Arkansas coach John Calipari lit a fire under his new squad to start the season with promising early results.
Fresh off a Monday night mauling of Maryland-Eastern Shore, the No. 19 Razorbacks face a bigger test Thursday night when they face the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Thanksgiving Hoops Showcase in Kansas City, Missouri.
Against the MEAC’s Hawks, the Razorbacks (5-1) ran off on a 28-0 run in the opening half and got strong offensive contributions in a 109-35 win that turned rather historic. They led by 45 points at the break, tying the record for the largest halftime lead in school history. It was also the second-fewest points ever allowed by a team coached by Calipari.
The defensive showing represented the third-fewest points against Arkansas in school history, and the margin of victory tied for third-highest ever by the SEC school.
All five starters scored in double figures — seven players did in all — and the Razorbacks made 40 of 72 shots (55.6 percent). They hit 15 of 34 deep balls (44.1 percent).
“We don’t skip steps,” said Arkansas assistant coach Chin Coleman following the 74-point rout. “We didn’t jump these guys to think about (Illinois). We wanted to win the day. Right now, we’re going to flip the switch. Once I leave here, I’m going to start working on Illinois. Coach (Calipari) is going to do that. Our whole staff, we’re going to start working on Illinois. They’re good.”
Illinois (5-1) was the final ranked team in the poll before a lack of defense was exposed against another SEC foe, No. 8 Alabama in the C.M. Newton Classic last week. Undefeated Xavier, Ole Miss and Mississippi State all rushed by in the polls with 5-0 records to bump the Big Ten school.
Following its 100-87 defeat against the top 10 Crimson Tide, Illinois raced away to its own massive win over Maryland-Eastern Shore and pounded Little Rock in a 92-34 walloping.
Thursday’s matchup with the Razorbacks, the first college basketball game broadcast by CBS on Thanksgiving Day, will conclude a stretch of four games in nine days. The conference opener against Northwestern looms on Dec. 6.
Freshman forward Will Riley said taking care of the ball and valuing possessions at each end of the floor is a critical focus.
Against Little Rock, Illinois dominated in the paint and crafted a 23-0 run over eight minutes in the first half.
“I feel like it was important to build team chemistry throughout the whole game,” said Riley, who scored 13 points off the bench and canned three treys. “We executed well on defense and hustled the whole game. It’s important to keep your head up in those games.”
It was the defensive effort that pleased head coach Brad Underwood most the last time out.
The Fighting Illini held the Trojans to just 23.6 percent shooting (13 of 55), plus they won the rebounding edge 56-26. Little Rock’s 34 points tied an arena record for the fewest netted by a visiting squad.
“Definitely the focus was defense,” said Kasparas Jakucionis, who scored a career- and game-high 21 points. “Execute on defense, share the ball and play the right way. I think we did a great job of doing this.”
–Field Level Media
