All Hogs

Offense Optional for Calipari's Razorbacks in SEC

Hogs have laundry list of things to fix, and an offense without a plan stands out near the top

Curtis Wilkerson

John Calipari points from the sideline against Ole Miss in Arkansas' SEC home opener. Ole Miss won 73-66.
John Calipari points from the sideline against Ole Miss in Arkansas' SEC home opener. Ole Miss won 73-66. / Nilsen Roman - Hogs on SI Images
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Things are not exactly going swimmingly at the moment for John Calipari as Arkansas' 73-66 loss to Ole Miss at Bud Walton Arena sent him to 0-2 in SEC play for the first time in 16 seasons in the league.

There is a long list of holes to plug if the Razorbacks are going to right the ship instead of sink it, and regaining a pulse offensively has to be near the top. Through two SEC games, Arkansas is averaging 59 points, shooting 37.5% from the field, 21.1% from three and 62.1% from the free throw line.

Tennessee and Ole Miss are two strong defensive teams, but welcome to life in the SEC. The early offensive numbers beg the question of what exactly Arkansas' plan is on that end of the floor because the eye test has made it difficult to decipher.

Arkansas got off to a promising start against the Rebels, utilizing Adou Thiero as a short-roller in pick and rolls to attack Ole Miss' defensive switches, getting clean looks for a resurgent Johnell Davis and limiting turnovers.

However, after building a nine-point lead, the Razorbacks turned stagnant, selfish and sluggish against a Chris Beard squad that looked better-prepared, better-coached and made the better adjustments.

Arkansas mustered just six points and two made field goals the final seven minutes of the first half as Ole Miss erased the deficit to hit the break tied.

It took the Rebels five minutes in a lifeless start to the second half to build a double-digit cushion as Arkansas took turns taking tough shots and looking more and more like a group of individuals rather than a cohesive unit.

"They were the better team today," Calipari said. "They're a good team. 2-0 in this league? You're a good team. They're a Top 25 team, they should be."

Arkansas has typically gone as Boogie Fland has gone. For a second straight outing, efficiency was subpar for the freshman guard who shot 5-of-20 from the field and got away from his playmaking prowess despite finishing with five assists.

"He took some shots he didn't need to take," Calipari said. "Like, why? Why would you take that when you haven't made a shot? Why are you doing that? Create a shot for a teammate that they can make, and I couldn't get him in that mode."

What about All-SEC big man Jonas Aidoo, who had a clear advantage inside, but managed to go the entire night without a single field goal attempt?

"Because they're switching, you have to go into the middle to throw it, because if you try to throw it from the wing, you saw that they did," Calipari said. "They trapped him and he turned it over.

"This is the kind of game that what I wanted him to do was clear the lane for our team, and he did a good job of it. We shot lay-ups and lay-ups, and then offensive rebound any of those misses because you've got a guard on you."

If an opponent is switching, is it not as simple as using the big man to screen a guard, get the switch and short roll or seal for a textbook post entry following a reversal? After all, it is exactly what the Hogs ran for Thiero about a half dozen times in a row...

It is worth noting Ole Miss had no problems identifying, creating and exploiting the exact same mismatches on the other end.

For added context, Arkansas only converted 8-of-15 lay-ups.

Razorbacks guard Boogie Fland (2) dribbles past Ole Miss guard Dre Davis (14) during the second half
Arkansas Razorbacks guard Boogie Fland (2) dribbles past Ole Miss Rebels guard Dre Davis (14) during the second half at Bud Walton Arena. Ole Miss won 73-66. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Regardless, allowing the starting backcourt to combine for 9-for-33 shooting with one make on 13 attempts from three while not even attempting to punish a small-ball team for switching with an All-SEC forward feels like a bold choice.

With Arkansas down six with under two minutes to play, it ran the shot clock all the way down as if it were the team with the lead. Was it lack of urgency or not running any actions to generate a quality look?

Where are the quick hitters? The set plays to get shots for the guys who should be taking them in the spots they typically make them?

"In the first half, we did some things," Calipari said. "The tape we’ll watch tomorrow will show us, offensively, what we were doing. And then what we did in the second half where there was no pass and a shot. We’re not that team."

There are two types of teams in basketball: Make-a-play and call-a-play. Right now, Arkansas appears to be neither as it searches for its identity with what will likely be a much greater sense of urgency.

HOGS FEED:

• Calipari in uncharted waters after Hogs' 0-2 start in SEC

• Dia's big game sinks Razorbacks' first half hopes

• Razorbacks searching for SEC footing in loss to Ole Miss

• Razorbacks face short bench in post with big man questionable

• Unique offense giving coaches problems while scheming for Ole Miss

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Curtis Wilkerson
CURTIS WILKERSON

Curtis is in his fifth year on the beat covering Arkansas basketball, football, baseball and recruiting. Prior to his time in Fayetteville, he spent eight years coaching basketball at the small-college level in Illinois and spent two years contributing as a scout and recruiting analyst with Prep Hoops. He holds a bachelor's degree in Athletic Training and a master's in Administration.

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