razorbacks
In Fayetteville flattening four mid-majors since defeating Kansas State and Cincinnati back on Nov. 21 and Nov. 22 to win the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Arkansas’ 9-0 12th-ranked Razorbacks step back into the neutral site major power basketball ring.
At 12:30 p.m. Saturday at BOK Arena on ESPN2 in Tulsa, Coach Eric Musselman’s Razorbacks meet the 7-2 Oklahoma Sooners.
Tulsa obviously is in Oklahoma but close to equal distance from Fayetteville and OU’s campus in Norman.
“I think there'll be a great crowd,” Musselman said. “I think that you'll see over 10,000 people in that building, who knows what the walk up will be on game day. But certainly, it'll be a good environment for both teams.”
First-year Sooners Coach Porter Moser concurs. From living in Arkansas three years coaching the University of Arkansas-Little Rock before head coaching Illinois State, assisting Rick Majors at St. Louis University and head coaching Loyola of Chicago, Moser knows the statewide Arkansas fervor for the Hogs.
“I know our fan base and Arkansas' fan base,” Moser said. “It’s two passionate fan bases. So I anticipate it being a high energy atmosphere.”
Certainly energy abounded the previous two times it was Musselman vs. Moser. From their 2018 Sweet Sixteen game, Moser’s Final Four bound Loyola Ramblers hit a 3-point with 6.3 seconds left for a 69-68 thriller over Musselman’s Nevada Wolfpack.
Nevada early in 2019 won a close one, 72-67 over Loyola.
All that Moser saw from Musselman’s Wolfpack he sees from Musselman’s Razorbacks.
“I see a really good team,” Moser said. “They've got length, they've got athleticism, they've got shooters, they've got quick point guards, they've got length inside in (7-3 Connor) Vanover and 6-10 Jaylin Williams. I just see a lot of weapons. They come at you. They turn turnovers into baskets as good as anyone and they’re relentless on the glass. So that's what I see from Arkansas.”
Musselman sees plenty from Moser and his Sooners.
“He’s a great coach,” Musselman said. “His teams are always prepared, always execute. They’re good on both sides of the basketball.”
And stand out in big way with 6-10 graduate center Tanner Groves, a graduate transfer and former 2-time Big Sky Player of the Year at Eastern Washington. At 14.7 and 6.3, Groves leads the Sooners in scoring and rebounding.
“Obviously Groves, up front can post up,” Musselman said. “Can shoot the three. Can play out on the floor.”
Groves looms a big challenge for Vanover and Williams, but in turn they loom a big challenge for Groves, Arkansas point guard Devo Davis asserted.
“I know they’ve got a really good big,” Davis said. “We were at film the other day and Connor said “I got him!”’ We all believe in Connor. Muss said as long as he doesn’t do anything to hurt us Connor might play 40 minutes.”
The more Vanover plays center the more it frees Williams, Arkansas’ assists and rebound leader and coming off a career high 15 points in last Tuesday’s 86-66 victory over Charlotte, to play power forward. That frees 6-6 Au’Diese Toney to be a very powerful small forward.
“It’s wonderful just knowing he (Williams) had a great all-round game last time,” Davis said. “I see a few double-doubles coming.”
Davis comes off an 18 points/8 assists game against Charlotte while off guard JD Notae, the SEC’s leading scorer averaging 18.7 points, certainly was on with a 23-points/10 rebounds double-double. Sixth man guard Chris Lykes scored 13 and played his best defense, Musselman said.
With Coach Lon Kruger retired the Sooners have a new coach in Moser yet one of the oldest teams in college basketball.
OU’s all-senior starting five includes transfers Groves (Eastern Washington) point guard and team assists leader Jordan Goldwire via Duke and Kruger holdover guards Umoja Gibson, 11.3 scoring for second on the team and a 2019-20 transfer via the University of North Texas and Elijah Harkless,. a 2019-20 transfer from California State-Northridge, and 6-6 forward Jalen Hill.
OU’s top three reserves include via SMU transfer guard Ethan Chargois, freshman guard C.J. Noland, and forward Jacob Groves, Tanner Groves’ brother also transferred from Eastern Washington.
David Patrick, Moser’s top assistant, was Musselman’s top Arkansas assistant last season.
Patrick’s presence doesn’t change anything his Hogs do, Musselman said, but he knows OU’s players could.
“A really good ballclub,” Musselman said. “Hill is really, really active at that power forward spot. Goldwire has experience having come from Duke. Gibson can really stroke the ball. Harkless plays really hard. Good offensive rebounder.”