FAYETTEVILLE — With five critical games remaining in the regular season, Arkansas’ men’s basketball team cannot afford to let Wednesday’s loss at Texas A&M linger — no matter how much it stings.
Arkansas guard Davonte Davis told Little Rock radio station KABZ-FM on Thursday that he has moved on from the 62-56 loss, which dropped Arkansas to 17-9 overall and 6-7 in SEC play. He finished with a team-high 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 turnovers.
Davis was also involved in several of the game’s key moments. At the end of the first half he allowed Texas A&M guard Hayden Hefner to hit a three-pointer as time expired, then he struggled late in the second half offensively.
Texas A&M wound up moving to 11-2 in the SEC after trailing by as many as 12 points before halftime.
“It was a miscommunication,” Davis said of the Aggies’ sideline-out-of-bounds play that cut Arkansas’ halftime lead to 33-24. “It was my fault on that. We were looking for the lob. We thought it was a lob play and I didn’t know exactly where my teammate was behind me.
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“I lost my (matchup) and he ended up making a three. I closed out too late. … Just looking back at it (on film), it started with the first half and letting the guy get open and letting him hit the three. I think it started there with them making that, and then they just made a run we couldn’t handle.
“We tried to make our own run, but they continued to push on the offensive end and made big baskets.”
The loss at Reed Arena was the Razorbacks’ third on the road in SEC play when they led by double digits. Davis was asked if heavy minutes for key players has contributed to issues in some late-game situations and closing out games.
The junior from Jacksonville played a team-high 39 minutes, and freshman Anthony Black and wing Ricky Council played 38 and 36 minutes, respectively, at Texas A&M. Davis missed his last 5 shots — as well as 3 free throws in the final 3 minutes — and Council misfired on his final 4 attempts.
Davis admitted he was “a little winded” late in the game, but did not say that was the reason for the lack of offense down the stretch.
“I mean, prior to the start of the season, I feel like we put in the work,” Davis said. “We run miles and miles and miles, and we condition and practice at a high level. Coach (Eric Musselman) and his coaching staff treat our program like a pro-style program when it comes to being in condition.
“I think we prepare for moments like this, because we know Coach Muss, coming in, he’s going to play 5-7 guys come conference time and in the postseason. I could say that’s an excuse, us being tired, but no, we just didn’t execute like we should have.”
Freshman guard Nick Smith returned from a knee injury last Saturday for Arkansas’ loss to Mississippi State and played 17 minutes. He scored 5 points on 2-of-7 shooting, and the Razorbacks made a second-half push with him on the floor.
According to HoopLens data, Arkansas scored 1.12 points per possession in his 34 offensive possessions, and 0.72 PPP when he sat. Smith saw the floor for 4 minutes at Texas A&M, missed 1 shot and committed 2 turnovers.
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Davis, who has known Smith since childhood, said the freshman will continue to work hard regardless of if he is regularly in the lineup or on the bench. And he is confident Smith will make a great impact in the season’s final weeks.
“I think (growing comfortable with Smith on the floor) does come with being in-game,” Davis said. “We’re almost to the postseason and he hasn’t practiced a lot. He also hasn’t scrimmaged with us and things like that, because we don’t do that often in practice. I think it has to come in games.
“Has he had that spark yet? No. But will we see it? I’m sure we will. What game? I’m not sure. It could be Saturday or it could be the last game in the SEC Tournament. I know for sure it’s going to come.
“We’re just all waiting on it.”
The Razorbacks return to play Saturday against Florida at Bud Walton Arena. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. on ESPN2.