After having the first year of the Eric Musselman era cut short, Arkansas basketball fans are looking forward to year two of the Musselman Era.
The 2019-2020 season was hardly anything to sneeze at with the Hogs finishing the season with a 20-12 record. Arkansas was 7-11 in conference play, but last season was more than enough to get fans excited about the upcoming season. After a solid season, last year we are going to examine the newcomers and the expectations for this season. Musselman gave fans plenty to be pleased about a year ago, now it is time to feed the beast.
For the upcoming season, the Arkansas Razorbacks are returning only one player with significant starting experience in Desi Sills. Sills averages almost 11 points per game last season, but a large amount of production will come from the recruiting class that Musselman signed. However, from a size and length perspective this basketball team is built better to contend in the SEC.
The newcomers and the class entering the program lead long time fans to thinking about the days of Corliss Williamson and Scotty Thurman. What excites fans the most about is that Khalen Robinson, Moses Moody, Davonte Davis, and Jaylin Williams are all homegrown talent. The four freshmen have the potential to come into the SEC and really make some noise. Throw in Connor Vanover, Vance Jackson, and Justin Smith and the mix of experience and youth makes for an intriguing team to examine.
What is playing an impact on preparation for the season is of course COVID-19. COVID-19 has thrown the world into chaos and it is not unexpected that it would have an impact on the 2020 basketball season. The schedule has not been completed yet, but basketball season is on the horizon and that is what a number of fans are waiting to arrive. The excitement is there for Arkansas Razorbacks basketball, and it is now time to keep the momentum going and challenge the SEC.