Arkansas will trot out an experienced lineup when it tips off its season against Samford on Friday at Bud Walton Arena.
The Razorbacks have a senior-laden roster that is led by the duo of Daryl Macon and Jaylen Barford, who both could be All-SEC caliber players by season’s end.
Elsewhere, Mike Anderson has four other seniors and a host of talented freshman to choose from as the Hogs look to replace the production of Moses Kingsley, Dusty Hannahs, and Manny Watkins.
As for Samford, Scott Padgett’s team features plenty of experience of its own in returning nearly everyone from a 20-win season a year ago.
The Bulldogs will also add Alabama transfer Justin Coleman to an already deep backcourt.
Players to Watch
Daniel Gafford (Arkansas)
We already know what we’re gonna get with Macon and Barford, but we don’t yet know what to expect from the talented 6-11 freshman.
Because of Kingsley’s departure, Gafford figures to get opportunities to showcase his skills. And while he may not play a ton of minutes right off the bat, the hope is that he becomes a reliable frontcourt presence and maybe even a full-time starter at some point this season.
Gafford showed flashes of how good he could be in compiling 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 blocks in Arkansas’s exhibition win over Missouri Western last week.
Trey Thompson (Arkansas)
Thompson will get plenty of minutes this season despite only playing 14 per game last year.
And although he’s a senior, he’s still developing into that impact frontcourt player that Anderson and company will need this season.
Thompson’s passing ability will be a huge asset for this team, and how he and Gafford play together should be intriguing to watch.
There’s no doubt that Anderson needs Thompson to be a breakout contributor this season.
Demetrius Denzel-Dyson (Samford)
The Bulldogs return four double-digit scorers and leading the pack is Denzel-Dyson.
He averaged 16.1 points per game last season and was absolutely brilliant from beyond the arc in shooting 46 percent and knocking down 86 3-pointers on the year.
But Denzel-Dyson is more than just a knockdown shooter. He can score in many different ways, and that’ll aid him in going up against a talented Arkansas backcourt.
Alex Thompson (Samford)
The Auburn transfer is set to take another step forward this season after averaging 11.7 points and 4.3 rebounds in his first year on the court for the Bulldogs.
Thompson started 33 games last season and can stretch the floor to give Samford more ways to score.
He’ll be a major asset in helping Padgett’s squad attack an Arkansas frontcourt that’s still looking for consistency.
How Arkansas Can Win
Samford was one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country last season in shooting 39.5 percent from downtown.
That was good enough for 18th nationally, and with everyone back, it figures to be a major strength yet again.
The Razorbacks finished 84th in the nation in 3-point field goal defense, so they’ll need to be just as good in that area to prevent the Bulldogs from getting hot beyond the arc.
If Arkansas can limit open shots on the perimeter, the Hogs should be in good shape.
How Samford Can Win
Aside from shooting the ball well and finding ways to get those open shots, Samford will need to use its depth to make things difficult on the home team.
Arkansas will be limited to nine scholarship players due to injuries and suspensions, so Padgett can use the plethora of options at his disposal to keep his team fresh while the Hogs attempt to keep important players out of foul trouble.
Combine that with the fact that the Hogs gave up a total of 23 3-pointers in their first two exhibition games, and Samford has the confidence and skills needed to pull off the upset.
Game Details
Date: November 10
Time: 8 p.m. EST
TV: SEC Network+
Who wins on November 10?
- Samford (65%, 11 Votes)
- Arkansas (35%, 6 Votes)
Total Voters: 17
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