5 Takeaways from Arkansas' sloppy exhibition win over Gonzaga

It wasn't pretty, but in a classic October basketball game full of turnovers and sloppiness, Arkansas outlasted Gonzaga, 76-72. The Hogs had 13 turnovers, and heralded recruit Jordan Smith Jr. couldn't buy a field goal, ending the game with only 1 point.

Nevertheless, Arkansas was able to rally from a 10-point deficit to outlast the Bulldogs in a game that provided plenty of teaching moments for both coaching staffs.

For Arkansas, the usual suspects made their presence felt, but some surprise newcomers made the case for increased roles. It wasn't consistent -- can you really expect it to in October? -- but there was enough there to know that this could very well John Calipari's best team at Arkansas.

Here are 5 takeaways from the game.

1. It's Going to be Hard to Keep Davion Thompson Off The Floor

Davion Thompson was the cherry on top for the Razorbacks' No. 1 recruiting class, though many didn't expect the 17-year-old to contribute right away on such a deep team.

Instead, he looks like the perfect Meleek Thomas replacement.

Thompson had 12 points (4/7 from the field, 2/4 from three) in just 17 minutes but looked more in control than many of his fellow freshmen. On downhill drives in fast-break situations, even at 5'11, he wasn't bothered by Gonzaga's length, keeping his head up and finishing smoothly in traffic.

From deep, he shot with confidence, trusting his stroke and pulling the trigger when the Bulldogs dared to give him an inch of space.

With under a minute left in the game, Arkansas up only 70-68, the Razorbacks had a "gotta have it" possession. Who did they turn to? The play wasn't drawn up for Thompson, but the ball ended up in his hands at the top of the key with the shot clock winding down. Most freshmen in his position would have whittled and found one of his more heralded teammates. Instead, he rose and fired, putting the game away from NBA range.

You don't see that type of fearlessness from many 17-year-olds. Expect to see him play more significant minutes once the regular season starts.

2. The Half-Court Offense Lacked Patience

When freshmen make the transition to college basketball, it's common to see them struggle to find immediate footing on the offensive end. After all, these are teenagers who were used to dominating and taking whatever they wanted in high school. Coaches can tell you the college game is different, but until you hit that brick wall and start seeing stars, a young mind doesn't tend to truly believe it.

Arkansas' young freshman hit plenty of brick walls on Saturday, leading to turnovers and ugly possessions galore. Countless times in the first half, passes were forced and either tipped out of bounds or stolen. Those passing lanes might be there on the EYBL circuit, but not against seasoned college basketball players.

Often, this forcedness occurred when the first look wasn't there. If the pick-and-roll didn't lead to an easy layup, it wasn't enough to kick it back around and reset. Instead, the young pups would lower their heads and force up a prayer, hoping to be bailed out by a whistle.

There were certainly some offensive flashes today -- specifically Miika
Muurinen on the pick-and-pop and downhill drives that led to free -throw trips -- but often, rhythmless threes were forced up.

Today, they fell (45% from deep). But Arkansas will need to be more patient with the alternatives on the nights the three-ball isn't falling.

3. Their Length and Depth Will Create Problems for Opposing Teams

Last season, any time Arkansas played a team with a clear size advantage (Florida, Arizona, Duke, etc.), the game seemed to be over before it had even started. Calipari made a point to correct that this off-season -- and it showed itself in spades against Gonzaga.

The rotations weren't always tight -- especially in the first half -- but the defense would have flurries, leading to fast-break outlets where the Razorbacks are at their best. It felt like watching a boxer lean on their opponent, wearing them down with body blows until the knockout punch could be thrown. Of course, the Arkansas offense wasn't consistent enough to put them away when they had the chance, but you could see the vision.

Calipari played 10 guys. Will he continue to do so? Likely not. But when fouls or injuries stack up -- like they did today -- it's nice to know that the Hogs can maintain their aggressiveness and continue to bother teams with yet another seven-footer to lean on opposing big men.

4. Cooper Bowser is a Clear Upgrade at Center

Much was made of Calipari's search for a quality center in the transfer portal last offseason. When Furman transfer Cooper Bowser committed, many fans had the same reaction: Is that the best we can do?

Bowser added fuel to this particular narrative fire with his poor play in the Bahamas, but he played like man possessed against Gonzaga.

Bowser had 9 points and looked great as a lob and pick-and-roll threat. He finished strong and gripped the ball well when he got in the post, not letting handsy guards knock the ball free like Malique Ewin was prone to do last year.

Most importantly, he was a beast on the glass. Bowser had a team-high 10 rebounds and consistently came down with the ball in traffic. Even if it didn't always end up in his possession, he caused enough of a commotion that it opened up space for Muurinen and J.J. Andrews, or he drew contact that led to whistles and foul trouble for the Gonzaga big men.

If that's the type of Bowser the Hogs will get this year, it seems that Calipari and his staff did a great job with their evaluation.

5. This Team Will be a Work in Progress

The Razorbacks are oozing with talent. Individually, there were plays today that made you drop your jaw -- but collectively, there is still a lot to be desired. Yes, they got the win, but Gonzaga was missing one of their best players and couldn't buy a three for large portions of the game. But in an exhibition, it's more about what you learned rather than whether you won or lost.

For large chunks of the game, Arkansas' half-court offense was a mess. Ditto for the half-court defense. But every once in a while, you'd see the flash of everything coming together, building to a taste of basketball nirvana. It's just that, with as many newcomers and freshmen as there are on this team, it might take a minute to coalesce.

As CBS College Basketball Analyst Jon Rothstein notes above, four of the Razorbacks' first eight opponents are: No. 9 Virginia, Indiana, No. 6 Michigan State, and North Carolina. That's not easy and could lead to some growing pains. It might cause some frustration in the fanbase.

But this team has all the pieces to win the SEC. At their best, they can make an extremely deep run in March. One thing is clear after today, though: it's going to take some time.

Despite these potential growing pains, this Razorback team will be extremely fun to watch -- and just imagine when Smith Jr. can figure it out on the offensive end. The regular season can't get here soon enough

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