The Arkansas basketball team will look to get back to its winning ways on Saturday, as the Razorbacks make their annual trip to central Arkansas for a showdown with Lipscomb at a sold-out Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock.
After beginning the season with three straight wins, Arkansas (6-4) has now dropped four of its last seven games, including last Saturday’s 79-70 loss to Oklahoma in Tulsa.
The Razorbacks did find a way to defeat No. 7 Duke, 80-75, in Bud Walton Arena on Nov. 29, and head coach Eric Musselman is hoping they can find that formula again.
“We love playing (in North Little Rock),” Musselman said. “We need to play like we did last year, which was great energy. Great enthusiasm. Great desire to play in front of a fan base that doesn’t get to see us. There’s going to be kids going to that game that are never going to come to Bud Walton. You’ve got to understand that. You’ve got to respect that. You’ve got to understand that there are people that only watch games on TV, and this is their one opportunity.”
The Razorbacks defeated Bradley, 76-57, in North Little Rock last season, getting 18 points from freshman Jordan Walsh. Arkansas is 17-10 all-time in North Little Rock and 13-10 at Simmons Bank Arena.
This will be the third-ever meeting between Arkansas and Lipscomb, with the first two games being played at Bud Walton Arena. The Razorbacks defeated the Bison, 86-50, behind 18 points from Moses Moody, during Musselman’s first season in 2020. Davonte Davis is the only player from either team’s current roster who played in that game.
The Hogs also claimed an 83-54 win in 2004, as Jonathon Modica’s 16 points led four Hogs in double-figures.
Musselman indicated this week that he may shuffle the lineup a bit to try and improve the team’s chemistry, particularly on defense.
“Where we are sitting at now, at 6-4, is not where we want to be in non-conference play – we’ve never been 6-4 in non-conference play,” Musselman said Monday night, during his radio show at Sassy’s Bar & Grille.
“The goal and objective is to find five guys who are doing everything possible they possibly can to try to get a win on that given night. This group that’s played the bulk of the minutes so far, has had plenty of opportunities.”
The Razorbacks have allowed opponents to shoot 42 percent from the three-point line, and have been outshot beyond the arc – making 69 threes, while given up 77. Lipscomb comes into the game shooting 36 percent from three.
Junior AJ McGinnis is the Bison’s biggest deep threat, draining 28 triples on the season, at a 40 percent clip.
Musselman also hopes to see an increase in steals made, and fewer personal fouls called against his team.
“We’re fouling too much and we’re not creating enough steals, so those two things in particularly are hurting us defensively,” he said.
Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. Saturday, and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus and will be streamed on the Arkansas Radio Network.
