FAYETTEVILLE — Barry Dunning has made a strong impression in his first two games in a University of Arkansas basketball uniform.
Granted, they were exhibition games in Spain, not SEC matchups, but Dunning drew plenty of praise from Razorbacks Coach Eric Musselman for his performance in Arkansas’ victories over Valencia Seleccion 107-59 and Catalan Elite 99-86 this week.
After Dunning, a 6-6 freshman forward from Mobile, Ala., had 10 points, 4 rebounds and 1 blocked shot against Valencia Seleccion, Musselman made sure to mention him while being asked about teammates Nick Smith, Anthony Black, Jordan Walsh, Ricky Council, Trevon Brazile and Kamani Johnson.
“Not many people are going to talk about Barry Dunning,” Musselman said. “I thought Barry played really well.”
Dunning then had 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 blocked shot against Catalan Elite.
“Two games in a row — as well as in training camp — Barry has played really, really solid,” Musselman said. “One of the things with [our coaching staff] is who do you trust to go out there and not turn the ball over, then execute the game plan on both sides of the ball.
“Surprisingly for a freshman, Barry Dunning has done a really, really good job of that.”
The Razorbacks had a combined 36 turnovers in their games in Spain, but just two were by Dunning. He hit 9 of 16 shots.
Musselman tweeted Dunning’s shot chart against Catalan Elite, crediting him with making 5 of 7 field-goal attempts.
Dunning averaged 25.3 points last season at McGill-Toolen High School, but he has shown patience with his shot selection and looked comfortable working within the flow of the offense.
“He’s way mature beyond a freshman in his approach to the game,” Musselman said. “Still has areas that we want him to get better at. … But he’s extremely serious about his craft.”
It won’t be a surprise if Dunning, who started against Valencia Seleccion and came off the bench against Catalan Elite, is back in the lineup when the Razorbacks play an exhibition game against Orange 1 Basket Bassano at 12:30 p.m. Central today in Como, Italy.
“He’s not a guy that’s sleeping in during the offseason in the summer,” Musselman said. “He’s a guy that comes in and gets in his work and tries to get better.”
Musselman said Dunning — the Alabama High School Gatorade Player of the Year the previous two seasons — has earned the coaches’ trust with the work ethic he showed at Arkansas’ practice facility before the team left for Europe.
“When you work in the building in the morning and everybody’s told you that [Dunning] already has shot before some guys are waking up, you gain trust that way,” Musselman said “And then when somebody knows three or four positions, you gain trust in them.”
Dunning has continued to earn trust on the trip.
“When you’re meeting with an assistant coach the night before a game and you’re talking about plays and you’re not worried about what restaurant you’re going to eat at, but you’re worried about understanding where the four-man is supposed to go, in case you play the four,” Musselman said of another plus for Dunning. “That gains trust.”