Gang That Can't Shoot Straight Squanders Chance for Big Win

Reeling Razorbacks show effort but fall to 0-3 in SEC with loss to No. 8 Florida

Arkansas Razorbacks forward Zvonimir Ivisic drives against the Florida Gators at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nilsen Roman-AllHogs Images

When a team can't shoot and is bad on the boards, chances of winning are pretty slim, especially against good teams. That's the difficult challenge for the Arkansas Razorbacks, who are not a good team.

Those two failings were on display Saturday afternoon before an enthusiastic crowd at sold-out Bud Walton Arena as the Hogs were once again the gang that couldn't shoot straight. Arkansas made just 30% of its shots and only 19% from beyond the 3-point arc.

Couple that with a rebounding deficit of 10 and the allowing the Gators to grab 16 offensive boards and it adds up to a 71-63 Florida victory. Beating the No. 8 Gators was not going to be easy but got tougher when offensive rebounds created extra possessions.

Mix in 11 missed free throws — they're called "free" for a reason, fellas, so start making 'em — and the Hogs had an uphill battle. Arkansas' defense was good enough to earn a victory as the visitors were held to 39/29/65 shooting percentages but there were just too many mistakes, too many missed opportunities.

Losing to Florida (15-1 overall, 2-1 in the SEC) is no disgrace. The Gators lead the country in scoring margin at 22-plus points a game. Thirteen of their 14 wins coming into Saturday were by at least 13 points. The Gators are big, can shoot the 3, and play defense.

Arkansas is big, can play defense but struggles from deep and at the line. This was expected to be a better shooting team — and the guys can still improve and become more efficient — but it's quickly becoming desperation time.

Arkansas is 11-5 for the season and 0-3 in the SEC, surprising since two league games have been in Fayetteville. Can't blame the latest loss on fans, who seemed to do their part. But every time the Hogs seemed to have created a chance for game-changing momentum -- and the crowd was going wild -- they let Florida off the hook.

Biggest example came with 6:09 left. Arkansas had been trying hard to scramble back from an 11-point deficit at 49-38 with 10:50 left but had just missed four straight free throws and trailed by seven. Then, the highlight video of the game happened.

Arkansas sophomore guard DJ Wagner, on a semi-fast break, drove down the heart of the lane before Florida's defense was set and threw down a thunderous left-hand dunk over the Gators' late-arriving 6-foot-11 Alex Condon. The play was preceded by Jonas Aidoo's blocked shot and Boogie Fland's pass to Wagner. It was immediately followed by a Florida timeout.

Florida Gators 6-foot-11 forward Alex Condon (21) drives against Arkansas' Jonas Aidoo (9) in the second half at Bud Walton Arena. Florida won 71-63 as Condon, a former Australian Rules Football player, had 12 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Fans called the Hogs and the Arkansas huddle was alive with energy. Meanwhile, Florida regrouped and one of the Gators' strengths magnified one of the Razorbacks' weaknesses and the game turned right back around.

Arkansas played good defense out of the timeout but Condon grabbed another offensive board, which led to a 3-pointer by Walter Clayton Jr. and a six-point lead. Another offensive board on the next possession led to two Condon free throws. Sloppy transition defense by Arkansas gave Condon an uncontested fast-break dunk. In a span of 1:32, what seemed like the Hogs' moment had evaporated and they never got closer than seven again.

Sad to see, really, as an Arkansas team with lots of top recruits and led by a Hall of Fame coach, John Calipari, continues to struggle to find its identity and footing in the country's best conference. The Hogs have their moments but can't achieve any kind of consistency -- let alone sustained excellence.

A big crowd and a determined bunch of Hogs helped propel Arkansas to a quick 11-2 lead. That's how teams coming off losses are supposed to react. It's also about how the Razorbacks started against No. 23 Ole Miss on Wednesday in Walton Arena, following a 24-point humilation in their SEC opener at then-No. 1 Tennessee

Florida was having none of it, though, and used a 26-11 spurt to lead by six just prior to halftime. In all, the Gators outscored the Hogs 69-52 after surviving the home team's opening salvo.

Arkansas Razorbacks forward Trevon Brazile (4) passes around Florida Gators forward Denzel Aberdeen (11) during the first half at Bud Walton Arena. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

In three SEC games, Arkansas is averaging a head-scratching 60.3 points per outing. The Hogs are shooting 34.9% from the field, 20.5% from 3-point land, and an embarrassing 62.3% from the "charity" stripe.

Meanwhile, Calipari — as he's been doing for over a month since a beatdown from a good team, No. 13 — is left searching for answers. He hopes to find a few before the Hogs play at LSU on Tuesday and at Missouri on Saturday.

"This isn't easy -- for our fans, for our team, for our coaches, for me," Calipari said as he began to wrap up his post-game press conference. He's a competitor and a realist. With 15 SEC games left, there is time to fix things, and he's done it before. "It is what it is," Calipari said. "Let's go on to the next one. Get this thing going."

HOGS FEED:

• Confidence concerns growing for Calipari's Razorbacks

• Seven former Razorbacks have qualified for NFL playoffs

• Reaction: shooting woes sink Hogs, winless start first for Calipari

• Anemic offense troubles Hogs, lose third straight in SEC

• Recruiting coup, blockbuster schedule puts Hogs in spotlight as season looms

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