The No. 14 Arkansas basketball team will wrap up its season opening four-game home slate Friday night by welcoming back a team that gave the Razorbacks all they could handle in Bud Walton Arena last season.
The Hogs (3-0) will look to defeat a fourth feisty mid-major opponent in two weeks when they tip off against North Carolina-Greensboro (1-1) at 7 p.m.
“What a big game we have coming up,” Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman said. “Last year, down at halftime to the team that is playing us on Friday. A single-digit win last year. Probably one of our toughest non-conference games. We’ve got to be ready to play against UNCG.”
Arkansas is coming off a sluggish 86-77 win over Old Dominion on Monday night. Musselman is hoping to see improved perimeter defense against the Spartans, who led the Razorbacks by five at the half last season, before dropping a hard-fought 65-58 contest.
“We feel like they’re going to win their league,” Musselman said of the Southern Conference school. “(Arkansas assistant) Coach (Anthony) Ruta studies these guys, and our guys have to step up to the challenge of playing a really good team that’s going to come in here with confidence.”
Old Dominion used effective dribble-drive penetration and sank 11 of 24 three-pointers against the Hogs on Monday. UNCG will likely use a similar game plan to counter the Arkansas size advantage.
The Spartans have hit 37.9 percent – 22 of 58 – from three-point range through their first two games.
“Playing UNCG, we’ve got to get back and locate guys,” Musselman said. “I think with some of our newer guys, transition defense has maybe not been as high a priority as it needs to be with us.”
Spartan senior guard Keyshaun Langley scored 26 points in a 74-70 loss to Vanderbilt on Tuesday night, with senior forward Mikeal Brown-Jones adding 24. Langley’s twin brother, Kobe, also contributed 7 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds.
Arkansas senior forward Makhi Mitchell tallied a double-double, with 15 points and 10 rebounds, against Old Dominion. Ironically, he also accomplished that same feat against UNCG last season, with 13 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocked shots. Senior guard Devo Davis also had a double-double against the Spartans a year ago, with had 10 points, 10 rebounds and 3 steals.
Graduate transfer Khalif Battle has been one of the key players for the Hogs in the early going, leading the team in scoring two out of the three games, without making a start. The…
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