Razorbacks Have Changed Practices with Long Break

Not playing games, Eric Musselman is trying something different before Missouri game

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The start of SEC play is not exactly when Arkansas coach Eric Musselman wants a week off.

That's what he's been dealing with after last week's loss to LSU before Wednesday night's game with Missouri at Bud Walton Arena, starting at 7:30 p.m.

"Not much basketball has been played over a 12-day stretch," Musselman said with the media Monday morning. "You want to try to keep your guys fresh and crisp."

He's done that this time by changing the way they practice.

"In the past, we tried to make sure we don't go live so it keeps everybody healthy," he said. "We're at a point right now where we have to keep getting better in a lot of areas."

Missouri is smoking hot, winning 12 of 13 games to start the season and rolled past Illinois and Kentucky the last two games. That put them in the AP's Top 25 and this will be the first ranked showdown in Bud Walton Arena for an SEC opener.

Musselman has tried to keep the edge by going live in practices this week, something they don't normally do.

"We’ve gone more live than we probably ever have in the seven-and-a-half years I’ve been a college coach to try to clean up some areas that we want to improve on," he said. "Both offensively and defensively."

The Hogs are trying to figure things out after losing Trevon Brazile to a season-ending knee surgery. Freshman Nick Smith has been dealing with a wobbly knee, getting treatment.

Brazile was already back in the weight room this week ("I've never had a player at any level back lifting weights that soon after surgery, "Musselman said) and starting his rehab quickly.

Now they've got to find the best rotation on the fly playing SEC opponents.

"It can help you stay a little bit more crisp when you have a week off," Musselman said about going live at practice. "If we had played two games this week, we probably would not have had the ability to go live."

Wednesday night will be live, but it will be against one of the hottest teams in the league and at home.

The game will be televised on the SEC Network and fuboTV.

HOGS FEED:

OHIO ST. LEARNED WHAT ARKANSAS ALREADY KNOWS, TEXAS/OU NEED TO LEARN ALSO

RAZORBACK FANS STUN ALLHOGS STAFF WITH MOST CLICKED STORY OF THE YEAR

IF TCU CAN MAKE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, NO REASON ARKANSAS CAN'T EITHER

SAM PITTMAN GETS HISTORIC CHANCE TO REBUILD RAZORBACKS' PROGRAM

TWO MORE HIT THE PORTAL AS RAZORBACKS CARRY TORCH FOR SEC IN BOWL GAMES

RAZORBACK FANS WILL HAVE TO CHEER AGAINST EX-RAZORBACKS AT RELIAQUEST BOWL

OFFICIATING IN LIBERTY BOWL ALMOST COST SAM PITTMAN MUCH MORE THAN A WIN

SAM PITTMAN NEEDS TO DEVELOP KILLER INSTINCT BEFORE NEXT SEASON

WHY ARE ARKANSAS FANS COMPLAINING AFTER A BOWL WIN?

COVERING RAZORBACK FANS' EMOTIONAL CRISIS DURING TWITTER DOWNTIME

PORTA POTTIES INCONVENIENT, BUT NOT CHILD TRAUMATIZING LIKE WAR MEMORIAL USED TO BE

JUSTICE HILL WAS ALWAYS DESTINED TO BE ON COURT WITH MUSSELMAN, RAZORBACKS CHASING SEC TITLE

PEOPLE SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME TALKING ABOUT WHO ISN'T PLAYING IN EITHER ARKANSAS SPORT

STATEMENT BY LIBERTY BOWL LEFT LEGAL WIGGLE ROOM IN REGARD TO FANS

WHAT'S REALLY AT STAKE IN WEDNESDAY'S LIBERTY BOWL GAME AGAINST KANSAS?

• Return to allHogs home page.

• Want to join in on the discussion? Click here to become a member of the allHOGS message board community today!

• Follow allHOGS on Twitter and Facebook.