Eric Musselman stirred the transfer portal and landed six players expected to be in the rotation for No. 14 Arkansas this season.
The Razorbacks will begin their quest for a fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament bid with an opening-night game against Alcorn State on Monday.
Almost universally, the appraisal of Arkansas’ talent supports Musselman’s high expectations. SEC coaches picked Arkansas to finish third in what might be the deepest version of the league in its history.
Talent might not be the question for Arkansas, but chemistry is another matter.
The early returns were extraordinary. Arkansas knocked off No. 3 Purdue in a scrimmage just over a week before the season opener. The game went to overtime, and Houston transfer Tramon Mark drained a clutch 3-pointer and scored five of his 15 points in OT after missing four of eight free throws.
“You have to have your team believe in him during stretches of struggles,” Musselman said, noting that Mark quickly established himself as an option in the clutch.
He’ll be needed. Just five scholarship players are back, but that includes preseason All-SEC second-team pick Davonte Davis and 6-foot-10 forward Trevon Brazile. Brazile is returning from a torn ACL last December. He averaged 11.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game before he was hurt.
“In my opinion, when he got hurt he was one of the best players in the league,” Musselman said. “When you’re one of the best players in the league, you’re probably one of the best players in the country.”
El Ellis, a transfer from Louisville, can split time with Davis in the backcourt. Other candidates to start who were plucked out of the portal are Mark, Khalif Battle (Temple), Jeremiah Davenport (Cincinnati), and Denijay Harris (Southern Miss), plus freshman McDonald’s All-American Baye Fall.
Alcorn State will begin its November tour of power programs with the matchup in Fayetteville and will face No. 4 Michigan State and TCU in the first 15 days of the season.
If Arkansas isn’t ready for Alcorn State, it could spell trouble. The Braves shocked Wichita State (66-57) in the second game of the 2022-23 season.
Alcorn State’s Landon Bussie was co-coach of the year in the SWAC last season. Alcorn State went 18-14 overall, with a 15-3 record in the SWAC.
The Braves were picked to finish third in the SWAC this season, and senior forward Jeremiah Kendall was named preseason first-team all-conference.
In Alcorn State’s final tune-up against Miles College, guard Byron Joshua finished with a team-high 14 points, two rebounds, four assists and one steal. Shooting guard Jalen Hawkins had 13 points, four rebounds and four steals.
–Field Level Media