FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas women’s basketball team is starting its season a little later than normal because of the coronavirus pandemic, but the extra time hasn’t improved coach Mike Neighbors’ comfort level.
“Least prepared I’ve ever felt going into a season opener,” he said.
That feeling has more to do with what his team has dealt with in relation to the virus more so than anything on the court heading into today’s 11 a.m. season opener against Oral Roberts in Bud Walton Arena.
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“I’ve never spent so much time on where somebody sits on the bench and how far they are apart from somebody who has tested positive or negative,” Neighbors said. “So we have a pretty low percentage of our playbook in, and that’s OK. I think our kids are excited. I think our kids are happy. I think our kids are healthy, and I know they’re ready to play so I think the rest of it will work itself out.
“I expect some emotion from players, coaches, all of us, that it’s finally here. It’s finally happening. I’ve tried to get myself as ready as I can. But … I think it’s fair to say, the least prepared team but the most excited to play in 21 years of coaching.”
Oral Roberts brings a young team with eight freshmen, very different from the one that lost 96-64 a year ago in Fayetteville. The roster makeover presents a challenge, Neighbors said.
“They’ve got personnel we don’t know anything about, we have no film on,” Neighbors said. “So a concern that they are always prepared to do what they do and do it well, and we have no idea what that is on game one. And we’ll have to figure it out as we go along.”
Arkansas brings a highly experienced team into the opener.
The Razorbacks return four players who started every game last season when they went 24-8 and finished in a tie for third in the Southeastern Conference. They begin the season ranked 14th in the AP poll, the best preseason national ranking since starting No. 10 in 1995.
Senior Chelsea Dungee averaged a team-high 16.9 points per game a year ago and earned first-team All-SEC preseason honors. Amber Ramirez, one of the top 3-point shooters in the country, returns for her senior season as well. Her 106 made 3-pointers ranked second in Division I and is a school record.
Arkansas also added one of the top graduate transfers in the country in Destiny Slocum. The 5-7 senior guard was an All-Pac-12 honoree the past two seasons at Oregon State.
Senior Jailyn Mason returns after redshirting last year because of a foot injury. Mason, who started 97 games over her first three seasons, will be the first substitute off the bench, Neighbors said.
The Razorbacks were one of the highest-scoring teams in the country, averaging 83.4 ppg last year. The Razorbacks have spent more time on defense this preseason.
“We’ve worked at it,” Neighbors said. “We’ve allotted more time in practice. Our personnel is improved in that area. Any time you focus more on something, you get better at it.”
He credited assistant coach Todd Schaefer with the improvement on defense, likening him to Barry Odom, the defensive coordinator for Arkansas football.
“If we had the national media coverage that football has, people would have been talking about Todd Schaefer like they talk about Barry Odom,” Neighbors said. “The difference in our defense from when it became a sole focus of his, it’s been remarkable. That’s what Todd’s done for our defense, and I think it will result in us being able to win games in a different fashion.”
Neighbors compares the opener to the first day of school.
“I don’t know how we’re gonna handle our emotions, I really don’t,” he said. “Being out there, being excited, being over anxious, I don’t know whether we’re rested or rusted. I don’t know whether we’re gonna be too hyped or not hyped enough.
“Just always concerned that you haven’t done enough.”