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Razorbacks Need More Than Ghosts From Starters After Kentucky Loss

Arkansas needs more from Karter Knox and Nick Pringle after a quiet loss as rebounding looms large against Mississippi State.
Andy Hodges|
Arkansas Razorbacks wing Karter Knox prior to the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark.
Arkansas Razorbacks wing Karter Knox prior to the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

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Arkansas Razorbacks

Arkansas walked out of Bud Walton Arena last weekend with a lesson nobody wanted to study for.

The Razorbacks lost 85-77 to Kentucky and two starters barely left a footprint on the box score.

Karter Knox and Nick Pringle combined for zero points and one rebound. Zero. One. That’s not a typo, and it’s not some new math they’re teaching in the SEC.

It brought to mind what former Hogs coach Eddie Sutton said looking at the boxscore after a game in 1981 and guard U.S. Reed only had one rebound.

"I don't even know how that's possible," Sutton said. "He should have more than one just by accident and being in the game."

Knox played 16 minutes. Pringle logged 13. When the lights were on and the crowd was loud, the stat sheet stayed quiet. Coaches and fans notice those stats.

That kind of night doesn’t hold up once January flips to February and the league grind tightens.

Arkansas assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Chuck Martin didn’t sugarcoat it, but he also didn’t panic. His message was simple, almost old-school.

“For both of those guys, they just need to get lost in the game,” Martin said Thursday. “Get lost in the game, play hard, defend, rebound, do the little things, the simple things, and then I think you will start to see the production that people are looking for on the offensive end.”

That’s coach-speak, sure, but it’s also a reminder that basketball didn’t change overnight. The Razorbacks don’t need trick plays or new rotations.

They need Knox and Pringle to show up, stay active, and stop overthinking every possession like it’s a pop quiz.

Knox’s season hasn’t been empty by any means. He’s averaging 8.4 points per game, and when he scores more, good things usually follow. He popped for 16 against Vanderbilt and poured in 20 against Texas Tech earlier this season. The ability is there. It just disappears sometimes.

Pringle’s offensive resume is thinner. He’s reached double figures only three times all season. Thirteen games have ended with fewer than four points. Three nights came with zero.

That’s not a slump. That’s a pattern Arkansas is still trying to break.

Martin made it clear the worst thing either guy can do is force shots just to quiet the noise.

“Any production on the offensive end from Nick and Karter, obviously it is welcome, but it’s going to happen,” Martin said. “You know, you just can’t force it. It’s going to happen. Everyone’s on their own journey.

"Everyone develops differently. We are fully confident in both of those guys being able to help us on both sides of the ball.”

Confidence is nice. Rebounds are better. And that’s where the conversation keeps circling back as the Hogs head into another physical SEC weekend.

Rebounding Tells Real Story

The next test comes against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, one of the league’s better rebounding teams. Starkville won’t care about shooting percentages or scoring averages.

The Bulldogs will care about effort, positioning, and second chances.

“We’ve got to rebound the ball a little bit better,” Martin said. “I think we have to get into the ball defensively a little bit better, which we will as the season goes on.

"We’ve usually gotten better and better, but we’ve got to get better at getting into the ball and keeping the ball outside the paint.

"When the ball goes and hits the rim, we’ve got to have all five guys box out and go rebound it.”

That last part matters. All five. Not three. Not four. Five. Rebounding isn’t a big-man chore. It’s a team tax, and Arkansas has been late on the payment before.

Ironically, Knox and Pringle’s rebounding numbers aren’t the issue on paper. Knox averages 4.7 boards per game. Pringle pulls down 4.2. Those are respectable figures that don’t match the frustration fans felt watching Kentucky grab momentum plays inside.

That disconnect tells you the problem isn’t just totals. It’s timing. It’s when rebounds happen and who wants them most when the game leans one way or the other.

The midweek bye might help with that edge. The SEC doesn’t offer many breathers, and Arkansas finally got one.

“Having a bye week allowed us some time to recover physically, mentally, emotionally,” Martin said. “It’s a long season for not just us, but for everyone around the country.

"There’s a reason why there are bye weeks in every league around the country. You need a moment to catch your breath, and it came at the right time.”

Rest won’t fix everything, but it can clear the head. Sometimes that’s enough to turn hesitation into instinct.

Arkansas will find out quickly if the message landed. The Razorbacks travel to Starkville on Saturday for an 11 a.m. tip, airing on ESPN2.

No mystery storylines. No secret adjustments. Just a road game against a team that rebounds like it means something.

If Knox and Pringle get lost in the game the way their coach wants, Arkansas might finally find what’s been missing.

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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.

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