All Hogs

REACTION: Razorbacks' Grit Sparks Huge Run Despite Falling Short to Tide

Hogs can't get major resume-enhancing victory, but Calipari confident in team with nine regular season games left
Jacob Davis|
Alabama Crimson Tide center Clifford Omoruyi (11) and Arkansas Razorbacks forward Adou Thiero (3) fight for a loose ball in the second half at Bud Walton Arena. Alabama won 85-81.
Alabama Crimson Tide center Clifford Omoruyi (11) and Arkansas Razorbacks forward Adou Thiero (3) fight for a loose ball in the second half at Bud Walton Arena. Alabama won 85-81. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

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Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas ended up victim No. 20 of Alabama's season Saturday night losing 85-81 to the nation's No. 3 team.

Arkansas found themselves down 18 with 6:29 to go but never gave up, trading baskets over the next 90 seconds to get within three. Zvonimir Ivisic's career-high 27 points weren't scored in vain either as his leadership pulled the Razorbacks to a monumental upset.

"This team never stopped again, and they came back and they made plays," Calipari said of Arkansas after the game. "You know why? They played fearless. Instead of playing, you know, they played fearless, and that's what they have to do."

Coach John Calipari's inaugural season with the Razorbacks hasn't been what the fanbase envisioned with such a talented roster on paper. With high expectations not met, outside noise could have made an negative impact on this team but instead of quitting when things go bad there is never quit in the Hogs.

Although Alabama made 54% of its shots as the visiting team, many of those were highly contested in the post. No matter the degree of difficulty Arkansas presented it showed how much more physical the Crimson Tide are.

Being a physical team starts in practice, it's a mentality that is beaten into each player like brainwashed cult members. That's no shot at Arkansas or Calipari's roster building either since its extremely hard to practice a certain brand of basketball without enough guys to scrimmage.

One uncomfortable issue that needs to be addressed is Jonas Aidoo's ineffectiveness. The former Volunteer and All-SEC defender has been hampered by a leg injury throughout most of his time at Arkansas but he doesn't even look like the same player anymore.

Aidoo played seven minutes against Alabama with one rebound, one block and was 0-of-3 from the field. When rewatching how he played at Tennessee, there seems to be a lack of confidence while on the floor as his shot and defense appear flat.

Ranked as the No. 17 transfer, Aidoo came to Arkansas with a chance to be trained by one of the best developers of big men in assistant Kenny Payne but things have yet to gel. The former Volunteer isn't the Razorbacks only struggling transfer as senior guard Johnell Davis is finally hitting his stride in Fayetteville with his fourth straight double-digit scoring performance.

With freshman star Boogie Fland out and Aidoo becoming a nonfactor, Calipari's bench is swiftly headed to a seven man rotation with a brutal stretch of conference games ahead. Arkansas went into this game as underdogs with nothing to lose and embraced an opportunity of enhancing its tournament resume

"We had played with nothing to lose, and I talked about it all day," Calipari said. "[Alabama] had to win this game. We didn't. We just got to go and let's make it close and let's see what happens."

HOGS FEED:

• Razorbacks' comeback falls short against Alabama, win streak ends

• Razorbacks' Peppi looks to impact line-up with elite energy

• All-American Sears drives No. 3 Alabama's high-octane offense

• Legendary coach offers electric running back, updates Hogs' recruitment

• Razorbacks gymnastics' new home becoming place of fear as another No. 2 falls

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Jacob Davis
JACOB DAVIS

Jacob Davis is a reporter for Arkansas Razorbacks on SI, with a decade of experience covering high school and transfer portal recruiting. He has previously worked at Rivals, Saturday Down South, SB Nation and hosted podcasts with Bleav Podcast Network where his show was a finalist for podcast of the year. Native of El Dorado, he currently resides in Central Arkansas with his wife and daughter.

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