Arkansas Portal Targets Developing Early Theme

Musselman's Razorbacks looking for stats suggesting more team game

UMass forward Josh Cohen shoots over Portland defenders at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic. / Darryl Oumi/GettyImages

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The general thought at allHogs is Arkansas coach Eric Musselman is going to approach this year's portal evaluations with a theme of unselfish length.

So far that seems to be an accurate mold. UMass forward Josh Cohen is the first big name to receive target attention from the Razorbacks and he seems fits that model.

Listed as a forward despite playing the majority of his game as a center, Cohen provides length and size at 6-foot-10, 220 pounds. What he also provides is a team player mentality while putting up stats similar to more individually focused players.

This past season he averaged roughly 16 points, seven rebounds and two assists per game. Cohen plays what was once described in the Cloverdale subdivision back in Warren as Mr. Byron basketball. Mr. Byron was a record setting tight end at UAM and the father of one of numerous teenage boys who used to play basketball daily in a neighbor's driveway.

As one might expect from a former tight end, he had sturdy size, great feet, soft hands and never met an offensive rebound that didn't excite him to block somebody out to get. On top of that, no matter how you fouled him or made him pivot around, he would simply flip the ball in the air from any position or angle over everyone and knock it down with consistency no matter how ugly.

People new to the block might have considered it luck until he did it about the tenth time in a row. And that's exactly what Cohen brings to the game.

He has strong footwork and will pivot and bend until a defender either makes a mistake or gets into a position for a foul. Then, Cohen flips the ball up from wherever his hand happens to be and it magically finds a way in.

All the while, he's got an eye out for backdoor cutters who take advantage of all the attention he's drawing. There hasn't been time to break down individual games as a whole, but all the video out there that is quickly available for consumption shows a quality ability to pass with touch through tight spaces to the open man.

Cohen also appears to have a nice, clean shot from three when left wide open. It doesn't look awkward or accidental when he makes one like a lot of big men.

What isn't easily accessible is defensive footage. It doesn't mean Cohen doesn't play solid defense. It just means no one has put defensive clips on the highlight packages floating around out there.

It will be important to see his strengths and weaknesses on the defensive end, especially against SEC sized big men. If he only looks good against guys who are 6-foot-7 or some guy who is also 6-foot-10, but is closer to 200 pounds rather than 240 pounds, that's pretty much useless in the SEC.

Rowan Brumbaugh

When you turn on the tape for Georgetown's Rowan Brumbaugh, it's impressive. He jumps off the screen as an Anthony Black potential player with Energizer Bunny energy and better overall shooting ability.

There's not a spot on the floor from which he can't hit, nor a situation. Catch and shoot from three, full speed mid-range pull-up jumper, spot-up three, blow past two defenders and loft a lay-up over the bigs. It's all there.

What's more is while he's going 100 MPH, Brumbaugh always has an eye out for a lane to drop the ball off to an open shooter. To make things even more impressive, he's doing this against teams people have actual seen before.

Brumbaugh isn't abusing Houston Baptist or North Alabama. He's making short work of Notre Dame, Creighton and St. John's.

Much like Black, Brumbaugh appears to play complementary ball. He averages 8.3 points per game, 2.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 41 percent.

When he's needed to take over like he did in a tight loss against Xavier, Brumbaugh can drop 24. When they need both scoring and assists, he can put up 15 points and seven assists like he did against St. John's. If more presence is needed on the defensive end of the floor, then he will put up five steals and seven rebounds like he did against Coppin State.

A lot of nights he will go for 30+ minutes. However, if the situation calls for it, he'll have 14 minutes like he did against Creighton and put up 11 points on an efficient 5-of-6 shooting.

The big key here is he has huge upside, and can also be easily plugged in alongside Khalif Battle and Tramon Marks and do whatever the situation requires. If he needs to create opportunity for them, he can. If he needs to pick up slack and score against whatever defense is out there, then he can.

The only thing he might not be able to do is slow down because he appears to be locked into full speed all the time, which drives defenses, and sometimes coaches, nuts. At 6-foot-4, 183 pounds, he has deceptive size and appears to have no lack of confidence with the ball in his hand.

It's possible he will do a few things that will drive Musselman crazy with the ball in his hands. Then again, it's very possible he's the most electrifying player in the portal.

If Arkansas can land him, which this staff seems fairly serious about doing, he will definitely be fun to watch when he's on the floor. He seems to be the perfect potential fit for what's left of the team and also someone Musselman can mold into a star.

HOGS FEED:

• Clearly based on last weekend, talent wasn't the problem for Arkansas Razorbacks basketball

• Three good, three bad after two SEC weekends for Arkansas

• Razorbacks will receive visit to possibly fill hole in inside game

• Subscribe and follow us on YouTube
• Follow allHOGS on X and Facebook