Alabama Basketball Opponent Preview: Arkansas Razorbacks

Alabama Basketball will host the Arkansas Razorbacks in an SEC showdown on Saturday afternoon, and hopes to have a better showing than it did at South Carolina earlier this week.

Arkansas is a team that has been plagued by injuries this season, and is better than its record indicates. The Hogs have won their last two games by 19 and 32 (against Florida and Georgia, respectively) with projected lottery pick Nick Smith Jr. finally back in the lineup.

With Smith Jr. back and forward Jalen Graham finding his stride, this game pits arguably the two most talented teams in the SEC against one another. The contest will also feature an incredible slew of freshmen.

It is well-documented that Alabama Basketball has been led by newcomers this season. Bama starts three freshmen in Brandon Miller, Noah Clowney, and Jaden Bradley. A fourth, wing Rylan Griffen, comes off the bench and has been perhaps the best sixth-man in the SEC.

On the other side, Nick Smith Jr. is very skilled but has only appeared in nine games this season. In two of those games, he played just a couple minutes before leaving with injuries. In Smith Jr.’s seven opportunities playing meaningful minutes, he has scored over 20 points three times.

In his extended absence, jumbo point guard Anthony Black has been Arkansas’ star freshman for most of this season. Black has a very unique skill set as a big, athletic guard with great vision. At 6’7”, his size, wingspan, and tenacity make him a menace defensively. He is averaging 12.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and team-highs of 4.4 assists and 2.0 steals per game.

Alabama Basketball: Arkansas Backcourt Continued

Wichita State transfer Ricky Council IV has been the Razorbacks’ best offensive player this year. Council IV is a bouncy wing and a streaky three-point shooter that excels when he is able to get downhill. He averages 16.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game for the Hogs.

Council IV is a consistent scorer, hitting double figures in 25 of 28 games and eclipsing the 20-point mark nine times. He contributed 15 points in a loss to Alabama Basketball earlier this season.

Devo Davis is a gritty junior guard that causes problems on both ends of the floor. Davis is Arkansas’ only regular rotation player under 6’6”, but even he plays bigger with his quickness and physicality on defense. He averages 10.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per outing.

Like Alabama’s Jahvon Quinerly, Davis provides his team with lots of experience, having been a contributing member of two straight Elite Eight teams under Coach Eric Musselman.

Alabama Basketball vs Arkansas’ Frontcourt Length

Senior forward Jalen Graham has shown flashes of potential lately. He is extremely long and versatile, but was faced with the difficult task of replacing the production of Trevon Brazile. Brazile was averaging 12 points and six boards per game off the bench for the Razorbacks before suffering a knee injury in December.

Graham doesn’t provide the perimeter shooting or explosive athleticism of Brazile, but he is an elite finisher around the basket and shoots nearly 70 percent from the field.

Earlier in the month, he scored 16 points against South Carolina on 8-10 shooting. Just last weekend, he shot 12-14 from inside the arc against Florida en route to a career-high 26 points. Back in January, he scored 16 points in 19 minutes against Alabama, going 8-9 on two-point shots.

Forward Jordan Walsh is another freshman contributor for the Razorbacks. He is yet another great athlete on the wing, but lacks offensive polish. Walsh, who has started 20 games this season, primarily makes his impact on the defensive end of the floor.

Makhi and Makhel Mitchell transferred to Arkansas from Rhode Island, and combine to provide a solid post presence. Makhi has made a pretty significant splash, starting all but one game and averaging 7.3 points, a team-high 5.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game.

Not to be outdone, Makhel leads the team with 1.8 blocks per game in just 14 minutes per contest.

Alabama Basketball will have to earn this one

Don’t let Arkansas’ 19-9 record or middle-of-the-pack standing in the SEC fool you. The Razorbacks are one of the longest and most athletic teams in college basketball, even without Trevon Brazile. Their size makes them a tough defensive unit, and Eric Musselman coaches his teams up well.

If Nick Smith Jr. is at full-strength, he gives Arkansas the scoring punch it has lacked most of this season.

This won’t be an easy game, but Alabama Basketball has not lost in Coleman Coliseum all year. Expect the home crowd to come out in full force in support of the Tide.

After being carried by Brandon Miller in Columbia, it’s hard to imagine the rest of the team will play that poorly again, particularly in front of its own fans.