Notae supplying offense for Razorbacks off the bench
FAYETTEVILLE — After JD Notae scored 30 points in the Arkansas Razorbacks’ Red-White basketball game in November, coach Eric Musselman wasn’t sure how he would use the redshirt junior transfer from Jacksonville (Fla.) University.
“He might be a guy that comes off the bench and supplies his points that way,” Musselman said. “We’re still trying to figure that out.”
That’s exactly what Notae’s primary role has been this season in helping the University of Arkansas to a berth in the NCAA Tournament, where the No. 3 seed Razorbacks (22-6) will play No. 14 seed Colgate (14-1) on Friday in Indianapolis.
Notae, a 6-1 guard, has come off the bench in 27 of 28 games and is averaging 13.0 points in 22.8 minutes. He’s second on the team in scoring behind All-SEC freshman guard Moses Moody — who is averaging 17.4 points — and also is averaging 3.2 rebounds.
There have been 18 games in which Notae has scored at least 12 points and 10 with 18 or more, including a season-high 27 in Arkansas’ 70-64 victory over Missouri in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. Notae also had four assists and four rebounds in 32 minutes.
In two previous games against Missouri, Notae scored 19 points in the Tigers’ 81-68 victory at Walton Arena on Jan. 2, but just two points when the Razorbacks won at Mizzou Arena 86-81 in overtime on Feb. 13.
“If you watch the Missouri series, there was one game he was kind of quiet and a lot of guys helped them to a victory, but then the last game he had 27 points,” Colgate coach Matt Langel said. “So he can go off with his own explosive scoring abilities.
“It speaks to his talent. He’s a dynamic player.”
Notae’s shooting over the past six games has been especially good on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers in the left corner (2 of 5) and left wing (5 of 10); driving to the basket (7 of 13); short jumpers (4 of 8); and in transition (3 of 4).
“When he gets going, as far as shot selection, good ones are the ones that go in the basket a lot of the time,” Langel said. “He can create for himself and his teammates and can single-handedly change the tide of the game.”
Musselman was critical of Notae’s shot selection, playmaking ability and defense after some games, but he’s improved in those areas.
During the first 22 games, Notae shot 37.5% (87 of 232) from the field and averaged 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals. In the past six games, he is shooting 42.1% (32 of 76) from the field and averaging 3.0 assists and 2.7 steals.
“I don’t know if I can remember a player in such a short time frame growing his game like JD has,” Musselman said. “Because he started off with a lot of ceiling in a lot of areas like defense, decision-making, shot selection, when to pass. He’s done a great job of getting better on a daily basis.”
SEC coaches were impressed enough by Notae’s play that they voted him the conference’s sixth man of the year.
“Just slowing down, letting the game come to me, seeing what the defense is giving me,” Notae said of his improved play late in the season. “Just making the right reads.”
His teammates also have noticed his improving defense.
“He’s definitely turned the corner,” Arkansas senior forward Justin Smith said. “I think he’s bought in defensively. That’s made it easier on him offensively, because if he’s playing defense then it’s tough for Coach to take him off the floor because he’s so talented offensively.
“I’m real proud of him. It’s been real fun to see, especially over the last
few games, when he's getting multiple steals and he's really been locking up on the defensive end. It's been a welcome sight. It's definitely going to help us.”
Musselman said Notae has worked hard to improve his overall game.
“He's been incredible just sitting down and going through film with people on the coaching staff,” Musselman said. “I text him all the time after games. He's just receptive. He's like a sponge. He wants to get better.”
Notae averaged 15.5 points in two seasons at Jacksonville, and scored 20 or more points 16 times with a career-high 40 against Florida Memorial during the 2018-19 season. As a freshman, he scored 22 points at Michigan, 19 at North Carolina State and 18 at Georgia. As a sophomore, he scored 17 at Notre Dame and 15 at Indiana.
“This is new to him,” Musselman said of Notae being asked to expand his game and play more point guard.
“He's been a scorer his whole life. He'd just kind of been out there freelancing a lot.
“He's now playing much more in a team system and a team environment. It takes a special player to be willing to come off the bench and never complain.”
The sixth man role is new for Notae, who started 51 of 60 games at Jacksonville.
“I know I could be a starter,” Notae said. “But making that sacrifice to come off the bench, that's for the team.”