All Hogs

Irwin urged perspective on radio before Thomas sparked Arkansas win

Mike Irwin says enjoy Meleek Thomas’ night, but don’t confuse a James Madison win with proof Arkansas has SEC answers.
Andy Hodges|
Arkansas Razorbacks guard Meleek Thomas 91) secures the ball during the second half against the James Madison Dukes at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark.
Arkansas Razorbacks guard Meleek Thomas 91) secures the ball during the second half against the James Madison Dukes at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

In this story:

Arkansas RazorbacksJames Madison Dukes

There are nights in Bud Walton Arena that feel like a revival meeting, and there are nights that feel like a reminder.

Monday’s 103-74 Arkansas win over James Madison landed somewhere in between.

Meleek Thomas finally looked like the five-star shooter the Razorbacks were promised, pouring in 28 points and knocking down six 3-pointers like he’d found his rhythm and wasn’t about to lose it.

The Hogs hit 100 again. The crowd enjoyed itself. The box score looked just fine.

And somewhere between the last made jumper and the slow walk to the parking lot, Pig Trail Nation’s Mike Irwin quietly reminded folks not to frame the scorecard just yet.

Irwin made his comments during an interview on ESPN Arkansas' Halftime with Phil Elson and Matt Jones, and like most things said by someone who’s watched Arkansas basketball for decades, they landed with a thud of realism.

This, he suggested, wasn’t proof of anything beyond one good night.

A voice of caution on ESPN Arkansas

Irwin didn’t dismiss what Thomas did. Since the interview was a few hours before the game, he was just offering a preliminary warning. It could have been nothing but Thomas' play made it an interesting warning.

“I don’t think you want somebody to just tear it up tonight,” Irwin said during his ESPN Arkansas interview, a line that probably made a few folks squirm in their seats.

He pointed out that a big scoring night against a nonconference opponent has a habit of lying to you once SEC play begins. Numbers that feel comforting in December don’t always survive January.

Irwin even reached back to last season, reminding listeners how Arkansas walked into Knoxville feeling good and walked out with a hard lesson from Tennessee. That memory still hangs around.

The Razorbacks, he acknowledged, are in a better place now. But better doesn’t mean finished.

Thomas’ breakout comes with context

There’s no denying Thomas’ night. Twenty-eight points. Six made 3s. Confidence that hadn’t shown itself in weeks finally arrived.

Before Monday, Thomas had gone more than three weeks without scoring in double figures. December hadn’t been kind, and the shooting numbers told that story.

Irwin called it a “freshman pause,” which sounds nicer than slump but still gets the point across.

He also addressed speculation about tension between Thomas and coach John Calipari, saying what’s been happening is simple coaching and learning, not drama. Just basketball stuff.

Thomas answered the right way — by letting the ball fly.

But Irwin’s point wasn’t about effort or talent. It was about translation.

The SEC doesn’t grade on a curve

During the ESPN Arkansas interview, Irwin delivered the kind of warning that doesn’t trend online but tends to age well.

“Don’t take anything you see today and think it translates to any of the next 18 or 20 games,” he said.

That’s the line old columnists circle.

James Madison didn’t have the length, speed or defensive bite that’s waiting in SEC play. The Dukes couldn’t switch the way league teams will. They couldn’t recover the way conference defenses do.

What looked easy Monday night won’t stay that way.

That doesn’t mean the Razorbacks should apologize for winning. It means they ought to file it correctly.

Brazile and the balancing act

Irwin also talked about Trevon Brazile, another player Arkansas fans have learned to watch closely.

Brazile finished with eight points against James Madison, but his night included rebounds, steals and blocks — the kind of work that doesn’t scream for attention but matters when whistles get tight.

Irwin noted that Brazile’s recent surge has already drawn notice, and notice in the SEC brings double teams, foul trouble and scouting reports thicker than the Sunday paper.

It’s another reminder that success in this league comes with consequences.

Enjoy the win, but keep the receipt

Arkansas shot well, pushed the pace and looked comfortable. The Razorbacks crossed the 100-point mark for the fourth time this season, and nobody headed for the exits early.

That matters. So does perspective.

Irwin’s comments weren’t meant to cool excitement so much as to protect it from disappointment. A hot shooting night doesn’t guarantee a warm winter.

SEC basketball has a way of sanding down sharp edges and exposing weak ones. That’s not pessimism. That’s experience talking.

And when someone like Irwin says it on ESPN Arkansas, it’s worth listening — even when the scoreboard says everything’s fine.

Key takeaways

  • Mike Irwin cautioned during an ESPN Arkansas interview against overvaluing Meleek Thomas’ breakout game.
  • Irwin stressed that nonconference success often doesn’t translate once SEC play begins.
  • Arkansas’ win over James Madison was encouraging, but not definitive, heading into league action.

Hogs Feed

Published
Andy Hodges
ANDY HODGES

Sports columnist, writer, former radio host and television host who has been expressing an opinion on sports in the media for over four decades. He has been at numerous media stops in Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi.

Share on XFollow AndyHsports
Home/Men's Basketball