Davonte ‘Devo’ Davis is Razorbacks’ defensive stopper
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Georgia guard Terry Roberts was the latest leading scorer for his team to run into a wall against University of Arkansas defensive stopper Davonte “Devo” Davis.
Roberts, a senior who came into Tuesday night’s game in Walton Arena averaging 14.2 points, was held to a season-low 4 points in 28 minutes on 2-of-9 shooting with Davis as his primary defender as the Razorbacks beat the Bulldogs 97-65.
“Devo has just been absolutely incredible,” Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman said when asked how the Razorbacks shut down Roberts. “Not just (Tuesday night). Not just this year.
“I mean, I go back to him guarding (Mac) McClung.”
McClung, who now plays for the Philadelphia 76ers and won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest last weekend, was averaging a team-leading 15.8 points for Texas Tech when Davis held him to 9 points on 2-of-6 shooting during the Razorbacks’ 68-66 victory in a 2021 NCAA Tournament second-round game.
“Devo in that NCAA Tournament game was as good as I’ve ever seen defensively guarding somebody,” Musselman said. “He continues to be able to take a star player and minimize the effectiveness of that particular player.”
Before Arkansas played Georgia, Davis texted Razorbacks assistant coach Anthony Ruta to get tape of every shot Roberts had taken in SEC games.
“Misses and makes,” Davis said of Roberts’ shots he watched. “I wanted to look at his game and break down exactly what he does and how many times he does it, the spots on the court where he does it.”
Davis, a 6-4 junior from Jacksonville, said he makes it a point to do extensive study on all the players he’ll be guarding and takes pride in holding them under their scoring averages.
“That’s my first priority coming into every game,” Davis said. “I look at it as a goal, and if I succeed in that, I know I’m helping the team.”
Missouri senior guard D’Moi Hodge, averaging 13.8 points, combined for 13 points in two games against Davis and shot 3 of 11 from the field.
Davis held Ole Miss junior guard Matthew Murrell, averaging 14.7 points, to 3 points on 1-of-5 shooting in 24 min
utes before he suffered a leg injury.
Baylor senior guard Adam Flagler, averaging 15.6 points, shot 1 of 11 from the field and scored 5 points going against Davis.
LSU junior guard Adam Miller, averaging 11.1 points, was held by 9 points by
Davis and shot 2 of 10.
Davis guarded South Carolina 6-9 freshman GG Jackson — averaging 15.5 points — most of the Razorbacks’ 65-63 victory. Jackson finished with 9 points on 3-of-8 shooting.
When South Carolina guard Meechie Johnson hit 5 of 7 three-pointers in the second half to fuel a comeback by the Gamecocks, Davis switched to covering him.
Johnson, who finished with 20 points, didn’t score again after hitting a threepointer with 5:09 left.
“We’re just glad that we have Devo,” Arkansas senior forward Jalen Graham said. “How ferocious he is on defense, how hard he plays on defense.”
Davis will face his most challenging defensive assignment of the season for a second time against Alabama 6-9 freshman Brandon Miller when Arkansas plays the No. 2 Crimson Tide on Saturday at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Miller scored 14 points, primarily guarded by Davis, when Alabama beat Arkansas, 84-69, in Walton Arena on Jan. 11.
It was a solid defensive performance considering
Miller is averaging 19.5 points to lead the SEC, but he broke out in the second half against the Razorbacks after being held scoreless in the first half.
Arkansas had closed a 12-point deficit to 65-63 with 4:54 left before Miller hit two 3-pointers as part of a 9-0 run by Alabama in 49 seconds that gave the Tide some cushion to close out the game.
Davis said he made mistakes by going under screens, rather than fighting through them, that left Miller open on the perimeter.
“Miller had gotten downhill a few times, and I was trying to read him and I read it the wrong way,” Davis said of playing Miller to drive to the basket. “That’s on me. I won’t make that mistake again.”