NFL
By: Randall Slifer
Arkansas Basketball had its first big matchup versus No. 9-ranked Virginia last weekend. Arkansans were excited to see the team at full speed, but it did not go as expected. Virginia controlled the final 30 minutes and beat Arkansas 91-72. There isn’t much good to discuss on the Arkansas Basketball side, except that this is a punch a young team may need.
This matchup was one of the toughest matchups Coach Calipari could have scheduled early. Virginia is the polar opposite in age and experience. Virginia does a good job of getting transfers from top-20 teams while Coach Calipari rolls out a team full of freshmen. This game was not an indictment of what the Arkansas Basketball team plans to be in the future. This team needs to figure out its identity and learn how to play selfless on a deep team.
The Arkansas Basketball team had two matchups this week versus some easier opponents. They then have a good matchup against Indiana, followed by a big-time matchup against Michigan State on Thanksgiving. Let’s take a look at how the team can grow this week ahead of their matchup against Indiana:
Can Coach Calipari expedite teamwork?
One of the most glaring notes from the Arkansas vs. Virginia matchup was that Arkansas played more individually than as a team. At the end of the first half, Arkansas Basketball had 1 assist! They finished with only 10 for the day, and it made the offense look as stale as a 7-day-old loaf of bread. Each player could feel the pressure on their shoulders and opted for bad 3-point shots or big men starting at the elbow trying to drive to the rim on their own. Again, another sign of a very young team.
On Sunday, this team felt like a group of kids playing a pick-up game, instead of an actual team with clear roles. No one on the team looked to a player for guidance or a spark, even though you could see Jordan Smith Jr.’s frustration on the court. Billy Richmond should be a leader in the clubhouse, but he leads more by example than by rallying the team. Jeremiah Wilkinson is the veteran guard in the room, but he needs to be more consistent early to prove he can be that 3-6 point swing when needed.
The team struggled to handle pick-and-rolls and left the outlet pass wide open for easy buckets. Arkansas consistently tried to fight through screens with no help defense or switches. This should be the easiest fix on the team.
Last year, Coach Calipari had the same issue. He demanded Darius Acuff get 10 assists or more per game, and the team started to move the ball around. Jordan Smith Jr. will need to lead the ball movement. Jordan Smith Jr. finished with 19 points but only 3 assists. Smith should be a double-double machine, and his focus should not be 20+ points. It should be 15 points and 10 assists while being the best defensive point guard in the country.
The 2025-2026 Arkansas Basketball looked to Darius Acuff and knew that as long as they had Acuff, there was never a need to panic. At times during the Virginia matchup, you could tell the energy wasn’t there, because some players waved the white flag. Most notably, Miikka Muurinen’s effort on that turnover and walking down the court as Virginia scored an easy fast-break bucket. This was potentially the most frustrating thing to watch on Sunday. No leader held teammates accountable for the lackluster play at times. Jordan Smith Jr. needs to be the player Arkansas looks to in both good and bad moments. He also needs to be the player that the opposition fears.
Can Arkansas get more physical?
Physicality was glaring on Sunday against Virginia. Arkansas had plenty of size and length against this Virginia team, but it didn’t show up throughout the game. The size and length showed up only in blocks, with 10 on the day. Virginia had 19 offensive rebounds, and their second-chance opportunities deflated this Arkansas team.
Arkansas wants to be a transition team and play with speed, but Virginia outscored Arkansas in fast-break points. They scored more points in the paint and had more steals than Arkansas, 11-4. The Arkansas defense is supposed to smother and take all the air out of offenses, but Virginia did that.
Cooper Bowser will need to lead the forwards and centers by setting the tone with physicality. At 6’11 “, 230 lb, he is the veteran in the room, and he has the weight to control the paint. Maper Maker has looked good in his presence and IQ on the court this early. It will take time for him to get the confidence to be aggressive in the paint. He is the thinnest at 7’0, 215 lb, and it shows on the court.
In previous years, Arkansans had to hold their breath early to see whether Trevon Brazile would get into foul trouble. Miikka Muurinen got two fouls in 3 minutes, which sent him to the bench for the rest of the first half. Muurinen played 19 minutes on Sunday, and he needs to be closer to 30 minutes. The combination of Muurinen and Bowser/Maper versus just Bowser and Maper is a stark difference in offense and defense.
The Arkansas Basketball team plays Robert Morris and Central Arkansas this week in Fayetteville. It will be interesting to see how Coach Calipari handles these two games. Starting lineups aren’t set, and Calipari will shake things up to see how it unfolds. I guarantee he’ll look for effort and community over ability in these two matchups.
Caleb Ourigou and Ilia Frolov only played 7 minutes total against Virginia. Both players weigh 240 pounds or more, so will Calipari see if they can bring some physicality to the floor when needed? I don’t expect them to take any starting roles or major minutes, but they could add presence while Bowser and Muurinen recover.
Does Jeremiah Wilkinson stay in the starting lineup? His veteran presence is important, but he could still come off the bench. Davion Thompson looked like he had control with the ball in his hand, and you could even see Jordan Smith be off-ball to see what works. Abdou Toure and JJ Andrews are big-time talents, so they may see some starting minutes as well.
The schedule is set well; these two games will give them time to grow, then they face a tougher team in Indiana. This Indiana game could be a situation where they need to hold onto a 10-point lead and stay focused, which will be crucial when March Madness rolls around. Then they have their big-time matchup against Michigan State. Can Arkansas Basketball give Arkansans the team they expected by the time December rolls around? I think it is very plausible, but they certainly will not look like they did against Virginia. As always, go Razorbacks.
