Arkansas opened the men’s basketball season with a dominating 142-62 win over Mississippi Valley State on Wednesday night. Bud Walton Arena was quiet and sad. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the university is only allowing 4,000 attendees this season. Add in the fact, that we are on the eve of Thanksgiving, I doubt there were over 2,000 there.
The Delta Devils from the SWAC are one of the worst teams in college basketball. The Razorbacks did what was expected and some tonight. An 80-point win is extremely rare in college basketball. It is the 2nd highest margin of victory in Arkansas basketball history.
Let’s dive into what we saw tonight to open up the 2020-21 basketball season.
It’s Raining
The versatility of this roster was on full display tonight. 8 different Razorbacks made a three pointer. The Hogs shot 20-40 from 3 as a team. Connor Vanover and Vance Jackson both made 4.
Efficient Play
The Hogs took care of the ball Wednesday night by committing just 7 turnovers. Coach Musselman’s goal is 9 turnovers or less. Arkansas continued the efficient play with 55.8% shooting from the field and out-rebounding MVSU by 25.
Everyone Eats
8 different Razorbacks scored in double figures while 11 different players recorded a point. We won’t see that every night, but we could see a variety of leading scores as the season progresses.
Sharing The Ball
Arkansas shared the ball at a high rate tonight. They recorded 26 assists on 48 made baskets. J.D. Notae led the way with 7 assists and Jalen Tate was right behind him with 6 assists. That is a healthy recipe for success going forward.
The Hogs are back on the floor on Saturday evening at 5pm against a capable North Texas team.
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