UALR

[Arazorbackguy1]

First year coach is owning it right now.  I still think the Hogs would beat em by 15 though.

[Hawg Red]

But do you think the Hogs could beat anyone by 22 on the road?

[Biggus Piggus]

UALR - against a below-average schedule - has been a very ordinary scoring team despite playing at about the slowest pace of any Division I team. Their defense has been very good.

Chris Beard is a Bobby Knight disciple, thus the defense-first approach. They have allowed a very low shooting % from 2-point range and have paired that with strong defensive rebounding. Few second shots.

The Trojans' top nine players are shooting 50% from 2pt range, 34% from 3pt range, and 84% at the line.

You can see the low quality of their opposition in their great free throw scoring advantage + their big turnover margin advantage. This isn't a a team trying to force turnovers.

In the Sun Belt, UALR will face good defensive opponents in Texas-Arlington, Georgia State, Louisiana-Monroe and Texas State. The Trojans might win a lot of games this season.

They play Texas Tech next Tuesday, a team the Razorbacks play in January.

[Biggus Piggus]

But do you think the Hogs could beat anyone by 22 on the road?

Anyone like DePaul? That was a very good win for UALR for this point in the season. Rare home game for DePaul. They're going to get murdered in the Big East.

Arkansas won't be playing any road games against teams as weak as DePaul, unless it's Mississippi State.

[Hawg Red]

Anyone like DePaul? That was a very good win for UALR for this point in the season. Rare home game for DePaul. They're going to get murdered in the Big East.

Arkansas won't be playing any road games against teams as weak as DePaul, unless it's Mississippi State.

DePaul, this year, is probably about as good as Missouri last year. We beat Missouri by a single point on the road with last year's 27-win team. My point is that LR is pretty good this year. I get that folks aren't impressed with who they've played, but to go on the road and beat any high-major school by 22 points is impressive and I'm not sure the Hogs have the chops to do it. I'm also not sure the Hogs would beat LR by 15. I could see it at home, but not on the road or on a neutral court.

EDIT: But I did forget that we beat Auburn by 14 on the road last year.

[hogman99]

UALR - against a below-average schedule - has been a very ordinary scoring team despite playing at about the slowest pace of any Division I team. Their defense has been very good.

Chris Beard is a Bobby Knight disciple, thus the defense-first approach. They have allowed a very low shooting % from 2-point range and have paired that with strong defensive rebounding. Few second shots.

The Trojans' top nine players are shooting 50% from 2pt range, 34% from 3pt range, and 84% at the line.

You can see the low quality of their opposition in their great free throw scoring advantage + their big turnover margin advantage. This isn't a a team trying to force turnovers.

In the Sun Belt, UALR will face good defensive opponents in Texas-Arlington, Georgia State, Louisiana-Monroe and Texas State. The Trojans might win a lot of games this season.

They play Texas Tech next Tuesday, a team the Razorbacks play in January.

Coach Beard has taken in new players, had them fit into his system and is winning games.  They do press some, but they understand how to recover and not give up open layups. Their man to man defense is played the way it is supposed to be played. Very little switching and when they do they understand how to rotate to avoid giving up easy shots. They put on clinic on how to hedge over screens. There is very little wasted motion and they have some very good shooters and are very quick. Great fundamentals, great defense and efficient offense will keep them in many games. If Coach Beard sticks around they will be the team to beat in the Sun Belt for some time.   

[Cinco de Hogo]

As a fan I might say the Hogs would beat whoever they are playing but I wouldn't bet on a single game unless it was based on margin(like the other team beating us by 22 points).

[Cinco de Hogo]

Coach Beard has taken in new players and had them fit into his system and is winning games.  They do press some, but they understand how to recover and not give up open layups. Their man to man defense is played the way it is supposed to be played. Very little switching and when they do they understand how to rotate to avoid giving up easy shots. There is very little wasted motion and they have some very good shooters and are very quick. Great fundamentals, great defense and efficient offense will keep them in many games. If Coach Beard sticks around they will be the team to beat in the Sun Belt for some time.

That ain't hap'n, the sticking around part.

[hogman99]

That ain't hap'n, the sticking around part.

Agree, but it is nice to watch a team that understands the game and plays a style that will always work.

[HoopS]

Who knows who'd win but many folks here didn't foresee us scoring as we are right now so I'm not sure you'll get a solid answer.

[Biggus Piggus]

DePaul, this year, is probably about as good as Missouri last year. We beat Missouri by a single point on the road with last year's 27-win team. My point is that LR is pretty good this year. I get that folks aren't impressed with who they've played, but to go on the road and beat any high-major school by 22 points is impressive and I'm not sure the Hogs have the chops to do it. I'm also not sure the Hogs would beat LR by 15. I could see it at home, but not on the road or on a neutral court.

EDIT: But I did forget that we beat Auburn by 14 on the road last year.

Calling DePaul a high-major team is a serious stretch. They were added to the Big East as filler.

Arkansas would stand a good chance of blowing out turnover-gusher teams like TCU, Washington, St. John's, Rutgers, South Florida, and *ahem* DePaul. They're all poor ballhandling teams that struggle to score.

It's all about matchups.

[Hawg Red]

Who knows who'd win but many folks here didn't foresee us scoring as we are right now so I'm not sure you'll get a solid answer.

We've done really well against low and mid majors. There's no question there. But we're averaging almost 75 PPG against high-major opposition. I don't think we have a solid answer on if we're even truly a great scoring team.

[Hawg Red]

Calling DePaul a high-major team is a serious stretch. They were added to the Big East as filler.

But they were added the Big East and have been a high-major program for a decade. It's a pretty clear definition.

Arkansas would stand a good chance of blowing out turnover-gusher teams like TCU, Washington, St. John's, Rutgers, South Florida, and *ahem* DePaul. They're all poor ballhandling teams that struggle to score.

It's all about matchups.

At home, sure. On the road? Eh.

[sooiepig_12]

UALR - against a below-average schedule - has been a very ordinary scoring team despite playing at about the slowest pace of any Division I team. Their defense has been very good.

Chris Beard is a Bobby Knight disciple, thus the defense-first approach. They have allowed a very low shooting % from 2-point range and have paired that with strong defensive rebounding. Few second shots.

The Trojans' top nine players are shooting 50% from 2pt range, 34% from 3pt range, and 84% at the line.

You can see the low quality of their opposition in their great free throw scoring advantage + their big turnover margin advantage. This isn't a a team trying to force turnovers.

In the Sun Belt, UALR will face good defensive opponents in Texas-Arlington, Georgia State, Louisiana-Monroe and Texas State. The Trojans might win a lot of games this season.

They play Texas Tech next Tuesday, a team the Razorbacks play in January.

@ Tulsa and @San Diego State.  Two big time road wins

[HoopS]

We've done really well against low and mid majors. There's no question there. But we're averaging almost 75 PPG against high-major opposition. I don't think we have a solid answer on if we're even truly a great scoring team.

yep. That's what I'm saying. Hard to tell right now.

[Biggus Piggus]

@ Tulsa and @San Diego State.  Two big time road wins

Agreed. Anyone would love those.

[hawginbigd1]

Agreed. Anyone would love those.

To your original post about their schedule, I don't believe there are more than maybe 20 teams mid major or above with a tougher schedule overall!

[Biggus Piggus]

To your original post about their schedule, I don't believe there are more than maybe 20 teams mid major or above with a tougher schedule overall!

I was looking at actual statistical ratings of UALR's schedule. RealTimeRPI rates UALR's schedule 121st, which would be slightly above average. Ken Pomeroy rates it 151st, near average. ESPN's BPI ranks it 247th, which is well below average.

RPI rankings put UALR higher, because they don't even consider games against Central Baptist and Centenary.

Also does not help to have two games against UCA (ranked 310th in Pomeroy) and one against Idaho (274th). If you just ignore the two lower-division games, UALR has beaten two top 100 opponents (both on the road), two in the 170s, and two below 250th (the evil line).

[Biggus Piggus]

As for the claim, "I don't believe there are more than maybe 20 teams mid major or above with a tougher schedule overall!" ...

Depending on how you look at it, there's somewhere between 120 and 246 teams with tougher schedules. At that is to date. If you look at their entire schedule, UALR will play 13 more games against teams ranked below 200th.

Arkansas gets to play ... zero.

[hawginbigd1]

Yeah I am just talking top 150 opponents on the road this early in the season.

[Biggus Piggus]

Yeah I am just talking top 150 opponents on the road this early in the season.

Well, think about your logic there. Who plays the most games against top 150 opponents on the road? Mid-majors. Teams that can't afford to play home games until conference play.

Prairie View A&M - just picking a name at random - already has played six road games against top 150 opponents.

Who has the most top 100 road wins right now? Not counting neutral court games. Don't know. Most high-major teams don't schedule many nonconference road games.

I'm most impressed with Xavier's record. They won at Michigan, then went to Florida and beat Alabama, USC and Dayton. They beat Cincinnati at home, but both teams are from the same city.

Valparaiso has beaten Oregon State and Rhode Island - both top 50 teams - on the road. Probably the best you'll find so far, fwiw.

[hogman99]

Anyone still think the Hogs can beat Little Rock by 15? 

[Cinco de Hogo]

Anyone still think the Hogs can beat Little Rock by 15?

I never did.

[PonderinHog]

Anyone still think the Hogs can beat Little Rock by 15?

Where? 

[hogman99]

Where?

Anywhere!! The difference in coaching ability will be in Little Rock's favor big time.

[Danny J]

Anyone still think the Hogs can beat Little Rock by 15?

We struggle beating sub par teams. All we have to hang our hats on right now is Evansville. Let that sink in for a moment. I am sorry...but I for one want to give CMA the benefit of the doubt but MY GOD MAN this is year 5 and our best win so far right before entering SEC play is against Evansville. We are right at .500. What the hell is going to happen at Dayton then to aTm then at home against vandy? Not going to be pretty.

[hogman99]

We struggle beating sub par teams. All we have to hang our hats on right now is Evansville. Let that sink in for a moment. I am sorry...but I for one want to give CMA the benefit of the doubt but MY GOD MAN this is year 5 and our best win so far right before entering SEC play is against Evansville. We are right at .500. What the hell is going to happen at Dayton then to aTm then at home against vandy? Not going to be pretty.

Little Rock would beat Arkansas like they stole something.

[regi]

UALR would drill us by 15-20

[hoglady]

I watched the Hogs at Verizon last night.
Going to watch the Trojans at Jack Stephens today at 1:00.
It will interesting to compare the style of play.
I will probably feel like I'm watching an Eddie Sutton team this afternoon.
Fan of both programs.

[hobhog]

Didn't take coach Beard long to get things going there.

[hogman99]

Didn't take coach Beard long to get things going there.

That's what real coaching will do. Relying on "energy" in order to win won't work.

[MICHAELSPAPPY]

Trojans beat Northern Arizona in a snoozer. Now 10-0. Were one of six undefeated teams at the start of the day, according to ESPN. Next up, Texas Tech in Lubbock.

[PonderinHog]

UALR would drill us by 15-20

10-12 max.   

[hogman99]

10-12 max.   

Little Rock plays defense way better than Mercer.

[hoglady]

Just got back home from the Little Rock game.
Man - they play good together. Move the ball extremely well and take good shots.
Play defense like Sutton's old team's.
Beard brought in 10 new players and they have meshed well.
Looking forward to seeing how they do against Texas Tech.

[hogman99]

Just got back home from the Little Rock game.
Man - they play good together. Move the ball extremely well and take good shots.
Play defense like Sutton's old team's.
Beard brought in 10 new players and they have meshed well.
Looking forward to seeing how they do against Texas Tech.

They have a great coach who knows what it takes to win and does not depend on "energy" to win games. Pretty amazing what an actual system of X's and O's will do for a team.

Isn't it nice to see a hard nose defense that understands where to be and when to be there?

[HogBreath]

Little Rock plays defense way better than Mercer.

I doubt that..Mercer beat Duke a few years ago.

[PonderinHog]

They have a great coach who knows what it takes to win and does not depend on "energy" to win games. Pretty amazing what an actual system of X's and O's will do for a team.

Isn't it nice to see a hard nose defense that understands where to be and when to be there?

Say "energy" one more time...

[hawginbigd1]

That's what real coaching will do. Relying on "energy" in order to win won't work.

Dude that horse is dead! You don't like what MA is doing, but this seems like about 20 posts with the "energy" thing since last night!

I generally don't have a problem with MA's coaching, I am still pissed about last years recruiting failure, but if he has players he can get them going! I like watching this team, they play hard! That is coaching, whether you want to admit it! He needs to hire a stud recruiter, because he is not a dynamic person and his assistants other than maybe TJ are not getting it done! All that said they have put together a decent class so far, but too many Jucos!

[hawginbigd1]

Say "energy" one more time...

Beat me to it LOL

[hogman99]

Say "energy" one more time...

Hey, I'm just repeating what CMA says all the time. Maybe if you get sick of me saying it, you will pay more attention to what CMA says. You may even begin to wonder yourself what the hell he is doing.

[hogman99]

Dude that horse is dead! You don't like what MA is doing, but this seems like about 20 posts with the "energy" thing since last night!

I generally don't have a problem with MA's coaching, I am still pissed about last years recruiting failure, but if he has players he can get them going! I like watching this team, they play hard! That is coaching, whether you want to admit it! He needs to hire a stud recruiter, because he is not a dynamic person and his assistants other than maybe TJ are not getting it done! All that said they have put together a decent class so far, but too many Jucos!

Almost as dead as "but we won 27 games last year and Hawgball is back"

[Hawg Red]

I doubt that..Mercer beat Duke a few years ago.

Yeah, a few years ago. There is only one player from that team left and he barely played on that team. Although they did play some pretty good defense last night against the Hogs. UALR is historically better than Mercer.

Bottom line is Mercer beat the Hogs and LR is 10-0. If we're being honest with ourselves, the Hogs probably aren't 10-0 against LR's schedule. Doubt Mercer would be, either. The Trojans are getting it done and have a couple really good road wins. I'm enjoying it as a UALR grad and I hope everyone in the state or at least Central Arkansas enjoy this year as well because they probably aren't going to be this good again for quite a while. We're all Hog fans first, but it will be nice to have another in-state school (and one that doesn't tend to have obnoxious fans) to root for during a tough season for the Hogs.

[Atlhogfan1]

Yep.  Mercer beat Duke.  Duke has won NC's in 2010 and 2015.  If our program and staff does that, they will get free passes for losing to Mercer.  One player left from that Mercer team but he beat Duke.

[HoopS]

In a close game with Tex Tech.

54-50 TT
3:04 Second Half

Fox Sports

[HoopS]

65-53 TT
Final

[hoglady]

Man - that final score makes me sick.
Most people will think they got blown out and nothing could be further from the truth.
They let it get away from them in the last 3 minutes.
Up until that point TT was in a dogfight.

[DeltaBoy]

GO Trojans

[DeltaBoy]

Hope to go and see the Trojans in Arlington next Saturday.

[HoopS]

Despite being 15-1, they have fallen to 45 in Pomeroy ratings. Hogs are 49th in it with 7 losses. Tells you the difference in SOS which is why I said they'd fall.