Razorbacks’ Failures Most Apparent in Two Key Areas

Arkansas needs to find identity or it will be a long 10 weeks through SEC schedule

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — There’s an identity crisis for Arkansas that didn’t just start against Auburn in a 83-51 loss, the largest deficit in Bud Walton Arena history. The concerns have been apparent since the Gardner-Webb game.

Arkansas doesn’t want to defend, they have no offensive flow, there’s no effort for rebounding. You name it, Musselman will verify it. His team, for what ever reason, doesn’t have it between the ears this season.

“Paint points come in two ways,” Musselman said. [Auburn] come off dribble-drives and they come off post-ups. They hurt us in both.”

Defensively, there’s a lack of willingness to close off driving lanes whether they come from downhill or on the baseline for dunks or easy layups. Auburn dominated the paint scoring 48 of their 83 points in the post. The Tigers were extra physical outrebounding Arkansas on offensive boards 11-7 and outscoring the Hogs 13-4 in second chance points.

WATCH: Eric Musselman On the State of the Team After Auburn Loss

“We go to LSU and lose 28-1 on the glass or whatever and we still give ourselves a chance to win because they understood,” Musselman said.

At one time, Arkansas led the country in three point defense and continued to be a solid group in years two and three. Last season’s Sweet Sixteen group bought in at just the right time when it came to defense. The main concern for Musselman right now is they may not get it. On Saturday, the Razorbacks allowed Auburn to connect on 7-of-18 attempts from deep. The Hogs allow opponents to know down exactly seven threes per game, ranking No. 253 in the nation.

“I’ll go all the way back to year one here, Musselman said. That group understood that we had to guard the 3.” This group does not understand what identity on either side of the ball. We have to try to just figure it out and keep talking about it. Whether it gets solved or not, I don’t know.”

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HOG FEED:

APPARENTLY RAZORBACKS' KEYON MENIFIELD SAW SAME THING EVERYBODY ELSE DID WITH TEAM QUITTING

HOGS NOT TEAM THEY HAVE BEEN IN PAST UNDER MUSSELMAN

PEARL LABELS ARKANSAS TOUGHEST TEAM ON AUBURN’S SCHEDULE

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