HawgBeat - Trevon Brazile soars in season-opener against Alcorn State
Arkansas Razorbacks forward Trevon Brazile exceled in the Hogs' win over Alcorn State on Monday.
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High-flying dunks, dagger three-pointers and hard-nose defense: the three pillars that Arkansas stood upon in its season-opening 93-59 win over the Alcorn State Braves on Monday night inside Bud Walton Arena.
Though multiple players showcased their expertise in the three keys listed above, Arkansas forward Trevon Brazile was one of the only players to excel in all areas.
The Preseason All-SEC First Team forward's 13 points, six rebounds and one three pointer were a sight to behold for Razorback fans after he suffered a season-ending ACL tear during the 2022-23 season.
"I think our trainers and doctors and TB himself, they did a phenomenal job of being patient," head coach Eric Musselman said following the game. "I thought the timeline that we all put together was awesome. We were a little conversation on the front end, and now he’s able to play the way that he’s capable of playing.
It's easy to be mesmerized by the offensive stat line, but Brazile flashed defensively too. While he only had one steal, his length and athleticism disrupted the Alcorn State bigs and prevented easy layups by the Braves' guards. On top of that, five of his six rebounds came on the defensive glass.
"He was out for like nine months, so I feel like it’s really underrated to see what he’s doing and how confident he is in his work and in his craft," Arkansas guard Khalif Battle said after the game. "He’s a hard-worker. But to see him go out there after missing the whole season to a tragic injury, it’s a beautiful thing to watch. That just shows his character. He’s a team-first guy, so just to see him blossom is a beautiful thing."
Prognosticated by many as a potential first-round draft pick in the 2023-24 NBA draft, Brazile lived up to those expectations and looked like a smooth operator during his 21:55 minutes of game action.
"I just knew, being around him, he was itching to come out and play," Arkansas forward Jalen Graham said after the game. "He was never down. He just knew when he came back it would be something amazing, and that’s what he’s been doing."
Even with his second-half ejection — which only happened because he left the bench during an altercation between Arkansas guard Khalif Battle and Alcorn State's Willie Anderson — Brazile still stood out as the Hoop Hogs' best all-around player. He finished the game tied for the team's best plus-minus score at plus-23.
"He’s improved as a shooter," Musselman said. "I thought athletically tonight, he rose above a lot of people. Yeah, I would say he’s 100% healthy and kind of fearless the way he’s jumping and rebounding in traffic."
Up next, No. 14 Arkansas will host Gardner-Webb this Friday inside Bud Walton Arena. The game is set to tip off at 7:00 p.m. and will stream on SEC Network Plus.
