FAYETTEVILLE -- When it comes to defense, University of Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman is strictly man-to-man.
Musselman, in his first season leading the Razorbacks after four seasons as Nevada's coach, said he hasn't played zone defense since the 2015-16 season when he took over the Wolf Pack.
"Even then, we barely played zone that season," Musselman said. "Probably three possessions in one game."
Musselman has drawn much of his coaching philosophy from his father, the late Bill Musselman, but playing man-to-man defense all the time isn't someting they have in common.
"No, no," Musselman said. "My dad was a huge zone guy. His teams played a matchup zone."
Bill Musselman coached extensively in the NBA, ABA and CBA, but before that he led Ashland (Ohio) University, an NCAA Division II school, to a 109-20 record from 1964-71 with a stingy zone defense. He also used zone defenses at other college stops at Minnesota and South Alabama.
"People used to have my dad speak at clinics all over the United States," Musselman said. "His matchup zone was as good as any zone anywhere. He actually had a name for it -- the hyperbolic transitional floating zone."
The NBA used to outlaw zone defenses -- assessing a technical foul if officials determined teams weren't playing man-to-man defense-- but that rule changed for the 2000-01 season.
When Eric Musselman was an NBA head coach at Golden State during the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons and at Sacramento during the 2006-07 season, his teams continued to play man-to-man defense. Musselman also played man-to-man as a coach in the CBA and NBA Development League, and maintained that philosophy in his first college head coaching job at Nevada.
So why is Musselman so wed to man-to-man defense? Why not switch it up with some zone at times?
"I don't think there's any one system better than the other," Musselman said. "But at the collegiate level, I think it's really hard to be good at both man and zone."
Musselman said he enjoys watching teams that play zone defense well, notably Syracuse.
"I love watching Syracuse's zone," he said. "But they don't play any man. I just think it's hard to be masters of all. I don't think that with college-age kids, you can do a bunch of different things and be great."
Man-to-man defense has worked well for the Razorbacks (9-1) going into their game against Valparaiso (6-5) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock.
Arkansas ranks second nationally in three-point defense (20.8%), 10th in forcing turnovers (19.0 per game), 10th in steals (10.2 per game), 17th in scoring defense (58.6 points per game) and 42nd in field goal defense (38.3%).
"Coach Muss, just knowing he comes from an NBA background, all he knows is man-to-man," said Razorbacks junior guard Mason Jones, who is averaging 2.2 steals to share the SEC lead with LSU's Skylar Mays and Georgia's Anthony Edwards. "He let us know the first day he got here that we don't run no zone. All man-to-man.
"Hearing that, it's either you get it or you're out. When you hear that, you know it's time to lock in on the defensive end. You know it's a one-on-one and you're on an island, but it's team defense at the end of the day."
Sophomore guard Isaiah Joe, who is averaging 1.9 steals and has taken a team-high eight charges, said Musselman has introduced a "great man-to-man system" to the Razorbacks that includes plenty of help from teammates.
"We're helping whenever our smaller bigs are fronting the other bigs," Joe said. "We're helping on the back side a lot, and we have multiple ball screen coverages."
Arkansas allowed its second-highest points total for an opponent -- and most in a regulation game -- in a 98-79 victory over Tulsa on Saturday, but the Razorbacks pushed a fast pace. The Razorbacks held the Golden Hurricane to 43.8% shooting and forced 13 turnovers that they converted into 23 points.
"Give it to Arkansas because I think they were aggressive, attacking, and they are very physical on the ball," Tulsa Coach Frank Haith said. "They have a good scheme defensively,"
Jones, who transferred to Arkansas last year from Connors State (Okla.) Community College, has said several times he's become more motivated to become a better defensive player under Musselman.
"To be honest, for me, I had to play defense this game," Jones said after scoring 41 points against Tulsa, but also having 6 rebounds and 4 steals. ""Because Coach Muss got onto me about defense [after Western Kentucky beat Arkansas 86-79 in overtime]. He said, 'Mace, this was your worst defensive game of the year.'
"I took that personal. I said, 'Coach Muss, I'm sorry.' I wanted to show Coach Muss that I could play D. I know I can play D, so I didn't want that over my head."
Musselman said the Razorbacks' man-to-man defense includes zone principles.
"We have certain traps that we do that throws teams off," he said. "We change up pick-and-roll coverages, change up how we're guarding shooters.
"I think that any really good man defense has zone principles, meaning good help."
Jones said the Razorbacks are excited about playing defense in Musselman's system.
"We really just have bought in and you can see it on the court,' Jones said. "Sometimes we have our little mistakes, but you can see the team defense, you can see all the help and you can see more talking we're doing as a team."
Saturday’s game
VALPARAISO AT ARKANSAS
WHEN 7 p.m.
WHERE Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock
RECORDS Valparaiso 6-5; Arkansas 9-1
RADIO Razorback Sports Network
TV None
Sports on 12/18/2019