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my thoughts on the game

for 30 mins we were the complete team we all know we can be, when this team is focused and getting the rim, we are a top 10 team
we are still not in shape but it’ll come
Big Z was great in crunch time but his defense has got to be better
TB played the hardest i’ve ever seen him play, i really liked it
our backcourt is elite, DJ boogie and nelly is the best in the country, we won’t shoot 4-16 from 3 again.
we are a really good team with a good coach and we beat a tourney team by 16, i’ll take that anyday
also nelly is a leader and im glad he’s a hog

Hoops Social media reacts to Arkansas' 76-60 win over Lipscomb

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On a picture-perfect night in Fayetteville, the Arkansas basketball team (1-0) defeated the Lipscomb Bisons (0-1), 76-60, in front of a sparse crowd inside Bud Walton Arena.

After a shaky start to start the game, the Hoop Hogs dialed up the defensive pressure and let their work in transition do the talking to close the first half with a 39-28 advantage.

Lipscomb didn't waver in the second half — the Bisons got it down to a three-point deficit at one point — but Arkansas' talent and defense held firm to close out the season-opening victory.

Arkansas graduate senior guard Johnell Davis played live everyone expected after a slow preseason start, as he finished with 15 points, six rebounds and only two turnovers. Leading the Razorbacks in scoring was freshman guard Boogie Fland, who shot 7-of-18 from the field for 17 points.

Throughout and following the win, Arkansas fans and media made their opinions known about the basketball team on social media:

CLICK HERE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA REACTIONS

Hoops Johnell Davis blossoms in physical Arkansas debut

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After a slow start in two preseason exhibition games, Arkansas graduate senior guard Johnell Davis blossomed in the Razorbacks' season-opening 76-60 win over Lipscomb on Wednesday night inside Bud Walton Arena.

The former highly-touted Florida Atlantic transfer shot 7-of-12 from the floor (58.3%) with six rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block and only two turnovers. According to HogStats, Davis is the first Razorback since Marshawn Powell in 2009 with 15+ points, 6+ rebounds, 1+ blocks and 1+ steals in a debut game.

Head coach John Calipari pointed out Davis' physicality as a stand-out feature of his performance.

RELATED: Razorback Freshman Report: Fland leads all scorers vs. Lipscomb

"Well, you know what he did? He went at the rim," Calipari said after the game. "Like we need, I kept saying, why are you shooting jump shots? Go to the rim, and he did it. You know, just go by people.

"Now, you may get bumped. It’s a harder play than shooting a jump shot. You go in, there’s a chance you might lose it. He may block it. He might bump you. How about this thought? I may miss a layup. If I miss a jump shot or a three, I’m okay. But if I miss a layup, that’s embarrassing. You can’t be in that mode. Just go."

Davis was one of Arkansas' top transfer portal pickups over the offseason not only for his prolific scoring ability, but because of his efficient shooting from deep (41.4% on 140 attempts with the Owls last season).

The 6-foot-4 guard only shot 1-of-4 from three against the Bisons — a microcosm of the Razorbacks' 4-of-19 three-point shooting as a team — but that hasn't swayed Calipari from believing the shots will start falling.

"You want to shoot threes? Make threes," Calipari said. "Get in that gym. Prove it in the game. Create opportunities for each other so you can start making them. Throw it ahead. Drive the ball. Swing it, swing it. Three in transition."

Arkansas was up as much as 15 points over Lipscomb before the Bisons made things interesting with a 9-0 run in the second half, even getting the deficit to as little as three points. Despite the uneasy feeling from fans in Bud Walton Arena, Davis said he was never worried about finishing strong.

RELATED: Social media reacts to Arkansas' 76-60 win over Lipscomb

"Nah no nervousness," Davis said after the game. "As a basketball player you go get jitters before the game, but all that goes away once the ball gets tipped...I've been playing college basketball for four years."

Big man Arkansas teammate Zvonimir Ivisic, who finished with 12 points all in the second half, praised Davis for his off-ball tenacity and motivation.

"First of all, you just saw how he follows the players," Ivisic said after the game. "Steal balls, rebounds, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds. Going strong all the time. When we see him, all of us, even bench players, when we see him, how he fights. It motivates us, so he’s a DOG."

Up next, the No. 16 Arkansas basketball team (1-0) will travel to Dallas to face the No. 8 Baylor Bears (0-1) inside American Airlines Center on Saturday. That game will tip-off at 6:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPNU.

Arkansas vs Lipscomb

Getting this started a little early.

The John Calipari era at Arkansas will officially begin this evening when the No. 16 Razorbacks open their season against the Lipscomb Bisons at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.

Tip-off at 7 p.m. CT on SECN+ & ESPN+

Myself and @RileyMcFerran will be live on scene providing game coverage, stats, commentary and more, plus plenty of postgame coverage as well.

LINEUPS:

Lipscomb Starting Lineup ()
POS#NAMEClass
G2Pruitt, WillSR
G10Powell, GyasiSR
G22Anderson, JoeSR
F6Williams, CharlieJR
F41Ognacevic, JacobSR

Arkansas Starting Lineup ()
POS#NAMEClass
G1Davis, JohnellSR
G2Fland, BoogieFR
G21Wagner, D.J.SO
F3Thiero, AdouJR
F44Ivisic, ZvonimirSO

BREAKING: Joseph Pinion to the portal


Arkansas sophomore guard Joseph Pinion intends to enter his name in the transfer portal, he told HawgBeat photographer Nick Wenger on Friday.

Pinion spent two seasons with the Razorbacks as a three-star prospect out of Morrilton. He appeared in 45 total games and averaged just 2.4 points per game. Known best as a sharp-shooter, Pinion was 34.6% from the three-point line and he was 23 of 25 (92%) at the free throw line during his career with the Hogs.

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"First off, I want to thank God for the opportunity to play basketball," Pinion told Wenger. "Thank you to Coach Musselman and my teammates for giving me a good experience at Arkansas. With that being said, I will be entering the transfer portal."

The 6-foot-5, 195-pound guard scored double-digits on five occasions in two season, including a career-best 13-point outing on Jan. 21, 2023, in a 69-57 win over Ole Miss.

Pinion has two more years of eligibility. The transfer portal will officially open Monday for college basketball players.

Football Latest injury news for key Razorbacks

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Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman updated the health status of starting quarterback Taylen Green and running back Ja'Quinden Jackson during his weekly SEC Teleconference on Wednesday.

The forecast for both Green and Jackson ahead of next Saturday's game against the No. 5 Texas Longhorns at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium didn't sound overwhelmingly positive from Pittman.

"I still think we're a few days away from both those guys determining what their availability to play against Texas would be," Pittman said. "I can tell you this, I don't know if either one of them will be able to play if we were playing Saturday. So, I think we still have to wait until Monday of next week to see exactly where we're at with those two guys."

In Arkansas' 63-31 blowout loss to Ole Miss over the weekend, Green suffered a right leg injury in the first half and never looked steady afterward. After Green finished out the first two quarters, backup Malachi Singleton replaced Green for the entire second half.

According to Pittman, Green is dealing with a sprained knee and may not be available to practice today despite going through walk-throughs yesterday.

This isn't the first bruising Green has taken this season, as he left the Tennessee game Oct. 5 early in the fourth quarter due to a left knee injury. Through nine games this season, Green has totaled 2,214 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns, seven interceptions, 411 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.

Jackson has missed two consecutive games for Arkansas while recovering from nagging injuries. Against LSU on Oct. 19, Jackson reaggravated an ankle injury that forced him to exit the game early versus the Tigers.

After starting the year on an electric pace (three straight 100+ yard games), Jackson has cooled off but still sits at fifth in the SEC in rushing yards (592) and he also has 10 scores on the ground. Pittman confirmed that Jackson is still recovering from an ankle injury and that he is uncertain to practice today.

Arkansas will rest up during the bye week before welcoming Texas to Fayetteville on Nov. 16. That game will kick off at 11 a.m. CT and will be broadcast on ABC.

Five-star Meleek Thomas includes Arkansas in final three

Five-star guard Meleek Thomas, the nation's No. 7 overall player in the 2025 class, will announce his commitment Nov. 11th, he announced on Instagram. The Overtime Elite prospect will be deciding between Arkansas, Pittsburgh, and UConn.

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Thomas' recruitment has taken some turns along the way, as he was once thought to be a heavy favorite to go to the back-to-back national champion Huskies back in the summer. Months later, the defending champs are still under consideration for the elite prospect's commitment.

Head coach John Calipari and Arkansas are also battling hometown program Pittsburgh for Thomas. The Panthers have heavily recruited the Midland product for quite some time.

The 6-foot-4 guard is one of the most gifted offensive players in his class. A true three-level scorer, he primarily functions as an off-ball guard and wing, but can handle the ball and initiate an offense, as well.

Thomas has received five FutureCast predictions to Arkansas since October 7th, including from HawgBeat basketball analyst Jackson Collier. If Thomas does end up at Arkansas, the Razorbacks would arguably have the best backcourt duo committed in the 2025 class with him and five-star point guard Darius Acuff Jr.

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