Calipari Will Soon Know Exactly Where His Team Stands in Loaded SEC

Razorbacks finally healthy as team heads into final stretch of non-conference games, plenty time to gel before tough start in league play

Arkansas Razorbacks forward Jonas Aidoo (9) and Michigan Wolverines guard Nimari Burnett (4) fight for a loose ball in the first half at Madison Square Garden. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- When Arkansas hired John Calipari in early April the expectation was the Razorbacks going fully in with NIL and giving its new coach everything he needed to be successful.

Through the first 10 games, growing pains have been seen in losses against ranked Baylor and Illinois squads. Even with part of the roster being coached previously at Kentucky by Calipari, Arkansas has still struggled to be consistent due to injuries which has impacted team chemistry.

One huge surprise, small forward Adou Thiero, the 6-foot-8, 220 pound tank has been a huge asset to the team early on due to his driving ability and dedication to his craft. At no point during his two seasons with the Wildcats did Thiero ever score more than 16 points in a single game, he's done that six times already this season including five which he has scored 23 or more points.

Calipari's one constant for this year's team has been guard play from Boogie Fland and DJ Wagner. The backcourt duo are averaging just over 26 points per game along with eight assists in 33 minutes per game.

Both have shown themselves to be effective mid-to-three point range shooters with the ability to control themselves in the paint to finish at the rim. College basketball officials oftentimes call fouls for contact near the rim which helps guards get to the charity stripe with regularity near six times per game.

One major need was for the Razorbacks to get all three of its big men healthy in Trevon Brazilre, Jonas Aidoo and Zvonimir Ivisic in order to impact games on the boards and be better rim protectors. Physicality hasn't totally lacked over the first third of the season but Aidoo's return from a summer-long hiatus due to injury ought to strengthen the team down low.

"Still work to do. Just trying to get back," Aidoo said after the victory against No. 14 Michigan. "I missed pretty much all summer. All of preseason, so I’m just trying to work back. But, you know, getting my confidence back and learning to play with the guys because I missed out playing with them throughout the whole practices and summer, too, so just getting those reps is the best thing right now."

TREVON BRAZILE IS PUTTING ON A SHOW IN THE GARDEN 🎥

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One of the biggest issues has been the injury bug. At one point this season, Calipari only had six avaialbe scholarship players which forced quite a few guys, especially Ivisic, into a lot of minutes. The Razorbacks' coach mentioned he could tinker with the way he builds his future rosters.

"We might have to. It may not work the way I planned," Calipari said. "So, you know, eight or nine guys, everybody would be happy. You don't have transfer problems, NIL issues. You don't have da da da. And a couple coaches said, 'What if you have injuries?' I'll have happy players. I'll have six guys and seven playing. I didn't plan on that all of preseason. I thought you get in the season, someone get hurt. You have seven, but you're prepared. We have not been able to really do. So you may be right."

Arkansas now faces the challenge of getting guys ready over the next couple of weeks before SEC play with a healthy roster in tow. A road victory at Miami and ranked win against a top-15 team will do wonders for a team looking to gain steam with three games left in non-conference action.

The tune up begins Saturday in North Little Rock as Arkansas hosts UCA inside Simmons Bank Arena. Then, the team takes a week off before hosting North Carolina A&T (Dec. 21) and another long layoff before hosting Oakland (Dec. 30) which upset Calipari and Kentucky in the first round of last years NCAA Tournament.

Calipari will know exactly where his roster is when it starts its conference schedule as the Razorbacks open with a road game at No. 1 Tennessee. Then, Arkansas will host back-to-back home games against No. 19 Ole Miss and No. 9 Florida.

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