Tag: Kamani Johnson

Column: The magic of Arkansas basketball has returned under Eric Musselman

The magic of Arkansas basketball has returned. Our Connor Goodson explains why these tournament runs are so special for Hog fans.

Three months before [autotag]Scotty Thurman[/autotag]’s iconic shot went in against Duke to secure the Razorbacks’ 1994 national championship, I was born.

In fact, my mom was holding me while Thurman’s shot went in and jumped up in celebration – nearly dropping me in the process. I think that’s probably what secured my Arkansas fandom for life.

Unfortunately, the only way I ever got to truly enjoy those legendary 1990s Arkansas teams were through the 1994 and 1995 commemorative VHS tapes titled Hog Heaven: From Walton Arena to Number One and Heart Stopping Hogs: The Battle to Seattle. I wore out those VHS tapes as a kid, watching them at my grandparent’s house over and over and over again.

My first true memories of Arkansas basketball were in 2000, the year [autotag]Nolan Richardson[/autotag] won his first [autotag]SEC Tournament[/autotag] championship. Then, it was two decades of mediocracy as I – along with every other Razorback fan – craved to see Arkansas play meaningful basketball deep into March once again.

Watching Stan Heath’s teams, the 24 hours of Dana Altman and then John Pelphrey’s teams all underachieve was what defined my childhood Razorback fandom. I was envious of those who grew up watching those almost-mythical “40 Minutes of Hell” teams in the 1990s.

The [autotag]Mike Anderson[/autotag] years were fun at times, but the deep postseason NCAA Tournament runs were absent and the thirst for national relevancy was never quite quenched.

Along comes [autotag]Eric Musselman[/autotag] in 2019 and the 2020-2021 season happens. Not only do the Hogs make it to the second weekend, but they make it all the way to the Elite Eight. Last year, we see the same thing happen. Back-to-back Elite Eights for the first time since those legendary 1994 and 1995 teams.

Making it to the second weekend of the [autotag]NCAA Tournament[/autotag] once could be considered a fluke. Back-to-back? An impressive coincidence, maybe. Back-to-back-to-back? There’s no way to dismiss that kind of accomplishment.

That brings us to this season.

The hype, excitement and anticipation all rivaled anything that I have experienced as an Arkansas basketball fan. The Hogs had three five-star freshmen to pair with a highly-touted crop of transfers. [autotag]Devo Davis[/autotag] and [autotag]Kamani Johnson[/autotag] also returned from last season’s Elite Eight team.

It felt like the stars had aligned, but that feeling quickly diminished as injuries derailed what most thought would be a special regular season. The team struggled to find their groove for the majority of conference play, and limped into the NCAA Tournament having lost four of their last five games.

A win over Illinois in the first round was one thing, but beating the defending national champion Kansas Jayhawks in the second round was a totally different beast. There’s no way THIS Arkansas team can do that, right?

Wrong.

Arkansas, once again, shocked the world.

Eric Musselman lost his shirt, Devo Davis broke down in the postgame interview and Razorback legend [autotag]Darrell Hawkins[/autotag] gave a postgame speech for the ages.

Was it a Final Four or national championship? No. But as I said earlier, back-to-back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances can’t be dismissed.

On my social media feeds, I saw celebrations from family members, friends, former high school and college classmates, former teachers and co-workers, complete strangers and everyone in-between. People from all walks of life and every corner of the state were celebrating and brought together by Arkansas basketball.

I was immediately brought back to watching old Razorback games at my grandparents house, desperately wanting to experience those special moments in real time as a kid. If you were to ask around, I guarantee that you’d find similar experiences to mine.

It took nearly 30 years, but the magic of Razorback basketball has returned.

Enjoying and cherishing the moment shouldn’t be hard for Arkansas fans. The journey isn’t over, there are still games to be played and milestones to be reached, but the pride and enthusiasm from fans across the state – and far beyond – is back to where it was over two decades ago.

Whatever happens next can’t take that away.

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Pregame tweets: Arkansas takes on Illinois in first round of NCAA Tournament

Here’s what they’re saying ahead of Arkansas’ first round game of the NCAA Tournament vs. Illinois.

The [autotag]Arkansas Razorbacks[/autotag] are just about ready to get underway in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Arkansas is going to be starting [autotag]Anthony Black[/autotag], [autotag]Ricky Council[/autotag], [autotag]Nick Smith Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]Devo Davis[/autotag] and [autotag]Kamani Johnson[/autotag]. Illinois will be starting Terrence Shannon Jr., RJ Melendez, Matthew Mayer, Coleman Hawkins and Dain Dainja.

The Razorbacks are 0-5 all-time against the Illini but haven’t played since 2004 when Illinois defeated the Hogs, 72-60. Arkansas has won in the first round of the NCAA Tournament each of the past two seasons under [autotag]Eric Musselman[/autotag].

It should be a very close, nerve-racking game that comes down to the wire, but the Razorbacks have the talent to walk out with a huge win on Thursday. Here’s what fans are saying on social media ahead of the first round contest between the Hogs and Illini.

Beyond the Box: Did the officials cost Arkansas in loss to No. 23 Kentucky?

Were the officials to blame for yet another Arkansas loss? Here’s a closer look at Saturday’s 88-79 loss to No. 23 Kentucky.

The Arkansas Razorbacks (19-12, 8-10) just dropped their third straight game to end the regular season after an 88-79 loss to No. 23 Kentucky (21-10, 12-6).

The atmosphere was electric inside Bud Walton Arena and the action on the floor was intense from the opening minutes. That intensity resulted in a very physical game from both teams, which led to a couple of altercations that had implications in the result of the game.

Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe and Arkansas’ [autotag]Makhel Mitchell[/autotag] got tangled up under the basket just three minutes into the game. The replay showed that Tshiebwe threw an elbow which appeared to connect with Mitchell’s head. Despite the video evidence, officials did not assess Tshiebwe a flagrant foul. Instead, they assessed common fouls to both players and one to Anthony Black for getting into a verbal altercation with a couple of other Wildcat players.

Tshiebwe would eventually get a flagrant for contact to [autotag]Kamani Johnson[/autotag] later in the half, but played the majority of the game on his way 12 points and 13 rebounds.

The other crucial moment happened with 18 minutes left in the second half. Kentucky was on a decent run and Arkansas players were becoming visibly frustrated. [autotag]Devo Davis [/autotag] was called for back-to-back fouls and appeared to stomp and yell out in frustration, garnering a technical foul from the official closest to the Wildcat bench.

As Davis continued toward the Arkansas bench he appeared to say something else in the direction of the court and was assessed his second technical foul which meant an automatic ejection.

Both of these situations deserve their fair share of criticism when it comes to the officiating, and there were countless other missed calls and non-calls that could’ve gone the Razorbacks’ way. You can argue that if Oscar Tshiebwe is ejected early in the first half, Arkansas wins. You can argue that if Devo Davis isn’t ejected, maybe that also makes a difference in the final score.

However entertaining those “what if?” scenarios won’t change anything and, quite frankly, they weren’t the reason that Arkansas lost. There were plenty of opportunities that the Hogs failed to take advantage of and it cost them a big win at home.

Let’s go beyond the box score to take a closer look at how Arkansas lost today’s game.

Beyond the box: Veteran leadership key in Arkansas’ win over SDSU

Arkansas proved its not just talented but tough in Wednesday’s win over San Diego State.

Kamani Johnson likely won’t finish in the top six or seven on the Arkansas roster in minutes played.

But the 19 he was on the court Wednesday were of massive importance in the Razorbacks’ 78-74 overtime win over San Diego State in the third-place game of the Maui Invitational.

Johnson, a 6-foot-9 forward, is the kind of player from the old school. He’s a rough-and-tumble post player who won’t take many jumpers – or many shots at all – and whose value comes from battling on the block.

Those kinds of players aren’t en vogue in basketball, but Wednesday showed there is still a place for them. Arkansas coach Eric Musselman leaned on his big man in the late going, with Johnson’s toughness and leadership proving paramount for a Hogs team with only two returners.

Let’s take a look beyond the box score at how Arkansas came away with the victory.

Arkansas’ wild rally caps off Maui Invitational as Hogs beat San Diego State

Kamani Johnson’s tip-in at the buzzer forced overtime and Arkansas held on in the final five minutes.

Kamani Johnson’s tip-in at the regulation buzzer sent the game to overtime and he and Ricky Council scored nine of Arkansas’ 11 points in OT to lead the No. 9 Razorbacks over No. 17 San Diego State, 78-74, late Wednesday from the Maui Invitational.

Arkansas never had a lead in the second half, but the teams were tied at 61 with 3:37 left in regulation. Trailing by two with seven seconds left, the Razorbacks forced Lamont Butler into a turnover. Anthony Black drove toward the hoop in the final seconds and missed a layup, but Johnson leaped and tipped the ball through the hoop as the buzzer sounded.

Johnson’s layup with 1:53 left in overtime proved the game’s final field goal and gave Arkansas a three-point lead. He only made two field goals in the game.

Johnson played 19 minutes, three fewer than he had played in total all season, scoring seven points and grabbing seven rebounds. Trevon Brazile led Arkansas in scoring with 20 points while Ricky Council had 19 and Anthony Black added 15.

San Diego State held the Razorbacks to 40% shooting from the floor, but were outscored by Arkansas’ bench 33-17.

The Hogs (5-1) return to action Monday at Bud Walton Arena on Monday when they host Troy.

Where does Arkansas rank in the initial KenPom rankings?

Arkansas is expected to have a solid season according to the initial KenPom rankings.

Arkansas Basketball lost eight players from last season’s Elite 8 team. However, the Razorbacks should have nothing to worry about, as they bring in the nation’s No. 2 signing class from the 2022 recruiting cycle.

That is one reason why [autotag]Eric Musselman[/autotag]’s bunch will begin the season with high hopes. The KenPom rankings see a successful season for Arkansas as well, as the rankings based on analytics have placed Arkansas at the No. 15 spot in the initial rankings for the 2022-23 season.

Arkansas begins the season in the top 25 of both offensive and defensive efficiency. According to KenPom, Arkansas is projected to score 109.4 points per 100 possessions, which is No. 25 in the nation, while expecting to allow 86.6 points per 100 possessions, which ranks No. 7.

As far as possessions go, the Razorbacks are expected to have 74.1 possessions per game, which is No. 20 in all of college basketball.

Arkansas will be led by returners [autotag]Davonte Davis[/autotag] and [autotag]Kamani Johnson[/autotag], and by key freshmen such as [autotag]Anthony Black[/autotag], [autotag]Nick Smith Jr.[/autotag], and [autotag]Jordan Walsh[/autotag].

Arkansas Basketball will play two exhibition games, one against Rogers State on Oct. 24 and another at Texas on Oct. 29, before opening the season at Bud Walton Arena against North Dakota State on Nov. 7.

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Arkansas gets legitimately tested in second game in Spain

Arkansas veterans Kamani Johnson and Devo Davis led the Hogs in a game closer than expected.

As easy as Arkansas’ first game in Spain appeared, the second was that much of a test.

The Razorbacks beat Catalan Elite 99-86 on Thursday on the second of four scheduled European exhibitions for the Arkansas basketball team.

Devo Davis had 17 points on 7 of 9 shooting and Kamani Johnson added 10 points and 12 rebounds off the bench. They are the only two holdovers from last year’s Elite Eight team.

“Without Devo and Kamani, we don’t win the game, I promise you that,” Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman said. “Probably not even close if those two don’t play. I mean, the game tilts the other way.”

Catalan Select made 10 3-pointers and jumped out to a 28-20 lead after the first quarter. The 3-pointer was an Arkansas bugaboo at times last season, especially early.

“Obviously not the way we want to start games on both sides of the ball,” Musselman said. “Defensively, we have a long, long way to go.”

Arkansas countered with a 29-15 edge in the second quarter to take the lead. They never trailed again, but never quite put away Catalan Select, either.

“Nobody is in there smiling or laughing. Everybody is kind of down, but it’s mine and Devo’s job to tell the young guys they’ll be all right,” Johnson said.

New-look Hogs show off athleticism in first European game

Arkansas had no trouble and grew in chemistry in Tuesday’s win.

Seventeen.

That’s how many dunks the Arkansas basketball team managed Tuesday in the first game of the Razorbacks’ European tour this summer in a 108-59 win over Valencia Seleccion in Spain.

“I was happy with a lot of things,” Arkansas coach Eric Musselman said. “I’m happy with the fact that I thought we played really, really, really, really, really hard, so happy with that, for sure.”

Freshman guard Nick Smith Jr. made his unofficial debut with the team, scoring 17 points, nine of which came on 3-pointers. His availability for the game was questionable beforehand because of a finger injury he suffered last week.

Smith was joined in double figures by Kamani Johnson, one of just two players returning from Arkansas’ Elite Eight team last year. Johnson scored 12 and grabbed eight boards. Missouri transfer Trevon Brazile added 12, Wichita State transfer Ricky Council scored 11 and freshman forward Barry Dunning had 10.

“Not many people are going to talk about Barry Dunning,” Musselman said. “I thought Barry played really well.”

Arkansas will play again Thursday against Barcelona Todo-Estrella.

Razorbacks kick off European exhibitions on Tuesday

Spend lunchtime with the Razorbacks as they take on Valencia Seleccion at 12:30 CT.

After spending a few days traveling and taking in the sites of Spain, the Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team is set to begin their European tour on Tuesday.

First on the docket is Valencia Seleccion on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. CDT in Valencia, Spain.

Tuesday’s game marks the first of four exhibition games that Arkansas will play over the span of two countries in six days. While there, head coach [autotag]Eric Musselman[/autotag] will get the chance to examine where his team is at ahead of the season opener in November.

The Razorbacks will return just four players from last season’s Elite Eight roster, with [autotag]Davonte Davis[/autotag] and [autotag]Kamani Johnson[/autotag] returning with the most experience with 15 starts between the two.

Despite the need for cohesion, Arkansas will not lack in the talent department. Arkansas signed six high school players that were ranked as a four-star or higher by 247Sports, and added five additional players through the transfer portal.

Game One Info:

  • Date: Tuesday, August 9
  • Time: 12:30 p.m. CDT
  • Opponent: Valencia Seleccion
  • Watch: FloHoops

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Arkansas has 73 percent chance to beat Vanderbilt

ESPN’s math says Arkansas should be in good shape against Vanderbilt on Tuesday night.

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Not often are many second conference games of the year are considered must-win. Arkansas’ against Vanderbilt on Tuesday night is about as close as they get.

The Razorbacks (10-3, 0-1) have lost three of their last four games and fallen from No. 4 seed in ESPN’s Bracketology to ‘Next Four Out’ in the same. A loss to Vanderbilt, at home no less, could damage the Razorbacks chances beyond repair. Barring a few major upsets late in the season, anyway.

The good news for Arkansas is the data. ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gives the Hogs a 73.3% chance at victory when the teams tip Tuesday night. That same algorithm has Arkansas as the No. 47 team in the nation with the Commodores at No. 70.

KenPom.com’s rankings are similar. The basketball prognosticator has the Razorbacks as his No. 46 team and Vandy at No. 71. 

It’s unclear whether ESPN’s BPI wining percentage calculates for the potential loss of guard JD Notae and forward Kamani Johnson. Arkansas coach Eric Musselman said Notae, the second leading scorer in the SEC is a game-time decision after being ill over break and Johnson is on a day-to-day status after being suspended ahead of the team’s SEC opener against Mississippi State.