Arkansas basketball is much-improved from three, but Eric Musselman wants more
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Three-point shooting was always going to be a key metric for the Arkansas basketball team this season. A year ago, the Hogs shot 31.3% and ranked 318th in the country.
Anticipated improvement has come to fruition, with the Razorbacks shooting 35.1% and ranking 103rd in the nation. Despite some early-season struggles, the better efficiency from long-distance has given Arkansas a more explosive offense.
With Arkansas preparing for the Crimson & Cardinal Classic against No. 19 Oklahoma this Saturday, Eric Musselman finds himself wanting more.
"I would hope we’re going to even shoot better than we have," the Arkansas head coach said.
A big reason Musselman believes Arkansas can raise its three-point shooting percentage is the track record of the current roster.
Jeremiah Davenport, El Ellis and Davonte Davis are all shooting worse this year compared to their career-long statistics. Davenport and Davis, in particular, have both shown the potential to shoot 40% from three-point range in previous seasons, but they're hovering around the 30% mark through nine games.
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Musselman has confidence all three of those players will ascend to the mean in the coming months, and they'll compliment a trio of players who are off to a hot start.
Trevon Brazile, Tramon Mark and Khalif Battle are combining to shoot 43.1% from three. That clip would rank 2nd in the entire country if spread across the entire team.
Mark, who returned to the floor Monday after a one-game absence, has been the surprise of the group. Known for his defense and one-on-one offense, the Houston transfer is shooting 37% from three after shooting just 30% across three seasons with the Cougars.
"Mark is such an underrated three-point shooter," Musselman said. "I mean, people want to back off him. Thank you. And then if you crowd him, he’s got a quick first step as well."
If the struggling shooters find their form and compliment the current Hogs who have established a rhythm, this could be a special offense. Arkansas is averaging 82.4 points per game this season, which would be the best scoring offense in the Musselman era.
Arkansas not stressed by early NET rankings
The Razorbacks debuted at No. 107 in Tuesday's NET Rankings, and after Monday's win over Furman, Arkansas dropped to No. 111. The NET, which replaced the RPI in 2018, is the NCAA's primary sorting tool for evaluating teams.
For Musselman, it's far too early to be stressed by any algorithm.
"It's way too early, so to me it's irrelevant," Musselman said. "We have a whole SEC schedule that is going to determine a lot for us just as anyone we play. Once you get into conference play... It is what it is. We have a game Saturday. That's really all we should focus on."
Only four SEC teams — Missouri, Georgia, LSU and Vanderbilt — rank lower than Arkansas in the NET.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Eric Musselman thinks Arkansas basketball can shoot even better from three
