Did Jalen Graham Do Enough To Earn His Way out of Musselman's Dog House?

Rarely used forward was dominant every minute he was in game versus Alabama

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – When Jordan Walsh got a foul just under the 13 minute mark in the first half, it was the team's seventh in as many minutes. 

To make matters worse, it was Walsh's second, which meant he had to sit immediately following a great cut for a quick basket in the paint. For a moment it had looked like he might bring a much needed spark to the Arkansas offense as he cut the Alabama lead to 13-11.

However, the spark wouldn't arrive until a little over four minutes later with the arrival of Jalen Graham at the 8:36 mark.

The forward, whom Musselman has openly kept in the dog house, wasted no time in asserting himself in the midst of the offensively challenged roster.

He immediately went at the 7-foot center Charles Bediako, backing him down and going right over him for the first of 16 points to go with five rebounds, an assist and a block. It was production that has led fans to spend much of the radio airwaves Thursday asking not only why he didn't get more playing time Wednesday, but why he hasn't had solid minutes since SEC play started.

Graham followed his statement score with a defensive rebound off a strong block out, got another good look backing a guy down although he came up short, managed to actually move on offense to be ready for the easy dunk and then went down and took a charge.

He then hit a mid-range one-handed jumper to keep Arkansas in the game, 23-20. This is all happened consecutively as Graham took over.

His presence and effort immediately helped other Razorbacks also. Graham backed a potential help defender on the block, taking him out of the play defensively, making it easier for Council to get to the rim.

Graham then put Arkansas up 29-28 with a sweet slide around scoop move as he continued to dominate the paint.

Then, in another example of his impact without the ball, he cleared the space needed for Council to find Makhi Mitchell on the backside of the defense for a lay-up.

Alabama defenders were leaning toward Graham in anticipation the ball was going to him.

Arkansas outscored Alabama 19-14 with Graham in the game in the first half. The talk is that Musselman refuses to play him because he's a defensive liability, but there were no obvious points scored in Graham in the first half.

While fans were understanding of Graham coming in midway through the first half, they were openly perplexed as to why he didn't start or at least come in early in the second half.

Arkansas fell behind by seven as 9:15 ran off the clock before Graham was allowed back in the game. 

However, despite being cold, he once again injected himself into the flow of the game. 

He immediately came in and executed a solid blockout to allow Arkansas to get a rebound and push the ball up the floor. He broke for the basket and had the shot off the cut if he had received a good pass.

He then took his guy off the dribble and beat the zone with a spin move and a hook to start chipping away at a 12-point deficit with about nine minutes left to play.

Graham then came back down, hit a dunk off a spin move, then followed that up by snatching a rebound, pushing the ball up the floor and drawing a foul on Domineck Welch. 

Coming out of the foul, Graham drew a double team and was able to get Mitchell all alone for the dunk.

At that point, Graham had 12 points in 12 minutes and had helped cut a 12-point lead to six. 

Makhel Mitchell later cut it to 65-61 with 6:51 left when got the space needed for Davonte Davis to find him for an easy dunk because Graham's offensive presence pulled Noah Gurley away, keeping him from clogging the lane or at least helping. 

The floor was just more open with Graham is on the floor.

Then, with five minutes left to play, Graham tried to get everyone where they needed to be and then led his man down into the post and worked the pivot until he could get up and over for a shot in the paint to make it 65-63.

That was more Graham than Alabama coach Nate Oats was willing to watch. He called a timeout as the building exploded in appreciation for the energy and production Graham had brought to the game.

At that point, Arkansas was +5 for the second straight half with Graham in the game and he had put up 14 points in 14 minutes.

This is where he made the one defensive mistake, and perhaps a second, that Musselman may point to as a reason for keeping him on the bench. 

Graham got caught out of position trying to help on a potential cut in the middle, rendering him unable to get to the corner in time to properly defend a three by Noah Clowney. 

Freshman Brandon Miller then hit another three for Alabama roughly 20 seconds later. He then hit a third Bama three coming off a screen where one might justifiably say that Graham should have helped on instead of expecting Miller's defender to fight through the screen.

Despite the quick run by the Crimson Tide, Graham kept up the intensity as he tried to bring Arkansas back.

He blocked a Mark Sears lay-up and then immediately forced a turnover on the next possession. He also tipped back in a missed lay-up by Anthony Black.

However, there just wasn't enough help to stop the Alabama run as things fell apart down the stretch.

Graham's impact on that game was immense and will be hard for Musselman to ignore. Without him, a blowout approaching 30 points was possible. 

While his defense was a minor liability for a few seconds of the entire game, it's not enough to justify keeping the Arizona State transfer on the bench. He brings too much to everyone's offensive game to justify it.

While Graham doesn't check all the boxes Trevon Brazile brought to the team, he at least hits a few, which is more than any other Razorback can bring. 

If Musselman wants to experiment with a larger line-up over the next few games, there is more than enough evidence that a line-up of both Mitchel brothers along with Graham and a pair of guards rotated between Davis, Black and Council is an option worth tinkering with somewhere within the flow of the game. 

Graham wouldn't need to be forced into the starting line-up, although it wouldn't be the end of the world if he were considering Arkansas could lean on Graham and Mitchell early on to avoid falling into a hole right off the tip.

He would be fine taking on the minutes Brazile once occupied. Brazile came off the bench, but always felt like a starter, which, should Graham prove he can be consistent in his play, would be a great fit into the puzzle for this team.

But then again there's that dog house. 

Everyone will have to wait until Saturday to see if Graham did enough against Alabama to get out of it.

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