Beyond the Box: Hogs vs Creighton – Did officials hose Arkansas?
Hassling officials is an American pasttime.
It’s especially prevalent in college basketball, a sport where any close game feels like it could come down to whether or not the ladies and gentlment in striped shirts give your favorite team some calls or not.
Creighton was on the end of more beneficial ones than Arkansas on Tuesday from the Maui Invitational. The Bluejays knocked off the Razorbacks, 90-87, in the semifinals of the tournament behind a 29-17 free-throw attempt advantage.
Arkansas’ stars showed out and gave them a chance. Anthony Black had 26 points, six rebounds and six assists. Ricky Council had 25 points. Trevon Brazile had 17.
But it was emblematic of what is becoming a concern for the whole of the season. The Razorbacks aren’t a deep basketball team.
Let’s go beyond the box and examine what, besides free throws, went wrong against Creighton.
Officials gave Creighton more looks
LAHAINA, HI – NOVEMBER 22: Ryan Nembhard #2 of the Creighton Bluejays drives the lane ahead of Anthony Black #0 of the Arkansas Razorbacks in the first half of the game during the Maui Invitational at Lahaina Civic Center on November 22, 2022 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
Creighton beat Arkansas on free-throw attempts 29 to 17 and free-throw makes 21-13. The Bluejays were called for 16 fouls to Arkansas’ 22.
Razorbacks forward Trevon Brazile spent a bulk of the final 10 minutes playing with four fouls. He entered the game as the Hogs’ second leading scorer, though he did finish with 17.
Arkansas' 3-point defense not up to par
LAHAINA, HI – NOVEMBER 22: Arthur Kaluma #24 of the Creighton Bluejays dribbles the ball as he is guarded by Jordan Walsh #13 of the Arkansas Razorbacks in the second half of the game during the Maui Invitational at Lahaina Civic Center on November 22, 2022 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
The free-throw discrepancy is an easy target. But Arkansas wasn’t exactly without faults of its own.
Creighton went 7 of 14 from 3-point range in the semifinals. The Razorbacks have prided themselves on defense, especially from deep, but it let them down against the Bluejays.
Arkansas isn't using its depth
LAHAINA, HI – NOVEMBER 22: Head coach Eric Musselman of the Arkansas Razorbacks reacts to a play in the second half of the game against the Creighton Bluejays during the Maui Invitational at Lahaina Civic Center on November 22, 2022 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
Arkansas was expected to have one of the deepest benches in the sport in 2022-23, but it hasn’t played out that way yet.
Only six players are averaging double-digits in minutes through the team’s first five games. Coach Eric Musselman played only seven players – not counting guard Joseph Pinion’s entry for the last several seconds – against Creighton.
Jalen Graham was an All-Pac 12 forward at Arizona State last year and he’s averaged 8.3 minutes in three games. Derrian Ford, Barry Dunning and Pinion are non-factors as freshmen, having scored a total of 10 points among them.
Musselman played Black (38 minutes), Council (40), Brazile (31), Jordan Walsh (36) and Devo Davis (38) for almost the entire game. That can’t keep up all season.
