NFL
By: Randall Slifer
It’s hard not to say that Arkansas has been the most electric team in March Madness. John Calipari and the Razorbacks were dead in the water halfway through the season with a 2% chance of making the tournament. The team fought through injuries and came together as a team to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. The rest of the tournament is filled with juggernauts and high seeds that all have eyes on the championship. Arkansas is the lowest seed to advance to the Sweet Sixteen, and Floria seems to be one of the favorites to win it all. The one caveat is that Florida is in Arkansas’ region, and if they can take down Texas Tech, the suspected opponent would be Florida.
Arkansas came out against St. Johns ready to be physical. St. John’s plays a physical style of ball and Arkansas matched that while overpowering St. Johns with their size and length. The refs inserted themselves into the game and decided that two physical teams, should not play physical. Each team started adjusting their rotation due to foul trouble halfway through the first game of the game, and the strategies adjusted. Both Arkansas and St. Johns big forwards had to be careful not to foul, and both teams were in the bonus shooting free throws quickly. Arkansas adjusted well, and stayed true to their style of basketball, which in turn led to the victory. The biggest impact of the game was Ivisic and Aidoo stunting Ejiofor for the second half, but everyone contributed as Razorbacks guards and other forwards put up the points. It was a hard felt battle the whole game, but the team played as a whole to get the win.
Texas Tech is a well balanced team with solid depth that can step in and contribute efficiently when their number is called. Chance McMillian is a double digit scorer who was playing his best until he suffered an upper body injury that has kept him out of March Madness. Chance McMillian has a chance to make his return in the Sweet Sixteen, but it has not been disclosed if he will play or not. Elijah Hawkins, who averaged under 10 points a game during the regular season, came through in the tournament with 14 points in the first round and 16 points in the second. The duo to be prepared for this round of March Madness is JT Toppin and Darrion Williams. JT Toppin is 6’9 225-pound forward who plays physical but has the athleticism to the stretch the offense. His Big 12 accolades are impressive and well deserved. He averages a near double-double shooting 56% from the field and has hit that mark 26 times. He is productive on the offensive and defensive glass with his length, and gives his team crucial second chance points in the second half of games. Darrion Williams is a well balanced defender and scorer who disrupts the perimeter passing with his length. His IQ and anticipation help him jump the lane to force turnovers with 37 steals during the regular season. He is a prolific scorer with 28 points in the second round of March Madness. He also works the pick and roll well with JT Topping very well with 4 assists per game. Arkansas will need to disrupt these two as a duo if they plan on reaching the coveted Elite Eight.
Texas Tech had played two different styles of offense in each game of March Madness. UNCW has a 7 foot 280 pound forward in Harlan Obioha. JT Toppin at 6 foot 9, they decided not to attack the paint as much. Texas Tech shot 46 three pointers and kept it around the perimeter to beat UNCW. Kerwin Walton is a 40% 3-point shooter who went 8 for 19 at the three-point line. Drake is a smaller team whose tallest player is 6 foot 8. Texas Tech has size on Drake, so Texas Tech decided to go into the paint. Texas Tech only shot 14 three pointers during that game and JT Toppin scored 25 points against Drake when he only scored 12 points against UNCW.
Texas Tech will play Arkansas more along the styles of the way they played against UNCW. 7 foot 2 Ivisic and 6’11 Aidoo will be able to attack JT Toppin just like we attacked Zuby Ejiofor. They will stretch the perimeter and go for threes to start with a lead and hope to be in the lead at half. Arkansas will be able to dictate their style of offense against this Texas Tech defense, and I expect Jonas Aidoo to have a big stat game. There is one kryptonite that can take down this Arkansas team: 3-point shooting. Arkansas shot 10% from three against St. Johns and shot 25% against Kansas. If the Razorbacks cannot at least make 8 three-pointers as a team against Texas Tech, I fear this may be Arkansas’ last stop. Arkansas does not need to focus on shooting threes, it just needs to be a threat or an option while running their offense. Trevon Brazile will come out with his maximum effort, and the guards can set up our forwards for success. Arkansas will need to beat the zone defense Texas Tech will throw at us from the perimeter, and inside the paint. It cannot be one or the other during the Sweet Sixteen.
Arkansas can stunt JT Topping and Darrian Williams, and if they can keep each player under 20 points, Arkansas can advance to the Elite Eight. Our big forwards will have to be relentless in the paint. Aidoo and Ivisic need to understand that it takes ten fouls for both to foul out, so be aggressive accordingly, knowing someone efficient can fill the role while you are on the bench. Arkansas’ lead scorer, Adou Thiero, may make is March Madness debut on Thursday, and the Razorback depth just got more exciting. Boogie Fland and Adou Thiero being on the court for the most important game of the year, is why the March Madness tournament is one of the best tournaments in America. Arkansas is once again an underdog with Vegas having Texas Tech as a favorite at a 5.5 point spread and the over/under at 147.5. I believe this will be a high scoring game and Arkansas takes the win 82-76. Tip off for the game is 10:09est/9:09c as a late starting game, but who can sleep when Arkansas has been the most electric team in March Madness?
Let me know your thoughts about this matchup or March Madness in general down in the comments below or on Twitter/X @RandallSlifer.
