Razorback Spirits High After Red-White Scrimmage

A mix of transfers, returners impress in Hogs' intra-squad game at Barnhill Arena

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Even though it was a scrimmage between members of the same team, trash talk was not in short supply in the Red team's 88-70 win over White Wednesday night. 

"They were talking," senior transfer guard Jeremiah Davenport said. "They were like 'You not going to hit this.' Soon as I hit it, I looked at Trevon (Brazile) because he was the one who was talking. Definitely said that."

It's this kind of chemistry early in the year that has set Razorback basketball expectations so high. Unbridled optimism about the football team has quickly transformed into high hopes for basketball. Coming off a trip to the Sweet 16 last year, fans got their first glimpse of the new-look team led by coach Eric Musselman with seven new transfers and a pair of high profile freshmen in the annual Red-White scrimmage in front of 5,478 fans inside Barnhill Arena.

Playing eight-minute quarters, the 15 players were split into two teams for the exhibition. Musselman looks to replace production from three NBA Draft picks and a high priority free agent signee from a year ago (Nick Smith Jr., Anthony Black, Jordan Walsh, Ricky Council).

Musselman has stressed the need for more consistent jump shooting than the previous two seasons and tabbed Davenport as a potential candidate to solve the Hogs' previous shooting woes. He quickly showed Musselman and the fans that there is hope, going 5-of-7 in the first half from beyond the arc and finishing the game with 19 points for the White team.

Returning sophomore guard Joseph Pinion, renowned for his shooting, finished a perfect 6-for-6 from the field through the opening two quarters, Pinion led all scorers with 20 points, with 17 coming in the first half. The former Top 100 recruit from Morrilton looks to carve out a bigger role after shooting 38.2 percent from three in limited action a year ago. 

The teams were tied 41-41 heading into intermission. Other impressive players included Louisville transfer senior guard El Ellis, who led all players with six assists and is poised to become one of the main facilitators. 

"I thought El was phenomenal," Musselman said. "Shot selection, he was 8-of-10, and one of his shots, it was addressed right away. It was his first shot of the game, the pull-up three that he’s not going to take again to start a game. Other than that, you take that shot away and he goes 8-of-9, and that’s really hard to do. But I think that some of the shooting is really going to open up dribble-drive angles for guys like El and Devo."

Senior Memphis transfer Chandler Lawson led all players with 10 rebounds to go with 15 points for the only double-double of the night. 

Out of the break, the Red team opened up a 62-55 lead.  Ellis, senior forward Jalen Graham and graduate transfer Denijay Harris from Southern Miss each went 3-for-3 in the quarter. This set the table for the Red team to pull away for an 88-70 final as Davonte "Devo" Davis slammed the door shut by scoring 11 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter. 

"You bring a dawg onto the court,” Pinion said. “I just feel like Devo really makes the game a lot easier."

Musselman knows this team is still a ways away from competing at their best, but is generally happy with where the team is.

"Pretty pleased with how the flow of the offense is," Musselman said. "We’re running an offense that we ran for about 10 games two years ago ... It requires a lot of thinking and a lot of reading and pretty happy with how far advanced the guys are with that ... We’ve got to get a lot, lot better. Some guys are further advanced on knowing this than others, but that’ll hopefully come over time."

The Razorbacks will continue to prepare for the season behind closed doors. Their next exhibition will be inside Bud Walton Arena Oct. 20 against UT-Tyler.  

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