HawgBeat - Scouting Report: Analyzing the Alcorn State Braves
HawgBeat takes a deep dive into the analytics for Arkansas' opponent on Monday: the Alcorn State Braves
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The No. 14 Arkansas Razorbacks will tip off for the first time this season against the Alcorn State Braves inside Bud Walton Arena on Monday night.
Led by fourth-year head coach Landon Bussie, the Braves finished the 2022-23 season with an 18-14 (15-3 SWAC) record that included an upset win over Wichita State. In two games against SEC opponents, Alcorn State lost 73-58 to Ole Miss and 94-40 to Tennessee.
Heading into the upcoming season, the Braves were selected to finish third in the SWAC by the league's media, and even earned two first-place votes. Alcorn State had one player selected to a Preseason squad in forward Jeremiah Kendall, who was placed on the All-SWAC First Team.
Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman gave a rundown of what fans should expect from Alcorn State on Wednesday.
"Yeah, when you look at Alcorn State, two-time SWAC champs," Musselman said. "They have a returning point guard in No. 2 (Byron) Joshua - great quickness with the ball, high steal player, ability to make three-point shots. And then they have some really good shooters. No. 10 (Jeremiah) Gambrell took 10 threes in their exhibition game the other day. (Roderick) Jones, No. 4, and (Jalen) Hawkins, No. 3, those guys can shoot the ball.
"(Dekedran) Thorn is a returner who did not play in their exhibition game the other day, No. 12, who is one of the SWAC's best three-point shooters. They have some experience and some new players, as well. They're well-coached. They play at a certain pace. They try to dictate the tempo of the game, as well."
Here's a closer look into Alcorn State's stats, efficiency ratings, projected lineups and more ahead of Monday's game, which is set to tipoff at 7:00 p.m. CT on SEC Network Plus:
Alcorn State statistical rankings (per game) 2022-23 season
~ Scoring offense: 67.7 points scored (273rd nationally)
~ Scoring defense: 70.6 points allowed (190th nationally)
~ Assists: 9.9 (345th nationally)
~ Field goal percentage: 40.8% (328th nationally)
~ 3-point percentage: 29.6% (342nd nationally)
~ Free throw percentage: 72.1% (162nd nationally)
~ Rebounds: 33.97 (231st nationally)
~ Blocks: 2.5 (279th nationally)
~ Steals: 8.0 (42nd nationally)
Alcorn State projected starting five
#2 - G Byron Joshua - Sr., 5'10", 160 lbs.
2022-23 Stats per game: 32.1 min, 11.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 steals, 2.9 turnovers, 0.1 blocks, 37.7 fg%, 23.9 3fg%
#10 - G Jeremiah Gambrell - Grad-Sr., 6'3", 190 lbs.
2022 -23 Stats per game (Prairie View A&M): 25.1 min, 9.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.6 steals, 1.9 turnovers, 32.8 fg%, 27.2 3fg%
#13 - F Jeremiah Kendall - Sr., 6' 7”, 215 lbs.
2022-23 Stats per game: 21.9 min, 11.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.4 turnovers, 0.4 blocks, 49.0 fg%, 0.0 3fg%
#0 - F Stephen Byard - Jr., 6'8", 215 lbs.
2022-23 Stats per game (Cochise College): 27.1 min, 15.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 2.6 turnovers, 0.8 blocks, 64.2 fg%, 0.0 3fg%
#7 - C Alex Tsynkevich - Jr., 6'10", 235 lbs.
2022-23 Stats per game (Blinn College) : 5.8 min, 7.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.6 turnovers, 0.3 blocks, 54.5 fg%, 0.0 3fg%
2023-24 Preseason KenPom efficiency ratings comparison (out of 363 teams)
Alcorn State
~ Adjusted offensive efficiency: 96.4 points per 100 possessions (237th)
~ Adjusted defensive efficiency: 102.7 points per 100 possessions (258th)
Arkansas
~ Adjusted offensive efficiency: 109.3 points per 100 possessions (19th)
~ Adjusted defensive efficiency: 87.9 points per 100 possessions (9th)
*Click here for an explanation on what each rating takes into account.
EvanMiya analytics comparison (out of 363 teams)
EvanMiya Analytics
| Category | Alcorn State | Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rank | 319 | 18 |
| Roster Rank | 332 | 22 |
| Offensive Rank | 301 | 34 |
| Defensive Rank | 335 | 12 |
| Injury Rank (ranking after accounting for injuries) | 319 | 15 |
| Tempo Rank: | 201 | 61 |
Notes
• Arkansas is 5-0 all time versus Alcorn State, all in Fayetteville.• This is the second time Arkansas has hosted Alcorn State for a season opener. The Braves also opened the Razorbacks’ 2009-10 season.
• In that 2009 season opener, Arkansas won 130-68. Rotnei Clarke scored a school-record 51 points in the win, making an SEC-record 13 3-pointers (on 17 attempts).
Arkansas only made 16 3-pointers as a team in that game.
• Arkansas is 81-19 in season openers all-time and 90-10 in home openers.
• Arkansas has won 47 of the last 49 season openers dating back to 1974-75 with both losses coming on neutral courts. Its two losses over the span were the 1994-95 opener when preseason #1 Arkansas fell to preseason #3 UMass (104-80) in the Tipoff Classic (Springfield, Mass.) and the 2018-19 season opener in El Paso versus Texas (77-73 in OT) in the ESPN Armed Forces Classic.
• Arkansas has won 49 straight home openers dating back to 1974-75.
• Arkansas is a perfect 30-0 in Bud Walton Arena for home openers.
• Eric Musselman is 8-0 in both home and season openers.
• For the first time in program history, Arkansas will play eight games in the month of November. The previous most was seven last year and 2019-20 — Coach Muss’ first year.
• Nov. 6 is the second-earliest season opener in school history. The earliest opener came in 2019-20 versus Rice on Nov. 5 in Coach Muss’ first year.
• Arkansas is 140-41 (.773) all-time in the month of November, including a 21-1 mark under Musselman.
