Razorback junior guard Ricky Council IV (#1) from Durham, NC brings the ball upcourt against Bradley Saturday afternoon at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock. Photo by Craven Whitlow.

By Otis Kirk

FAYETTEVILLE -- No. 10 Arkansas will be back in Bud Walton Arena on Wednesday night when UNC Asheville provides the opposition.

Arkansas (10-1) head coach Eric Musselman is making sure his team is only focused on the immediate task at hand. Between finals, Christmas and looming SEC play it would be easy to be distracted from UNC Asheville (8-4).

"Yeah, only talking about UNC Asheville," Musselman said. "I'm not going to talk about anything other than that with our team, anything other than how do we beat Asheville? That’s really the one and only concern that we have right now as a group and as a team. We’ve had what I would consider a really good non-conference, and we have one other game before we get into SEC play, and then amongst that will be the Baylor non-con game, as well. We’ve got to be extremely focused because during finals and during holidays, you just don’t want anyone distracted."

A key player for the Bulldogs is Tennessee transfer forward Drew Pember, 6-10, 212. Pember is in his second season at the school after beginning his career with the Vols. He's averaging 19.7 points and 9.5 rebounds each game this season. Musselman talked about the problems Pember presents the Hogs.

"Pember, especially offensively is just having an absolutely phenomenal year," Musselman said. "He’s averaging a double-double. He presents a lot of problems. Obviously the 17 made threes at 41.%. He’s an excellent free throw shooter at 85 plus. Then 89 free throws attempted. He’s blocked a lot of shots. Thirty blocks is a lot.

"A high steal rate. He can really run the floor. He’s done a good job as an assist player as well from the center spot. It’s not often you see somebody second on a team or third on a team in assists with 23. He’s a player that is definitely a guy that can score the ball in multiple ways."

Musselman is known for recruiting the transfer portal extremely hard. He talked about Pember hitting the game-winning shot against East Tennessee State. Musselman pointed out Pember's positive play since transferring from Tennessee.

"Everyone talks about the portal, and sometimes people don’t see the positives," Musselman said. "But I think that’s a cool story that Drew is having the year that he’s having and had a great year last year. The shot he took, he’s a player that you can’t give air space to, and you’ve got to crowd him. He’s got a pretty good first step off the bounce. That’s why he’s a tough cover, but that was a shot that - under presser, under duress, game-winning shot - that’s why he’s one of the top guys in his league if not the top player in their league."

The Bulldogs will present a different challenge to the Hogs from some recent teams in that they like to play at a very fast pace.

"They do like to play fast, and when you look at some of their scores, 98 against Central Florida that’s a really good team and a program we really respect," Musselman said. "The 94 in the second game of the year. And then of late, 90, 122 and 94. So this is a team that likes to score the basketball. They like to get out and run. We’ve got to have great transition defense and obviously we like to run as well. Transition defense will be a big part of this game as I think they average 83 a game."

Guard Tajion Jones is an outstanding three-point shooter. He is their all-time three-point leader and has knocked down 39 of 81 (48.1 percent) this season. He's averaging 14.8 points per game which is second only to Pember.

"They’re a great three-point shooting team, they really are," Musselman said. "They shoot deep shots, they shoot quick shots in transition. They shoot shots with confidence, and Jones is a player that you’ve got to locate, find. He’s got 62 made field goals, and 37 of them are three balls, so it’s important to try to locate him as quick as possible and not allow #3 to get catch-and-shoot rhythm threes."

Mike Morrell is the head coach of the Bulldogs and Musselman feels the team is a well-coached one.

"I know he does a great job," Musselman said. "I like the style of play that the play. Don't know him personally. I have not really run into him recruiting or any of those, but after watching his team on tape have tremendous respect for the job he does, and they have a style, an identity that makes them unique to try to prepare for. So really like what he's done with this team and like the freedom that he gives them and like how he's created a system that players probably really enjoy playing in."

Rumors persisted all day Monday that there's some issue with freshman guard Nick Smith Jr. If so, Musselman wasn't talking about it when asked at the end of his press conference.

"I was meeting with the staff, and we practice in 15 minutes and 48 seconds and once I get down there around the team, obviously we're starting our prep today on the court," Musselman said. "So don't have any updates other than the fact that we're gonna go down there and get ready for UNCA."

The tip is set for Wednesday night at 8 p.m. and televised on the SEC Network.