Lipscomb Type of Team That Caused Calipari to Change Philosophy

Major piece missing as Bisons nearly upset Razorbacks last year on fire heading into Hogs' opener

Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari prior to the game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Bud Walton Arena. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Jacob Ognacevic is the type of player who was the stuff of nightmares in years past for Arkansas coach John Calipari.

He's a senior who is in his fourth season in the Lipscomb program, and his season opening performance indicates he has grown in more ways than physically while sinking his roots deep into the program culture at the tiny, third-most known university in Nashville. Obnacevic, whose absence because of injury last season was likely the difference in coming up just short of pulling an upset over Eric Musselman's Razorbacks in North Little Rock last season, enters the year as 6-foot-8, 220 pounds of fire.

Monday night he was unstoppable in a win over Duquesne. Obnacevic flirted with a triple double as he put up 30 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.

It's more than enough to raise concern for how Arkansas may fare in its opener Wednesday night. Last year, despite Obnacevic's absence, the Bisons had four players go for double figures while erasing a 20-point second half deficit to a single point with 30 second left.

Guards Will Pruitt and Joe Anderson, also seniors, combined for 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists without the option of dishing the ball to Obnacevic or having him draw some of the defensive heat. That gives Lipscomb three seasoned players who can cause headaches for Arkansas in addition to others who have since been added to the roster.

This is the type of team Calipari has regularly fretted over since taking the job at Arkansas and announcing a change in philosophy in regard to how he constructs his team. It's similar to the junior, senior and graduate student laden Oakland Golden Grizzlies team that took down Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.

“My team last year, the average age was 19.4," Calipari said eariler this year. "The [average age of Oakland] was 24. Tyler Herro called me after the game and said, ‘I’ve been in the NBA for five seasons, and I’m 24.’ They had a guy who was 26. So, you have to be a little older.”

Guard Johnell Davis and forward Jonas Aidoo (when he finally returns from injury) provide the Hogs a pair of graduates to bring extensive experience to the roster while junior forwards Trevon Brazile and Adou Theiro round out the older part of this roster that's likely to draw playing time.

Whether that plays out as an overall positive gets its first test Wednesday night at 7 p.m. on SEC+ as the Hogs look to notch a win over a Lipscomb team expected to win the ASUN this season.

HOGS FEED:

• Razorbacks ready to lean on freshman guard

• Who can get improved long-range shooting this year?

• Calipari, Arkansas coaching staff not taking Lipscomb lightly

• Razorbacks Surely Aren't 'Arrogant' After Last Performance

• Are Razorback Fans Ready to Let Go of Rope? | Locked on Razorbacks

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