw a defender out of the lane is his ability to hit shots from anywhere on the floor as a stretch big man.

The 7-footer presents an interesting matchup problem for opposing defenses because of his combination of size, athleticism and shooting touch. Unlike traditional post players who operate primarily around the basket, Muurinen can stretch the floor and force opposing big men to defend away from the paint, opening up potential driving lanes for Arkansas' bigger guards.

With Muurinen positioned beyond the arc, an opposing forward or center has a decision to make because the Hogs' stretch forward can drill shots beyond the arc and showed an ability to hit on a midrange shots from 12-15 feet out.

That should allow guards like Jordan Smith Jr., Abdou Toure, Jeremiah Wilkinson and JJ Andrews ample opportunity to get downhill for easy finishes. Muurinen's emergence also opens up one-on-one opportunities for himself and Bowser to become a dynamic duo near the basket.

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