Arkansas basketball (13-8, 2-6 SEC) simply couldn't miss in coach John Calipari's 89-79 homecoming win over the No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday at Rupp Arena.
Ranked 253rd nationally in three-point percentage (32.5%) entering the game, Arkansas smashed its per-game average of 7.3 three-point makes with 13 total triples on 25 attempts (52.0%) against the Wildcats.
Leading the way for Arkansas from beyond the arc was big man Zvonimir Ivisic, who hit 4-of-7 threes to help him score 14 points. Guard Johnell Davis (three makes), guard DJ Wagner (two makes) and wing Karter Knox (two makes) also hit multiple splashes from distance.
"(Shooting threes) really wasn’t a big emphasis, like Coach (Calipari) just said to come with energy, play with confidence and have fun," Wagner said after the game. "Through the season, some of the games, we struggled from the three point line, but Coach always said in practice, just from how much work we put in in practice and stuff like that, shots won’t fall one game or shots won’t fall some games, but we can’t really focus the game on that, missing shots.
"A big emphasis was really just defense and fighting, because that’s what makes us who we are and playing defense and fighting, and if shots are falling, it’s going to be good for us."
Before tonight, Arkansas was shooting just 40-of-161 (24.8%) in Southeastern Conference play with a heavy focus on driving to the rim. Getting to the cup was still an emphasis against Kentucky, as the Hogs scored 32 points in the paint with seven layups and four dunks, but the clutch shot-making showed a side of Arkansas that many expected to see in the preseason.
"We tried to drive the ball every chance," Calipari said. "I got on Adou a couple of times for shooting threes, why are you doing that? You are as good a player in the country when you drive the ball. Drive the ball! [I got] on Karter about that, but I want Nelly pull up and shoot. I want DJ to shoot some of those balls. I want Z to shoot those balls.
"We have to play how we have to play to win and part of that was grinding it out. We still scored 89, 90 points and we were working it. We were grinding out, you can still score 90 playing that way. It’s a crazy thing, there’s not one way to do this and every team has its own team that you play."
A sight for sore eyes for Arkansas was the play of Davis, whose hot shooting propelled him to an 18-point night. The veteran hit threes at a 41.4% clip a season ago at Florida Atlantic, but was shooting just 31.5% from distance entering tonight's game.
"(Johnell) was real confident tonight, Thiero said after the game. "Even before the game I told him, “You see if you’re wide open, shoot it.” After his first shot went in, it just kept falling, so we kept telling him throughout the game, “Keep shooting it, keep shooting it.” As the game went on, his confidence kept rising and he kept making plays."
Up next, Arkansas will travel to Austin, Texas, to face the Longhorns on Wednesday. That game will tip off at 8 p.m. CT and it will air on ESPN2.
