Arkansas coach Eric Musselman often emphasizes ahead of SEC road games how difficult it is to win away from home.
With that in mind, there is something to be said for the Razorbacks winning their third consecutive SEC road game Wednesday at Georgia.
Arkansas also deserves props for taking care of business and imposing its will in a building that can zap the energy from visitors as easily as it can infuse life in the home team.
The 99-73 win over the Bulldogs is the latest example of the Razorbacks’ vast improvement in the last month and another showcase of togetherness.
“I think they’re confident right now,” Musselman said. “They enjoy playing at home a lot, they enjoy playing on the road, they enjoy playing together, they enjoy traveling together. It’s a group that’s really, really well connected right now.”
Stanley Umude and JD Notae were the standouts for Arkansas (17-5, 6-3 SEC). Umude scored a season-high 31 points on 12-of-20 shooting and 6-of-8 beyond the arc, and Notae pitched in 23 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists in his return to his home state.
For Umude, it was his best scoring effort since since scoring 39 on Feb. 28, 2021, when he was at South Dakota. The six made threes were a career high.
The Razorbacks take on a different identity when Umude plays like a pro.
On Monday, Notae was asked if playing at Georgia, which did not offer him a scholarship out of high school, was personal for him. His answer was a definitive yes. He then backed up his words, flirting with a triple-double.
No one bats an eye any longer when the guard puts together a big-time game. If nothing else, that should qualify him for All-SEC first-team consideration.
The duo finished the night a combined 10 of 15 from three-point range, leading the way in the Razorbacks hitting a season-high 15 threes on 28 attempts. Perhaps even better in Musselman’s eyes, they recorded 10 of Arkansas’ 23 assists in the win.
“Really good,” Musselman said when asked about the Razorbacks’ ball movement. “I think right now this team feels good about itself offensively and defensively. It’s getting along. We went to dinner last night — more laughter, camaraderie than earlier in the year. Film sessions have not just been focused, they’ve also had some humor to them.
“Guys are making fun of stuff I say. We’re just a different team from a chemistry standpoint than we were four weeks ago.”
The box score outside of Umude and Notae says as much. Arkansas received admirable efforts from more than a handful of its players, including a couple who had not made much of an impact in recent games, Chris Lykes and Kamani Johnson.
Lykes played a pivotal role in the first half and helped keep the Razorbacks afloat offensively as Georgia sizzled from deep. The Bulldogs knocked down 6 of their first 7 threes and 7 of 11 in the first half, but the 5-7 guard hit Tom Crean’s club with his best run in weeks.
By halftime, Lykes had 9 points — his most since Arkansas’ SEC opener at Mississippi State — 4 assists and 2 steals. He did not score after halftime, but he handed out three more assists and came away with a pair of second-half steals.
Lykes’ seven assists matched his total in the team’s previous eight games and were his most in a game since March 8, 2019, while at Miami. The Razorbacks were plus-17 in his 19 minutes.
“It's been tough for him for a couple of games, but he is one of the best teammates I've ever played with,” Umude said of Lykes. “Having him out there on the court, I feel calm out there. I feel good. I know he's going to find me if I'm open.
“He was one of the best players on the court tonight. He played a real good game."
Johnson provided Arkansas with quality minutes, as well, when Jaylin Williams sat with first-half foul trouble. He finished with 4 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist in his 11 minutes. The Razorbacks outscored the Bulldogs by 12 points during that stretch.
Despite dealing with early fouls, Williams still made his presence felt. In only 19 minutes, his fewest of the season, he added 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks and 1 steal.
It is a huge positive that Williams remained aggressive and looked for his offense after playing just six first-half minutes.
Au’Diese Toney also scored 10 points — all in the first half — and reached double figures for the fifth time in the last six games. The Pittsburgh transfer snapped his seven-game run without a made three-pointer, burying a left-corner three before halftime.
With all of those contributions, it is no surprise that Arkansas posted its second-best offensive efficiency rating of the season (124.8), according to KenPom data. But the runaway was allowed to happen thanks to terrific second-half defense.
Arkansas limited the Bulldogs to 1 of 6 beyond the arc to close the game. The Razorbacks also held their seventh consecutive opponent under 48% shooting on two-point attempts.
Georgia scored 1.237 points per possession in the first half, per StatBroadcast, and 0.684 PPP in the second. And the icing on the cake for Arkansas was 26 points scored off 19 turnovers.
Mix all of those positive returns together and Arkansas enters its biggest two-game home stretch of the season — and perhaps years — against Mississippi State and No. 1 Auburn with great confidence and momentum.
“We did a good job of staying focused,” Umude said. “Our goal was to earn everything tonight. We knew it wasn't going to be easy. It's not going to be easy on the road, or even at home. We just have to come in and stay together no matter what's going on.
“It’s a great feeling. These road wins, especially in league, they don’t come easy. It’s a great feeling to go home and get back to Fayetteville with a win.”