re: Pioneers Arkansas Basketball Thread

Arkansasfight.com Previews The Guards

Projected Starters
PG: Jalen Harris
CG: Isaiah Joe
Wing: Adrio Bailey

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Who will replace Jaylen Barford and Daryl Macon? That’s the biggest question Arkansas will need to answer this year. They’re not going to do it in terms of production with just two players. Not with this group.

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The team is going to look a lot different in terms of how they run the offense with a more distributive minded Jalen Harris at point guard. All Red/White game stats should be taken with a grain of salt, but they’re the only real data point we have for this team right now. With that said, a 10 assist performance is a good sign. Harris looked willing to take and knock down a jump shot as well, which helps as well. The big concern is the six turnovers, but again scrimmage situation.

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One thing you can conclude from settings like this is three point shooting, and 9/14 from deep is a good sign that Isaiah Joe could very well lead the team in scoring this year. He’s been putting up big numbers at every level he’s played at and Mike Anderson has his fingers crossed that will continue, especially since most of the returning pieces aren’t known for scoring.

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Bailey is one of those interesting tweeners that could land in either the wing role or more of a post role. When he comes out Arkansas is likely to stick with a 3 guard lineup so we’ll slot him in here. 22 points in the Red/White game was a very welcome sign. He’s only hit double digits in scoring four times in his career and three of those were against mid-major opponents. Bailey will need to increase both his scoring and rebounding production for the Hogs to be successful this year.

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Off The Bench
PG: Desi Sills
CG: Keyshawn Embery-Simpson
Wing: Mason Jones, Jordan Phillips (Out with Knee Injury)

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Sills was super efficient in the Red/White game, which is super rare for a true freshman, probably not replicable for true game situations, and would be a huge plus in the games were he does accomplish that. He packs more of a scoring punch than Harris and can make for a more dynamic backcourt for flashes during games.

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Built in a nearly identical way to Barford, Embery-Simpson won’t shoot from outside the same way Barford will but he can still score. He didn’t have a great night in the scrimmage but averaged over 26 points per game in high school.

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The only JUCO transfer of the incoming class, Jones showed out in the scrimmage last week. In addition to his 22 points there were also four assists and three rebounds. With Jordan Phillips out with a knee injury, Mason will get plenty of time off the bench this year.

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Not Sure?
Khalil Garland

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It’s really impossible to say what Garland can bring to the table, assuming he gets cleared at all. He was the second highest recruit in 2017’s class behind Daniel Gafford, and should be a difference maker. However he hasn’t been in game action for over a year. Hopefully we get to see Garland on the court sooner rather than later this year and end the speculation.

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Walk Ons
Jonathan Holmes
Ty Stevens

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Get buckets young men. The walk-on buckets counter last year hit seven. Let’s see if we can top that this year.

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Jalen Harris
Isaiah Joe
Mason Jones
Reggie Chaney
Daniel Gafford

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Swap Chaney for Adrio and I think that's your starting lineup.

I'm a little less high on him after watching the Red-White game. He had some negative tendencies like ball hogging and poor shot selection. He also had two fouls in the first two minutes. It was just a scrimmage though so who knows.

Yeah I think this is an NCAA tourney team, loaded with talent and you have a lottery pick in Gafford to stir the drink. Could be an at-large 12 seed but I think they'll make it. Our OOC schedule isn't bad, and our home SEC schedule is pretty favorable too.

Hopefully so, thanks... Looking forward to the process

Gafford front and center for inexperienced Arkansas squad

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Daniel Gafford is living his best life these days around the Arkansas campus, and that's exactly what the sophomore had in mind after last season when he took a likely one-year pass on the NBA. The Razorbacks forward is seemingly everywhere in Fayetteville, from being shown on the video board cheering in the student section during Arkansas football games to standing out while merely walking across campus — all 6-foot-11 of his star-powered self. "It's basically the same life I had last year on campus," Gafford said. "I'm just walking around, basically doing the same thing I always did."

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PRESEASON SLIGHT

Arkansas was picked to finish 10th in the SEC this season during the league's media days, a reflection of the roster overhaul that left Gafford, junior Adrio Bailey and sophomore Gabe Osabuohien as the team's lone scholarship players. The lack of preseason recognition isn't a problem for Gafford, who shot 60.5 percent from the field last season while averaging 11.8 points and 6.2 rebounds in 23 minutes per game.

"No concern at all," Gafford said. "Because we've all stepped into our roles like we've needed to. That's why got recruited; that's why we came up here to play ball."

ZERO THREES

The Razorbacks were 19th nationally in 3-point shooting percentage last season, hitting 39.6 percent of their shots from beyond the arc. They return only one player this season who hit a 3-point shot a year ago, walk-on Jonathan Holmes — who was just 2 of 6 from deep. Freshman Isaiah Joe is expected to be one of the top outside options, and the 6-foot-5 guard showed his range while hitting 9 of 14 3-pointers while scoring 31 points in the team's Red-White scrimmage last week.

NEW LOOK

The Razorbacks lost six of their top seven scorers from a year ago, and they are missing a total 63.7 points per game from last year's roster, due to graduation or transfers. Anderson restocked with a talented group of newcomers, including transfers Jalen Harris and Mason Jones. Harris sat out last season after transferring from New Mexico, and Jones averaged 15.5 points per game last year in junior college.

"It was a good recruiting class, but I'm one of those guys who doesn't rush to judgment," Anderson said. "The proof will be in the pudding. We'll see what these guys can do on the floor."

DEFENSE FIRST

Arkansas was 263rd in the country in scoring defense a year ago, allowing an average of 75.6 points per game. Anderson is counting on the newcomers to put defense first early in the season while they sort out their roles on the other side of the court, hoping that can help in their quest to return to the postseason.

SEASON OPENER

Arkansas opens its season against former Southwest Conference rival Texas at Fort Bliss, Texas, on Nov. 9. They return home for five straight games, including a matchup with Indiana on Nov. 18. Arkansas is trying to reach the NCAA Tournament for a fourth time in five seasons:

Gamethread is up

Get your eyes fixed you senior citizen

Says gamethread...geez get new glasses.

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I think that's gamethread in I've been to the dentist and they numbed one side of my mouth talk.

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You high on pills old lady?