Penned-up Hogs near end of wait

FAYETTEVILLE — Playing in basketball games last season for JD Notae and Connor Vanover meant 3-on3 after practice with Abayomi Iyiola against some of their University of Arkansas teammates.

Notae, Vanover and Iyiola were all redshirting as transfers in accordance with NCAA rules.

This season, the trio is eligible to play, though Iyiola — a 6-9 junior forward who transferred from Stetson — is recovering from a knee injury he suffered in July and likely won’t be medically cleared to return until at least February.

For Notae, a 6-2 junior guard who transferred from Jacksonville (Fla.) University, and Vanover, a 7-3 sophomore who transferred from California, practice now means they’re working to prepare to play this season.

“There’s definitely a different feel,” Vanover, who is from Little Rock, said Friday during a Zoom call with reporters. “I feel like I can almost count down the days until we can play.

“That’s in my mind every day, ‘We’re just X many days from being able to play,’ and I’ll actually be able to play this year. So it kind of drives me to push myself and try to show what I can do, get better

in my game. So when game time comes, I can really display what I have.”

The NCAA postponed the start of the season to Nov. 25, when Arkansas will open against Mississippi Valley State at Walton Arena, according to a report by CBS Sports Matt Norlander.

“I’m looking forward to playing instead of having to go watch games,” said Notae, who also was on the Friday Zoom call. “So it’s more exciting now.”

Vanover averaged 7.5 points and 3.0 rebounds as a true freshman at California, but in the final 10 games he started and averaged 12.8 points and 5.0 rebounds. For the season, he shot 35.5% on three-pointers (27 of 76).

“He can shoot. He can go down low. He can pass out of the post,” Notae said of Vanover’s game. “He can roll.

He can create. He’s just a great mismatch out there with him being 7-3 and being able to shoot.”

Vanover said he and Notae have formed a strong bond with both redshirting last year.

“I’d say we’re probably one of the most underrated duos out there,” Vanover said. “We’ve been practicing together since last year pretty much on the same team all the time. Playing together after practice.

“I feel like we have a really strong connection with each other. We know what each one likes to do, and we can really play off each other well.”

Notae, who is from Covington, Ga., averaged 15.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists as a sophomore at Jacksonville.

“Me and Connor, that’s like my brother,” Notae said. “We’re with each other all day, every day. We know each other and know what we like to do on the court. We just feed off each other.”

Notae and Vanover technically are newcomers because they haven’t played for Arkansas yet, but they used last season to get adjusted to their new school and coaching staff.

“Both those guys know our system and our terminology,” Razorbacks Coach Eric Musselman said. “Both of them have a high basketball IQ , and the offense runs pretty smoothly with those two guys in practice.”

Notae injured his left wrist in July playing basketball when he took a fall.

“It was difficult,” Notae said. “All the work I was putting in during the summer having to be on hold because I’ve got a broken wrist. It’s still coming along. I’m getting treatment every day trying to really make sure I get back to 100%.”

Notae said he’s not sure when the wrist will feel fully recovered.

“Kind of babying it still a little bit,” he said. “But other than that, no … real adjustments. It’s getting better.”

Vanover said the first two weeks of practice have gone well for him.

“I feel like I’m adapting really well to this offense,” Vanover said. “It’s definitely different, because last year it was more so a four out, one in with a true post guy, someone who’d stay down low.

“Now we’re more fluid. We have five people who can be on the perimeter and shoot.”

Vanover said some of his new teammates — there are four freshmen and three graduate transfers — aren’t used to playing with a 7-3 center who is comfortable on the perimeter.

“They didn’t know how to pass to me to start with,” Vanover said. “Everybody was throwing it at my shoes or my knees.

“They were kind of struggling, so I just had to teach them to throw it up. Or if I’m open, just throw it up to me and I’ll catch it. In that way, they kind of had to adapt to playing with a body as big as me.”