If there was one area Arkansas basketball desperately needed to improve, it was defense. Just a few weeks ago, that side of the floor was a glaring weakness for the Razorbacks. Now, it’s beginning to look like a strength, and head coach John Calipari is seeing the results of going back to the drawing board.
John Calipari Took Arkansas Back to the Basics
Defense was the biggest question mark.
Now, it may become their calling card.
"“We were so bad defensively two, three weeks ago that some of this stuff is going back to the basics of how my teams have guarded in the past,” Calipari said. “We had to do some different things in pick and roll, on the pickup point, and how we presented ourselves defensively.”"John Calipari
Returning to the fundamentals and essentially starting from ground zero may have been exactly what this team needed. The Razorbacks are coming off arguably their best defensive performance of the season in a dominant showing against LSU.
Arkansas held the Tigers to just 31% shooting from the field and a staggering 14% from three-point range. Even more impressive, the Razorbacks swatted away 10 total shots, with Trevon Brazile accounting for five of them. It was a defensive clinic, and a far cry from what Arkansas was allowing earlier in the season.
The improvement didn’t just start against LSU. Following their recent mid-week break, the Razorbacks began trending upward defensively, holding Mississippi State to just 68 points in the game prior. The energy, communication, and rim protection have all taken noticeable steps forward.
The biggest wild card in this turnaround has been Brazile. The talented forward has become an eraser in the paint, eliminating easy scoring opportunities and anchoring the defense with elite shot-blocking instincts. He recorded four blocks against Mississippi State before erupting for five against LSU. This is the type of defensive presence Razorback fans, and Calipari, envisioned from Brazile in what could be his final season in Fayetteville.
When Brazile is active and engaged, Arkansas’ defense transforms. Guards can apply more pressure knowing they have protection behind them. Opponents are forced to alter shots or settle for difficult attempts. That interior presence changes everything.
There’s still work to be done, but the trajectory is clear. The Razorbacks are defending with more discipline in pick-and-roll coverage, improving their pickup points, and presenting a much more connected unit on the floor. The identity Calipari wants is beginning to form.
If Arkansas continues defending at this level, the rest of the SEC should take notice. What once looked like a team searching for answers is now beginning to look like a legitimate SEC championship contender, and potentially a dangerous team in the NCAA Tournament.