Observations from John Calipari’s debut, Arkansas basketball’s exhibition win over Kansas

Arkansas basketball opened the John Calipari era with an impressive 85-69 win over No. 1 Kansas in a preseason exhibition Friday night.

The No. 16 Razorbacks controlled the game from start-to-finish, shooting 48.3% from the field as starting guards Boogie Fland and DJ Wagner led the offense in an efficient performance.

The coaches agreed to a unique format for the scrimmage, playing quarters rather than halves. Kansas was under-manned without three key contributors in Hunter Dickinson, Shakeel Moore and Rylan Griffen.

Here are 11 observations from the Razorbacks’ victory over the Jayhawks.

Boogie Fland is ready to be a focal point of the offense

Fland looked like a multi-year veteran against the Jayhawks, scoring 22 points and dishing out a team-high five assists.

In a mild surprise, he spent the most time as the Hogs’ point guard and displayed a crafty game, scoring his first basket off a one-footed jumper and showing an array of finishing moves near the basket. The five-star freshman will be a key figure for Calipari when the season begins.

More: Freshmen Karter Knox and Billy Richmond are wild cards for Arkansas basketball, John Calipari

More: John Calipari excited for new Arkansas basketball adventure with five familiar players

DJ Wagner’s shot looks great

Wagner was a top-five recruit in the country coming out of high school in 2023, but he shot 29.2% from 3 last year at Kentucky and struggled to find consistency on offense.

Wagner made his first two 3-pointers against Kansas and led all Arkansas scorers with 24 points. The form on his jumper looked smooth, and he got to the basket with ease. Wagner looks primed for a major bounce back in his sophomore season, living up to the hype he had entering college.

Oct 25, 2024; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari talks to guard D.J. Wagner (21) int he first quarter against the Kansas Jayhawks at Bud Walton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Johnell Davis is still settling in

Davis has missed…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/observations-john-caliparis-debut-arkansas-031821269.html

Author : Ft. Smith Southwest Times Record

Publish date : 2024-10-26 03:18:00

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