WACO, Texas — Arkansas coach Eric Musselman is in no way interested in a moral victory.
But he spoke proudly about the Razorbacks’ effort during their 67-64 loss at No. 17 Baylor on Saturday in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
Two weeks ago, after a disheartening loss at Vanderbilt in which Arkansas let a 10-point second-half lead slip away before losing 97-84, the fourth-year coach called out his team’s competitiveness.
Though Arkansas is 2-2 since – and gave up an eight-point second-half lead to the Bears – it has showcased a greater urgency and overall toughness in the stretch that has encouraged him.
“I told you guys the truth of how I felt about our team at that time and they’ve certainly bounced back,” Musselman said. “This is a tough one, man, and so are some of the other games, like the game at Missouri (a 79-76 loss) that we put ourselves in position to win and we just didn’t.
“I’m really proud of how hard our team has played, especially of late. There’s no team that can play harder than what we played tonight. And I’m sure Baylor would say the same thing about our effort.”
Forward Jalen Graham, an Arizona State transfer who contributed in some key areas in the loss, thinks the Razorbacks are beginning to move in a positive direction despite the loss.
“They were rolling,” Graham said of Baylor. “For us to come in here and be 0-4 (on the road) and still put up the fight that we did and have it come down to the last shot is huge. I think we're going to change things around, to be honest.”
Early in the first half, freshman guard Anthony Black appeared to injure his right knee. He exited the game for 2:41 then re-entered and finished with 7 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 turnovers in 35 minutes.
After the Razorbacks fell behind 19-8 less than 10 minutes into the game, Black added 3 key points in what became a 12-1 Arkansas run that tied the game 20-20. Then, after a 5-0 run from the Bears, Black kickstarted the Razorbacks’ 13-2 run to close the half with an assist to Graham.
Arkansas was plus-9 in his 15:32 on the floor before halftime. In the second half, he had 4 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal.
“(Black) is extremely banged up,” said Musselman, who noted he was unsure at one point if Black would return. “He continues to suit up and put forth an incredible effort.”
Musselman also gave a shoutout to forward Makhel Mitchell, who finished with 4 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 blocks in 23 minutes off the bench. He stepped in admirably as starting forward Makhi Mitchell battled foul trouble.
Makhel Mitchell missed Tuesday’s 60-40 win over LSU with a foot injury he suffered last Saturday during a game against Ole Miss.
“Makhel had a boot on and couldn’t walk three days ago, so we have a group of guys that are in uniform that are just playing through injuries,” Musselman said. “I can’t compliment them enough. I really can’t, because it hasn’t been easy on these guys who are playing a lot of minutes.
“They’re giving all they’ve got.”
Council played ultra-confident
Multiple times against the Bears, Arkansas wing Ricky Council looked like the best player on a floor that included several projected first-round picks in the upcoming NBA Draft.
Council scored a game-high 25 points on 10 of 17 from the floor in 39 minutes. He was especially stellar in the first half, when he scored 14 points on an efficient 6-of-7 shooting.
Council began his day with a right-corner three-pointer, then did a quality job attacking mismatches and finishing in and around the lane. His lightning-quick crossover, shot making and ability to rise up over defenders jumped out.
In the second half, when he hit 4 of 10 shots, Council found offense in the seams of Baylor’s zone defense, Musselman said.
“Ricky is one of the most talented forwards I've ever seen and played with,” Graham said. “He did his thing. We trust in him.”
For Council, it was his best offensive outing since scoring 25 points during Arkansas’ 74-68 home win over Missouri on Jan. 4. He scored a combined 25 points in the previous 3 games, including 2 points last Saturday against Ole Miss.
“In the first half, they got him to where they wanted to get him and he made some tough shots,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “He's a really good player, but he earned his points tonight. He didn't get a lot of freebies and easy ones.”
Council does not have to score 20-plus points each night for the Razorbacks to find success down the stretch of the season. But it would benefit them greatly if he could bottle Saturday’s intensity and carry it with him in the games ahead.
Hogs slowed Bears' offense for long stretch
KenPom data showed prior to Arkansas’ matchup with Baylor that the Bears owned the nation’s No. 2 offense in terms of efficiency.
The Razorbacks schemed well for Baylor’s high-powered attack and made the Bears’ top offensive weapons work for their buckets. Keyonte George, LJ Cryer and Adam Flager finished a combined 15 of 44 from the floor.
Flagler, who was defended by junior guard Davonte Davis, was held to a season-low 5 points on 1-of-11 shooting.
George finished with 24 points and a number of the game’s biggest shots, and Cryer pitched in 20. But Arkansas gave them few easy buckets.
From the 9:56 mark of the first half to 19:08 remaining in the game, the Razorbacks forced 18 misses on 19 Baylor field goal attempts, including 8 three-pointers. The Bears missed 16 of 17 shots to end the first half.
That effort from Arkansas allowed it to carry a 33-27 lead into halftime and showed the team’s defensive potential when engaged.
“We went with a half-court trap that I thought we executed to perfection, especially in the first half,” Musselman said of what slowed Baylor. “I think they were 1 of 14 against it.”
Baylor finished 20 of 59 (33.9%) from the floor and 6 of 18 beyond the arc. The 6 threes by the Bears are their fewest since a Dec. 31 loss to Iowa State and tied for the second fewest this season.
Perhaps most impressive was the Razorbacks held Baylor to 14 of 41 (34.1%) on two-point attempts. The Bears made only 3 of 18 two-point shots outside the lane and 6 shots in the restricted area.
Freshman wing Jordan Walsh and the Mitchell twins totaled six blocks for the Razorbacks.
“Coach wanted to do a goalie and he also wanted to hit off a couple of their players that he thought were not good scorers, good drivers or people that can't make plays,” Graham said. “We were just hitting off those guys and letting those guys catch the ball and try to make plays. It was working in our favor.
“That was the main reason why they were pretty much shooting bad. There was a lot of airballs they shot from those players we were hitting off of.”
George was the guy at the end
Asked for his thoughts on George following the game, Musselman chuckled and heaped praise on the freshman who is projected by some draft analysts as a lottery pick.
“He’s phenomenal. He just rose up, knocked down his foul shots,” Musselman added. “Just has an incredible-looking shot. I mean, he’s a really, really, really special player — really special player.”
Cryer got a shot to fall with 5:45 left to cut Baylor’s deficit to 53-51, then the Bears made 4 free throws to take a 55-53 lead. George then took over and delivered the biggest punches the Razorbacks took Saturday.
In less than two minutes, the 6-4 guard knocked down a jumper, got a layup to fall then buried a three to gift Baylor a 62-55 edge with 1:21 to go. It was an impressive show of self-confidence given he was 5 of 17 from the floor prior to that stretch.
“In the back of my mind, I know the coaching staff and my teammates, they have a lot of confidence in me,” George said. “And I feel like I’ve proven myself to be able to take those shots in those last couple of minutes. Anybody can do it, it was just me tonight.
“I was able to go out there and make some big-time shots to close the game.”
George has scored 20-plus points in 5 of Baylor’s last 8 games.