NWADG Basketball

11 NORTHWEST ARKANSAS BASKETBALL | 11.22.2020 averaged 15.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists as a sophomore at Jacksonville. "We cut hard with our off-ball movement. A lot of people on our team cut backdoor, so you're going to see a lot of that." Notae said he's worked to improve his game on offense. "Just being able to create space, getting defenders on my hip and being able to get my shot off," he said. "I feel like I worked on that a lot. "There's going to be bigger, stronger, faster defenders in the SEC, so I feel like I need to be able to get my shot off quicker." Musselman said he expects Notae to be fully recovered when the season starts. "JD's a guy who can create his own shot," Musselman said. "He's got the ability to make a three ball. He can also put it on the deck and score. "Not really a true point guard, not really a true off guard. Just a good basketball player that can be a combo and play either spot comfortably." In addition to Tate, the Razorbacks have two other senior graduate transfers in Justin Smith, a 6-7 forward from Indiana, and Vance Jackson, a 6-9 forward from New Mexico. Tate averaged 13.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals at Northern Kentucky last season. Smith averaged 10.4 points and 5.2 rebounds at Indiana and Jackson averaged 11.1 points and 5.3 rebounds at New Mexico. "I think this team will take on the personality of our head coach," Tate said. "Just hard work, extreme accountability and locking in and being gritty on both sides of the floor. "Defensively we're going to have to be good to accomplish the goals we would like to have. On the offensive end, we need to take care of the ball, make guys guard, make the defense really work every single possession." Henderson is expected to provide some energy off the bench. He showed promise late last season when he averaged 4.1 rebounds over the final eight games. "Ethan's a guy that when he comes in, we want him to give us a spark," Musselman said. Arkansas' four freshmen all were rated among the top 100 high players nationally with 6-6 guard Moses Moody, 6-10 center Jaylin Williams, 6-4 Davonte "Devo" Davis and 6-0 Khalen "KK" Robinson. Moody averaged 11.6 points and 3.3 rebounds at Montverde, Fla., Academy last season. He shot 46% three-pointers last season and figures to get some of the minutes that would have gone to Joe. "Moses has a got a real business-like approach," Musselman said. "When he's shooting, he doesn't joke around. He looks like a seasoned veteran by his approach in drills. He's been one of our best three-point shooters in practice." Williams averaged 18.7 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots last season at Fort Smith Northside. "Jaylin's rebounding the ball, for a freshman, at a high level," Musselman said. "And he's got a unique skill set for a big man in that he can shoot the ball from the college three. It's kind of an effortless shot. "He's a better ball handler than people would think. He can get a defensive rebound and take four or five escape dribbles up the floor." Davis was the Arkansas Democrat- Gazette player of the year as a senior at Jacksonville, where he averaged 21.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists. "Devo's got a herky-jerky dribble game where he keeps the defense off balance," Musselman said. "He can dip his shoulder one way and take the ball another way. He's very deceptive. "He can get his own shot when a play breaks down. He needs to improve his consistency from the foul line and as a perimeter shooter. He's a guy that probably is going to play some two, some one and some three for us." Musselman said Davis also could play a role with his pressure defense. "I do think he's a guy that can have a speciality in certain situations of picking up the ball full court and causing havoc defensively," Musselman said. "Because of his long arms and his good lateral quickness." Robinson averaged 10.7 points and 7.5 assists last season at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. "KK does a great job changing pace," Musselman said. "He can really rush the ball up the floor, and he's a shot-maker. "In scrimmage situations, he's shown the ability when the shot clock's running down to get a shot off." Arkansas was picked to finish sixth in the SEC in a preseason media poll and Blue Ribbon has the Razorbacks No. 8 in the conference in its preseason rankings. CBS Sports has Arkansas No. 6 in its SEC rankings and No. 52 nationally. The Razorbacks are No. 7 in the SEC in KenPom.com rankings and No. 54 nationally. "We are a different team than where we were when Isaiah was on the roster," Musselman said. "From a national respect standpoint, probably not a whole lot right now. So we have a lot to prove. "We're in the lab every day trying to get better," he said. "We're trying to find out who we are. I don't feel like myself, or the coaching staff, dictates roles or style of play. I think the guys kind of identity their own roles, and they identify the style of play based on what suits the personnel we have." Musselman said there at still a lot of unkowns with the Razorbacks. "I've brought up lateral quickness defensively is an area we're going to have to keep an eye on," Musselman said. "Who's our go-to player late in games? "The last four years [at Nevada and Arkansas] our teams have had the fewest amount of turnovers in the league that we played in. Can we value the ball and get a shot on goal and not turn the thing over. "How selfish or unselfish will we play with one another? I think all those things are unknowns for ourselves and for the people outside our building as well." W W W . P J M E A T S . C O M OFFICIAL HAM & BACON OF THE ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS Family Owned Since 1928 Arkansas Made TRADITION, for the win. 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