You Can Scout Arkansas on SEC Channel Tonight (1/25) at 7 PM

[Plebe]

Arkansas just isn't a good team despite having talented players. Dungee is taking too many shots, the offense is too one on one oriented, and they have zero post presence. They're getting outrebounded by 11 rebounds per game in SEC play and start four players under 6 feet and have a 6-1 center who isn't involved in the offense. Slocum can be a very solid point guard and playmaker (she was NFOY at Maryland and averaged 6 assists per game) but the offense is too trigger happy and one on one for her to thrive.

Defensively they give up 74 ppg, and if you look at just games against projected tournament teams (9 games) they're giving up 85.7 ppg. That is awful by any measure. In several games it's clear they have no defensive discipline and straight up don't put forth effort at times. That's poor coaching which is on Neighbors.

Fantastic analysis, as usual, by @bballnut90 .

I realize I'm setting myself up for some serious crow eating if things don't go well, but the way I see it, the only way that a "good" (read: talented) team can lose to Arkansas is by poor coaching and undisciplined play. Many of the usual "rules of engagement" just don't apply against them, and it can take an intelligent coaching staff and a certain level of maturity among the players to adjust properly.

Case in point is last year's win by Arkansas over Kentucky, the Razorbacks' only quality win in the regular season last year, where Matthew Mitchell earned the award for Most Epically Stupid Coaching Performance by pursuing a "track meet" game plan that only played into Arkansas' strengths and papered over its weaknesses. Chasity Patterson looked thrilled to be scoring a career high 32 points, and was surely even more thrilled that her nonexistent defense wasn't recorded on the stat sheet. Rhyne Howard was content as well to finish with 20 points (on 7 of 21 shooting), since apparently she only cares about winning individual awards and not about whether her team is losing games to middling teams like Arkansas. Overall, the generally lame coaching in the SEC allowed Arkansas to look like a much better team than they actually were (and actually fooled some South Carolina fans into being, in their words, "scared" by Arkansas).

 

[oldude]

Very true, but all the defensive containment problems in the world should not have prevented Baylor from offensive rebounding at will and scoring enough points to make Arkansas' 83 pale by comparison.

One thing Arkansas does well is collapse and harass BIGs in the paint, like a swarm of hornets, and in Baylor’s case, it was that much easier because the Lady Bears are not a particularly good outside shooting team this season, compared to last.

 

[BBallF]

Had to google this ?? no I didn’t. Thanks!

I didn't want to reveal my age! Of course I knew!

 

[HopJim]

Arkansas's guard focused offense reminds me of the Notre Dame Final 4 game a few years ago where ND's guards constantly bulled their way by and at times, through our guards, drawing fouls much of the time. Biggest worry is that their physical guards will draw fouls on ONO and what few guards we may have ready to play. No height but do good job doubling down low.

 

[JoePgh]

Georgia gets the win in a very close game 75-73. Georgia freshman Sarah Ashlee Barker, who made a great play to save the ball for Georgia to tie it up late, is the daughter of former Bama quarterback Jay Barker and country music sweetheart Sara Evans. Nice win in a tough game for the Dawgs.

I thought that Barker bore an amazing resemblance to Saylor Poffenbarger, and her game seemed quite similar to what we have been led to expect from Saylor.

 

[BobbyJ]

She really never developed into anything but a thirsty jump shooter. She did not maximize her time at USA basketball twice as an invited player.

But she's not even a jumpshooter. Didn't look like she leaves the floor and from the shoulder it looks just like a shot put. When she shot every time she touched the ball in the McD's AA game I expected some problems but Jeez, she looked better then.

 

[Bliss]

Nice job @Luckystrike . BTW, did you know that LSMFT?

Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco........from the old radio days.

 

[Charliebball]

Arkansas actually has 3 5th year seniors on the Team (Slocum, Ramirez, & Dungee)- who could all be back next year for their 6th year of college.

those are three very talented offensive players..............of course two of them on an intermittent basis..............let's hope the next game is not one of them.......

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Fantastic analysis, as usual, by @bballnut90 .

I realize I'm setting myself up for some serious crow eating if things don't go well, but the way I see it, the only way that a "good" (read: talented) team can lose to Arkansas is by poor coaching and undisciplined play. Many of the usual "rules of engagement" just don't apply against them, and it can take an intelligent coaching staff and a certain level of maturity among the players to adjust properly.

Case in point is last year's win by Arkansas over Kentucky, the Razorbacks' only quality win in the regular season last year, where Matthew Mitchell earned the award for Most Epically Stupid Coaching Performance by pursuing a "track meet" game plan that only played into Arkansas' strengths and papered over its weaknesses. Chasity Patterson looked thrilled to be scoring a career high 32 points, and was surely even more thrilled that her nonexistent defense wasn't recorded on the stat sheet. Rhyne Howard was content as well to finish with 20 points (on 7 of 21 shooting), since apparently she only cares about winning individual awards and not about whether her team is losing games to middling teams like Arkansas. Overall, the generally lame coaching in the SEC allowed Arkansas to look like a much better team than they actually were (and actually fooled some South Carolina fans into being, in their words, "scared" by Arkansas).

Note to self: get the good popcorn for Saturday.

 

[Skeets]

Had to google this ?? no I didn’t. Thanks!

Just another indication that BY'ers are real old farts (that's allowed, right?). Welcome aboard LS.

 

[Carnac]

I saw a familiar face...who is that? Destiny Slocum?...gads she must
be almost 30...What is this, her 6th or 7th season?

Yes!! Her theme song is the Beach Boys’ “I get around.”

 

[Carnac]

So far watching Ark Ga
1) They can't stop Olivia, AG, or even Griffin, so no turnovers on entry passes to the post is a key and we'll make a lot of layups, (Please have Paige available to make those passes or swing the ball for good angles)(should be easy to make the pass when they front us).
2) Stick close to 3 point shooters and they seem willing to try to drive by the defender rather than shoot contested. Better to make them 2 point shooters.
3) Georgia's big has let her Arkansas counterpart catch the ball uncontested a step behind the foul line and nothing bad has happened. I think our big can stay in the paint.
4) If our guards make them drive, and Olivia can stay in the paint, just lead them into Olivia to rim protect, don't foul the driver.
5) Olivia protect the rim on drives without picking up cheap fouls swatting down on the smaller guards.
6) None of our guards nor Mir will be a mismatch to their players so we can switch defensively all day
7) They have played man to man so far which shouldn't tease us into shooting a inordinate # of 3's like a zone might
8) I don't think they have any important advantages at any position. 1 girl with a headband off the bench looks to be fast and aggressive with the ball but not totally impactful.
9) Griffin will rebound everything

Respectfully submitted for pregame thinking

ONO does not have to block every shot. If she makes them change their shots and cuts off their paths to the basket, she’s done her job. She must stay in position at all times on defense to not get blocking fouls that Arkansas will try to draw. I say this before every game, ONO MUST stay on the floor. UConn is a much better team when she is.

 

[Plebe]

Arkansas's guard focused offense reminds me of the Notre Dame Final 4 game a few years ago where ND's guards constantly bulled their way by and at times, through our guards, drawing fouls much of the time. Biggest worry is that their physical guards will draw fouls on ONO and what few guards we may have ready to play. No height but do good job doubling down low.

I get your point here, but the analogy is limited insofar as Neighbors can only wish he had post players of the caliber of Turner and Shepard. Those two were both fantastic and IMO the twin unsung heroes of the team.

Note to self: get the good popcorn for Saturday.

You can have my share. Going light on the carbs these days

 

[Zinethar]

Thoughts after watching the game against Georgia: They really tried to lose and are a successful team. Slocum seems to be really diminished as a player. Seemed to just shoot when ball fell into her hands. Was out of the lineup a lot. Dungee seemed to me to be their best player on the floor but did a lot of questionable things. Could score a lot if left alone or little if actually guarded. Barker could shoot outside. Forgot the post players name but she was basically useless. Slow, no shot, just a space taker. I actually was disappointed as I hoped to see a better team to puss UConn but that was not what I saw. I think it was Ramirez that shot outsie like it was one of the old time set shots from the chest that you just pushed with 2 hands. No way that should not be blocked every time. The speed of the game will at least help UConn get back in shape!