UA ‘stew’ impresses opponent
FAYETTEVILLE — Oral Roberts coach Paul Mills is impressed with how University of Arkansas coach Eric Musselman has put together a roster of two returnees, three graduate transfers, two transfers who redshirted last season and four freshmen.
“What Eric’s known for is making the best potluck stew in the country,” Mills said. “It’s an approach of, ‘ Hey, let’s mix a whole bunch of guys who we believe can work together and have a great skill set,’ and you’ve seen it play out well.”
Musselman’s formula of adding transfers to bolster the team has helped him go 136-46 in six seasons at Nevada and Arkansas, including a 6-0 start this season.
“We’ll see just how all of that works over the course of time, specifically when you get into the SEC,” Mills said. “But Eric’s done a tremendous job thus far of meshing those guys.”
Mills and the Golden Eagles (3-4) will get a taste of Musselman’s latest concoction when Oral Roberts plays Arkansas at 1 p.m. today in Walton Arena.
It will be the Golden Eagles’ third game in six days while the Razorbacks are playing for the first time since a 100-75 victory over the University of Central Arkansas on Dec. 12, then taking a weeklong break for finals.
Arkansas plays Abilene Christian at 4 p.m. Tuesday, then doesn’t have another game until the SEC opener at Auburn on Dec. 30.
Musselman said the combination of playing games immediately after finals and just before Christmas reminds him of the concern expressed by Chuck Daly, a longtime NBA coach who led the Detroit Pistons to two championships.
“I remember working for Chuck Daly and even in the NBA he thought that the holiday season was a scary time,” said Musselman, an assistant coach for Daly with the Orlando Magic. “Where teams could either gain Ws or get some Ls that maybe they shouldn’t.
“We’ve got to come ready these next two games, for sure, because they’re going to come at us really quick.
“I don’t like the break. I think it’s too long. I wish this game would have been on a Friday or even a Saturday rather than taking it all the way through the weekend. But you play the way the schedule comes out.”
Oral Roberts is led by sophomore guard Max Abmas (averaging 20.7 points and 4.0 assists) and junior forward Kevin Obanor (17.3 points and 8.8 rebounds).
RJ Glasper, a senior guard who was a walk-on at Arkansas and starred at Arkansas Tech University, is averaging 8.7 points for the Golden Eagles as a graduate transfer.
Oral Roberts — picked to finish second in the Summit League in a preseason poll — is averaging 12.7 three- pointers to rank third nationally. Abmas has hit 22 of 48 three-pointers, Obanor 11 of 28 and Glasper 10 of 26.
“They can put five shooters on the floor at a time,” Musselman said. “So obviously we’re going to have to defend the three-ball for sure.”
Moses Moody, a 6-6 freshman guard, is averaging 16.0 points to lead the Razorbacks. He’s shooting 40.7% on three-pointers (11 of 27) and has 7 turnovers in 170 minutes.
“To have a guy at his size who takes care of the ball and can knock down three- point shots at a 40% rate is really impressive,” Mills said. “To do that as a freshman speaks volumes about the situations that Eric’s putting him in, because he trusts him to perform.
“And Moses is honoring that trust by making the right plays.”
Connor Vanover, a 7-3 redshirt sophomore, is averaging
9.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.3 blocks for the Razorbacks. He’s hit 10 of 22 three-pointers.
“What I’ve been most impressed by is how Connor just gobbles up every defensive board when he’s on the court,” Mills said. “If there’s anything near the rim, he’s going to turn around and grab it, and he’s one of the top shot blockers in the country.
“Connor has that unique ability to impact the game defensively around the rim and then impact it offensively away from the rim with his shooting. That’s a pretty unique skill set.”
Oral Roberts’ four losses have been on the road at Missouri (91-64), Wichita State (85
80), Oklahoma State (83-78) and Oklahoma (79-65).
“We respect Arkansas as a team, but we also feel like we can go in there and make it a game,” Glasper said. “We’ve played a very tough schedule, and we feel like every game, win or lose, we’ve learned some things and gotten better.”
The Golden Eagles, whose victories are against Rogers State ( 93- 63), Southwestern Christian ( 111-58) and Bacone ( 96- 65), are ranked No. 4 in strength of schedule by Kenpom.com — a college basketball analytics website — behind Indiana State, Sam Houston State and Gonzaga.
“After playing at Arkansas, I think we will have played the toughest schedule in the country,” Mills said. “I think we’ll go from four to one.
“I feel good about where we’re at, the progress that we’ve made. I’m a big believer in the proverb that says, ‘ Iron sharpens iron.’
“We’ve been in one- possession games at the end with Oklahoma State and Wichita State. We need to find a way to win these kinds of games.”