Hogs have easy time in exhibition game with UT Tyler in Fayetteville
FAYETTEVILLE -- No. 14 Arkansas had an easy time of it on Friday night as they defeated UT Tyler 92-39 in an exhibition game at Bud Walton Arena,
The Hogs jumped out to a 12-2 lead and never looked back against UT Tyler. The Hogs did that with an adjusted starting lineup from Eric Musselman. The starters were sophomore wing Joseph Pinion of Morrilton, senior guard El Ellis, junior wing Tramon Mark, senior forward Chtandler Lawson, and true freshman center Baye Fall.
“We want to be a really ultra aggressive team and I think we did that today… at the 4 and 5 spot the physicality has to be a lot more aggressive, especially with what we’re looking at in a week,” Musselman said.
Temple transfer guard Khalif Battle, sophomore foward Trevon
Brazile, senior guard Davonte “Devo” Davis, and Cincinnati transfer forward Jeremiah Davenport were among the key pieces coming off the bench. Battle led the Hogs with 14 points while Davenport added 13 and Mark 10. Davenport hit 4-of-8 from the field including 3-of-7 from deep. ‘
“(Davenport) has a really quick release, the guys look for him when he’s in there.” Musselman said. “He’s going to take a high volume of shots… he has incredible confidence shooting the ball.”
Ellis, Davis, Pinion and Makhi Mitchell each had nine points. Davis topped the Hogs in rebounding with seven. Fall, who didn’t score, added six boards. In 19 minutes, Brazile had four points on 2-of-7 shooting and three boards. Arkansas will host No. 3 Purdue Saturday,
Oct. 28, at 3 p.m. in another exhibition game. Musselman was asked if he will go with a more conventional lineup?
“I don’t know who’s going to be healthy come next week because we have a week of really physical practice coming up… when you play someone from the Big 10, that’s as physical of a league there is,” Musselman said.
Ellis led the Hogs with four assists. Musselman feels the transfer from Louisville is looking forward to playing with the talent Arkansas has assembled.
“I think that El is excited to play with some surrounding pieces that he can show people his willingness to be a passer and a ball distributor,”
Musselman said.
On Friday night, Arkansas hit 46% from the field, 32% from deep and 83% at the free throw
line. Arkansas limited UT Tyler 25% from the field and 5% from deep (1-20). Arkansas won the battle of the boards
46-32. The Hogs got 61 points off its bench. The Hogs forced 20 turnovers which led to 22 points.