The No 19 Arkansas Razorbacks (5-1, 0-0 SEC) never trailed in their 109-35 win over the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks (2-7, 0-0 MEAC) on Monday night.
It was a blowout of epic proportions, as Arkansas started the game on a 9-0 run and eventually rattled off another 28 unanswered in the first half to effectively put the game away before halftime.
Arkansas was efficient on the offensive side of the ball, as seven Razorbacks scored in double figures. They shot 55.6% from the field and a season-high 44.1% from deep (15-of-33).
The Hogs were without center Jonas Aidoo for the third-straight game, but forward Trevon Brazile returned and played in short spurts to get his conditioning back after he missed the last two.
Because of the lopsided score, Arkansas head coach John Calipari opted to empty the bench and let some Razorbacks make their season debuts.
HawgBeat hands out the grades for those who played Monday night...
Johnell Davis: Offense A+, Defense A
Davis finally had the breakout game on the offensive end that we've been looking for, as he hit a team-high four threes and scored 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Most of his damage came in the first half when he scored 13 points, but he added another three-pointer in the second half for good measure.Defensively, he was really effective (as all Razorbacks were) in forcing the Hawks to make mistakes and he never let them get clean looks at the basket. He finished with one steal and a block as well.
"I told Nelly, I said 'Nelly...you are one of the best players in the nation. Don’t worry about what other people think or your shot. Just keep playing,'" forward Karter Knox said after the win. "Nelly stays in the gym too. He’s a very hard worker and his hard work paid off tonight. I know Nelly, he’s just going to keep growing from this game. Ain’t the last time you see Nelly."
D.J. Wagner: Offense B+, Defense A
Most of Wagner's offense came from long range, as he hit three threes and finished 5-of-11 overall. He didn't do anything poorly (no one did, let's be honest) but his scoring night was the quietest of the Razorbacks guards.Wagner was stout on the defensive side of the ball, though. He logged two steals and made the Hawks' offense a living nightmare. Wagner was active on the boards with six total and he made multiple hustle plays that a box score can't encapsulate.
Boogie Fland: Offense A, Defense A
Fland actually didn't do as much on the defensive end from a statistics perspective as he has in recent games, as he only recorded one steal in 27 minutes of play, but the stats only tell one side of the story. He hounded the Hawks guards every second he was on the floor and made their lives miserable.
The freshman did exactly what he's done in the other games from an offensive perspective, though, and was efficient shooting the ball. He didn't take any ill-advised shots and was perfect from deep with two threes, and distributed the ball efficiently with a team-high six assists.
Adou Thiero: Offense A, Defense A
Thiero was a stalwart defensively and continued to make effort plays everywhere on the court, but he turned in his second-lowest offensive stat line with just 11 points. He was active all over the floor, though, so the scoring stat is a bit misleading.Of the players who played meaningful minutes, he scored the second-fewest ahead of Trevon Brazile, but he got his teammates involved with five assists and once again had a great nose for the ball, as he had four steals.
Zvonimir Ivisic: Offense A, Defense A
Big Z had a rough few games leading into this contest, but he looked to be in peak form Monday. His jumper, especially from deep, is so smooth that it looks like it's going into the net every time he takes a shot.
He hit three of his six threes and added two more shots inside the arc to finish with 14 points, but his best play came on the defensive end. He had three blocks and was a disruptor when the Hawks tried to get in the lane. Multiple times, guards found their way inside and rather than test the 7-footer, they passed it out.
The biggest part of Ivisic's stat line: zero turnovers in 27 minutes. He'd had 10 in the previous two games combined, so it was a welcome sight to see him not give the ball away.
Karter Knox: Offense A+, Defense A
Knox came alive in this game and showed the fans what he's capable of. He scored a team-high 21 points and brought an extra level of energy to the floor.Much like the rest of the team, Knox had a field day from long range where he hit three three-pointers, but he was also active inside. He had six rebounds, one of which was an effort play in the second half (with the Hogs already up big) to secure an offensive rebound and put it back up for the bucket.
"So it was only a matter of time for Karter," Arkansas associate head coach Chin Coleman said after the game. "We’re expecting big things out of Karter and excited for him that the ball was able to go through the net."
Billy Richmond: Offense A-, Defense A
Richmond's length and athleticism caused problems for the Hawks all night. The best part of his game came on the glass as he finished with nine boards, six defensive and three offensive. It was effort play after effort play for the true freshman, who also contributed with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting.
Coleman called Richmond a "Swiss Army knife" after the game because he can do a little bit of everything. That was evident in the box score, but his energy and effort on the floor is something that can't be calculated.
"We’re challenging Bill, so when he gets in the game, give us that energy, give us that spark plug and do a little bit of everything, because he can," Coleman said. "So we’re excited about Billy. So happy for him. He’s a guy that we’re going to depend on maybe some nights to guard the best player on the other team. We really have that kind of confidence in him, so excited about the rest of the season for him."
Trevon Brazile: Offense B+, Defense B+
After missing the last two games because of injury, it was good to see Brazile get back on the floor and start to get his legs underneath him. He only had two points, but those two came from an emphatic alley-oop pass from Fland where he showcased his leaping ability.Coleman said after the game the plan for Brazile was to play him in short spurts to get him back into playing shape without wearing him out, which makes sense as he only played in 12 minutes of action.
His availability helped add an extra piece to the Razorbacks' rotation, and no one played more than 30 minutes Monday. That went a long way in helping Arkansas stay well-rested.
Late substitutions: A for effort
They only played in the waning minutes of the blowout win, but a tip of the hat is in order for Arkansas' late substitutions who made their first appearances of the season.
Casmir Chavis scored his first collegiate points and played six minutes. Melo Sanchez, Ayden Kelley and Kareem Watkins all didn't score, but only played two minutes in the game. After the Hogs struggled to put away several lesser teams this season, it was fun to see the end of the bench clear out and given an opportunity on the floor.
