Arkansas Basketball: Previewing game against NDSU

The tenth-ranked Arkansas basketball team tips off the 2022-2023 campaign tonight at 7 p.m. against North Dakota State University in Bud Walton Arena. SEC Network+ is carrying the television broadcast.

North Dakota State is coming off a 23-10 (13-5) season in the Summit League. They lost to South Dakota State in last year’s Summit League Championship game.

Arkansas basketball has its first chance to get in the win column tonight against the Bison.

The Ken Pomeroy rankings have North Dakota State ranked 204th (199 in adjusted offense, 229 in adjusted defense) in their beginning-of-season poll. Furthermore, the rankings add that North Dakota State is 173rd in adjusted tempo.

However, Ken Pom may be off on this one, at least early. North Dakota State is looking to play much faster this year than head coach Dave Richman’s Bison squads have in the past.

The Bison won their lone exhibition game against Minnesota-Crookston 98-64. North Dakota State attempted 71 total shot attempts and 34 three-pointers. (For comparison, the Bison only attempted 65 shots in last year’s exhibition game. Clearly, they have picked up the pace.)

Arkansas basketball will need to keep an eye on two Freshman gunners on the defensive end. 6’4″ guard Tajavis Miller was 6-10 from deep against Minnesota-Crookston. 6’3″ guard Lance Waddles was 4-7 from three-point range (and 6-10 overall) in that same exhibition game.

North Dakota State will undoubtedly test Arkansas basketball’s 6th overall ranking in adjusted defense (per Ken Pom rankings). However, head coach Eric Musselman will have the scouting work done and the team up to the task.

Look for Musselman and his staff to rely on their length at guard to disrupt the Bison’s smaller shooters. Anthony Black, Ricky Council, and Nick Smith Jr. stand at 6’7″, 6’6″, and 6’5″, respectively. Shooting over that length should make for difficult evenings for Miller and Waddles.

On the offensive end, Arkansas basketball will need to shoot better than they did in their two exhibition games to beat the Bison. Across two exhibition games, the Razorbacks are shooting 36.1 percent from three and 61.9 percent from the free throw line.

The Razorbacks also need to protect the ball. They averaged nearly 20 turnovers a game in their exhibition contests against Rogers State and Texas.

Arkansas basketball should get the win, but don’t be surprised if some early-season rust leads to this one being closer than expected.