NWADG Basketball

4 2022 NWA COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW | 11.6.2022 ARKANSAS MEN'S PREVIEW NEW-LOOK HOGS READY TO MAKE THEIR MARK BOB HOLT ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE FAYETTEVILLE — Mississippi State Coach Chris Jans got a taste of what it's like to play the University of Arkansas basketball team when he was at New Mexico State last season and the Razorbacks beat the Aggies 53-48 in a second-round NCAA Tournament game in Buffalo, N.Y. "If you like low-scoring games, you really enjoyed it," Jans said. "But it was a rock fight. "You knew going in it was going to be a tough challenge for us. They just had so much length and athleticism, and obviously, very well-coached and knew who they were. "To be honest with you, I still haven't watched the game. I will at some point. Hopefully, before the season starts. "We had our chances, we had our opportunities, but they kept fending us off … and did an excellent job of figuring out a way to win." The Arkansas team Jans and Mississippi State will face on Feb. 15 in Walton Arena is far different than the one that beat New Mexico State. Arkansas lost every starter from last season's 28-9 team— including All- American guard JD Notae and All-SEC forward Jaylin Williams — that reached the Elite Eight for the second consecutive year. Williams is a rookie with the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder after being a second-round draft pick. Junior guard Davonte "Devo" Davis and senior forward Kamani Johnson are the only returning scholarship players for the Razorbacks, who beat Gonzaga 74-68 in the West Regional semifinals — the program's first victory over a No. 1 seed — before losing to Duke 78-69 one game short of the Final Four. But expectations are higher than ever for the Razorbacks going into Coach Eric Musselman's fourth season at Arkansas. The Razorbacks, who were No. 17 in last season's final Associated Press poll before the NCAA Tournament, are ranked No. 10 in the AP preseason poll for the first time since returning all of their starters from the 1994 national championship team. Musselman and his staff signed arguably the top recruiting class in school history and added key players through the transfer portal. The Razorbacks' six freshman signees include three McDonald's High School All-Americans in guards Nick Smith and Anthony Black and forward Jordan Walsh. Arkansas matched defending national champion Kansas and Duke with having the most signees from this year's McDonald's team. It's the first time Arkansas has signed three McDonald's All-Americans in the same class. The previous high was two McDonald's All-Americans in the same class when Coach Nolan Richardson signed Todd Day and Lee Mayberry for the 1988-89 season. Derek Hood and Kareem Reid, freshman teammates for the Razorbacks in 1995-96, were both McDonald's All- Americans, but Reid signed a year earlier than Hood, then sat out waiting to gain his eligibility. Smith, who is from Jacksonville and played at North Little Rock High School, was named the top high school player in the nation by USA Today. He's the second Arkansas signee to be a national player of the year pick along with Corliss Williamson, a forward from Russellville who was the Gatorade player of the year in 1992. Williamson became a two-time All- American, who as a sophomore led the 1994 team to Arkansas' lone national title in basketball. Smith, a preseason All-SEC first team pick by the media, isn't expected to be around for his sophomore season. He's projected as a top five pick for the 2023 NBA Draft. Black and Walsh also are projected as first-round picks in most 2023 mock drafts. "Well, you've just got to win every See PREVIEW, Page 6 Davonte Davis File Photo

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