Shooting concerns reappear for Arkansas basketball after stinging loss to Tennessee

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A brilliant stretch of offense to close the nonconference schedule had Arkansas basketball feeling optimistic about the roster’s overall shooting. Entering the SEC opener against No. 1 Tennessee, the Razorbacks ranked fourth nationally in field-goal percentage (50.8%) while hitting 3-pointers at a 36.8% rate.

But preseason concerns appeared to be justified Saturday. The Hogs (11-3, 0-1 SEC) shot a season-low 37.7% from the floor against the Volunteers (14-0, 1-0), going 6 for 29 on 3-pointers and, even worse, 6 for 13 at the free-throw line.

Add it all up, and Arkansas got run out the gym in a 76-52 loss that represented the worst offensive performance of the year.

“Look, you don’t have to make all your 3s, but you can’t miss them all,” Arkansas coach John Calipari said. “You can’t miss 10 in-a-row, or you’re not going to win.”

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DJ Wagner and Karter Knox hit on the first two attempts from downtown, but Arkansas then proceeded to miss 19 of its next 21 3-pointers. That drought coincided with a dominant Tennessee run that stretched the lead to double figures, and the Vols led 42-27 at halftime.

The offensive malaise wasn’t a total surprise. Tennessee leads the country in 3-point defense and is second in scoring defense, but it was a giant step back. Arkansas had scored at least 80 points in four straight games.

Boogie Fland and Johnell Davis represented Arkansas’ biggest disappointments from behind the arc. That duo combined to go 2 for 12, with Davis missing all four of his attempts. Davis had missed the Hogs’ previous two games with a wrist injury.

Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier (2) and Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler (5) high-five around Arkansas guard D.J. Wagner (21) after Lanier makes a a three-pointer during a college basketball game between Tennessee and Arkansas held at Thompson-Boling Arena…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/shooting-concerns-reappear-arkansas-basketball-101022542.html

Author : Ft. Smith Southwest Times Record

Publish date : 2025-01-05 10:10:00

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