This Arkansas basketball team has all the pieces to play winning basketball. From top to bottom, the Razorbacks are built to succeed. Darius Acuff controls the offense at point guard, Meleek Thomas provides elite shooting on the perimeter, and John Calipari brings championship-level experience on the sideline. Add in the roster depth to run an eight- or nine-man rotations, and Arkansas has everything it needs to be great.
So what’s missing? Consistency is the right answer. Starting how you finish is the name of the game for Arkansas and it could be what makes or breaks them.
For John Calipari’s Razorbacks, Consistency Is the Final Hurdle
The biggest issue has been slow starts, particularly on the road. The recent loss at Georgia is a prime example. Falling behind early forces Arkansas to play catch-up and drains energy over the course of the games and then adds up over a long SEC season. Calipari has seen his team respond after sluggish performances, but avoiding these slow starts must become a priority before it turns into a troubling trend.
Another key is defending home court. Arkansas plays its best basketball in Bud Walton Arena and now has a chance to regain momentum after road losses to Georgia and Auburn. The Razorbacks average just under 90 points per game, No. 15 nationally, and can score with anyone. At home, their ability to create turnovers fuels easy offense, but that defensive edge hasn’t consistently traveled. The focus should be simple: take care of business at home while continuing to improve on the road.
Arkansas also must dictate the tempo and physicality of games. When the Razorbacks play fast, aggressive, and tough, they look like a completely different team. Physical play leads to better defense and rebounding, two areas that have been inconsistent.
The X-factor is Trevon Brazile. Acuff and Thomas have been reliable, but when Brazile is productive, the entire team elevates. His energy, rebounding, and leadership set the tone, and his presence inside dictates how Arkansas plays from the opening whistle to the final buzzer. Getting Brazile going is crucial to unlocking this team’s full potential.
The blueprint is clear: start fast, protect home court, control tempo, and play with force. Arkansas must identify what makes it so effective at home and carry those habits into SEC road games if wins are going to start stacking up. In a wide-open conference where teams are separated by razor-thin margins, momentum will matter, both in the SEC race and for March Madness seeding. John Calipari knows what it takes. Now it’s on the Razorbacks to execute.