Future opponent: SMU

[The_Iceman]

 Fran Fraschilla  @franfraschilla

Major concern for SMU after loss at Gonzaga is not just loss of Kennedy, but back up for Nic Moore at PG. Will have to play lot of minutes!

http://espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400586672

http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews.com/2014/10/report-smus-markus-kennedy-currently-not-eligible-to-play-this-season.html/

[azhog10]

Fran Fraschilla  @franfraschilla

Major concern for SMU after loss at Gonzaga is not just loss of Kennedy, but back up for Nic Moore at PG. Will have to play lot of minutes!

http://espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400586672

http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews.com/2014/10/report-smus-markus-kennedy-currently-not-eligible-to-play-this-season.html/

Nic looked fine playing 35 plus minutes. Not sure his backup will really be a factor unless he gets into foul trouble.

[jry04]

Nic looked fine playing 35 plus minutes. Not sure his backup will really be a factor unless he gets into foul trouble.

3/9 shooting with 5 assists 3 turnovers is not that great.


I was one of the few who defended smu last year, and pumped them up going into this year. I knew the potential they had last season. However, the loss of Kennedy is huge. He is their best player in my opinion.

[azhog10]

3/9 shooting with 5 assists 3 turnovers is not that great.


I was one of the few who defended smu last year, and pumped them up going into this year. I knew the potential they had last season. However, the loss of Kennedy is huge. He is their best player in my opinion.

Like I said he looked fine playing 35 minutes. Were his "stats" great? No. But he's probably the best guy they have and still don't understand how he is a major concern for them. When and if Nic goes down, then I think it becomes a major concern.

[tkclark]

Losing Kennedy (#5) really hurts SMU.  He is not only a legit low-post scorer but an excellent passer out of the post.  Without him, SMU has a hole there.

Last year, SMU put it together as the season progressed and Kennedy was a big part of that.  This improves the Hogs chances of pulling off a very nice road win, especially since it looks like our team has improved depth this year and can wear down someone with an inferior bench.  I'm looking forward to being at the game with some Hog gear on which will drive my buddy crazy.  Go Hogs

[BRHogfan]

The other crazy thing when you  look at the stats from the loss to Gonzaga, is that Gonzaga left 12 points on the charity stripe.  The Hogs get to the line at a very good clip and are shooting their best free throw percentages since the early 90's. 

I'm growing more and more confident

[The_Iceman]

What would be great for Arkansas is if we beat them without Kennedy, and then he comes back and they have a huge year.

[Karma]

The other crazy thing when you  look at the stats from the loss to Gonzaga, is that Gonzaga left 12 points on the charity stripe.  The Hogs get to the line at a very good clip and are shooting their best free throw percentages since the early 90's. 

I'm growing more and more confident

For too many years to count, the Hogs have looked like a completely different team on the road.  That started to change last year.  Hopefully we put those demons to rest this year.

[Biggus Piggus]

For too many years to count, the Hogs have looked like a completely different team on the road.  That started to change last year.  Hopefully we put those demons to rest this year.

Last year's true road games...

At TAM -- the horror
At Georgia -- played like slop, blew lead late, lost in OT, shot poorly from every range, rebounded like [CENSORED] again
At Tennessee -- blew an 8-pt second half lead in lightning fashion, outscored 30-11 at the line, had 29 fouls to the Vols' 15
At LSU -- fell behind 26-11 and traded baskets the rest of the way, bad shooting and rebounding, little defensive pressure, manhandled inside
At Vandy -- actually blew a game-long lead and trailed by 3 inside the last 3 minutes, inside D was nonexistent, awful defensive rebounding, lucky to win
At Missouri -- fought back from being down 11, led by 1 inside the final minute, couldn't get a stop and couldn't finish, shot and rebounded like crap, poor inside D, 50-foul game
At Mississippi State -- beat a bad opponent by 4, thank goodness they were even worse at the line than our 53%
At Kentucky -- we already had beaten them at BWA, won on great FG% defense and 16-16 at the line
At Alabama -- incredible collapse, trailed 39-16 at half, made only six inside baskets in the entire game, cowardly rebounding, terrible defense, didn't even show up
At California -- 88% defensive rebounding, +11 turnover margin, and we lose by 11? One of the worst-ever shooting performances. If we'd been John Wilkes Booth with the gun pointed at Lincoln's head, we would have shot ourselves.

[razorbackkid]

Last year's true road games...

At TAM -- the horror
At Georgia -- played like slop, blew lead late, lost in OT, shot poorly from every range, rebounded like [CENSORED] again
At Tennessee -- blew an 8-pt second half lead in lightning fashion, outscored 30-11 at the line, had 29 fouls to the Vols' 15
At LSU -- fell behind 26-11 and traded baskets the rest of the way, bad shooting and rebounding, little defensive pressure, manhandled inside
At Vandy -- actually blew a game-long lead and trailed by 3 inside the last 3 minutes, inside D was nonexistent, awful defensive rebounding, lucky to win
At Missouri -- fought back from being down 11, led by 1 inside the final minute, couldn't get a stop and couldn't finish, shot and rebounded like crap, poor inside D, 50-foul game
At Mississippi State -- beat a bad opponent by 4, thank goodness they were even worse at the line than our 53%
At Kentucky -- we already had beaten them at BWA, won on great FG% defense and 16-16 at the line
At Alabama -- incredible collapse, trailed 39-16 at half, made only six inside baskets in the entire game, cowardly rebounding, terrible defense, didn't even show up
At California -- 88% defensive rebounding, +11 turnover margin, and we lose by 11? One of the worst-ever shooting performances. If we'd been John Wilkes Booth with the gun pointed at Lincoln's head, we would have shot ourselves.

I'd rather not remember those games.  But, as it is, this is why when we play away from BWA I tend to tap the brakes on my expectations for a win.  Hopefully this year we be full of road wins.

[WxHog]

SMU plays Indiana tonight on the Big 10 Network. 

[Dominicanhog]

Last year's true road games...

At TAM -- the horror
At Georgia -- played like slop, blew lead late, lost in OT, shot poorly from every range, rebounded like [CENSORED] again
At Tennessee -- blew an 8-pt second half lead in lightning fashion, outscored 30-11 at the line, had 29 fouls to the Vols' 15
At LSU -- fell behind 26-11 and traded baskets the rest of the way, bad shooting and rebounding, little defensive pressure, manhandled inside
At Vandy -- actually blew a game-long lead and trailed by 3 inside the last 3 minutes, inside D was nonexistent, awful defensive rebounding, lucky to win
At Missouri -- fought back from being down 11, led by 1 inside the final minute, couldn't get a stop and couldn't finish, shot and rebounded like crap, poor inside D, 50-foul game
At Mississippi State -- beat a bad opponent by 4, thank goodness they were even worse at the line than our 53%
At Kentucky -- we already had beaten them at BWA, won on great FG% defense and 16-16 at the line
At Alabama -- incredible collapse, trailed 39-16 at half, made only six inside baskets in the entire game, cowardly rebounding, terrible defense, didn't even show up
At California -- 88% defensive rebounding, +11 turnover margin, and we lose by 11? One of the worst-ever shooting performances. If we'd been John Wilkes Booth with the gun pointed at Lincoln's head, we would have shot ourselves.

excellent synopsis... they all seem so recent,  but with 3 wins, couple other character testers that we lost close, set's us up for a better year, just from an experience standpoint... I think we get as many a 6 sec wins on the road, anything less than 4 would be a disappointment.

[Rawker]

I'd rather not remember those games.  But, as it is, this is why when we play away from BWA I tend to tap the brakes on my expectations for a win.  Hopefully this year we be full of road wins.

Won't be full of them.  But look at the stats from a bunch of top 60-70 teams.  Outside of a rediculous team like KY this year, which would probably do well on the road against the Sixers, there has been in recent times - and will be from now on - a crap load of losses on the road by all teams, including decent ones.  I think AR has just become famous for it because (1) they laid an egg overall a couple of years ago, which will not soon be let down, and (2) the level of their untimely collapse on the road in games after inspired home games is mind-numbing.  For example, after an exciting UK home win...bad road loss to GA; after playing ghost-of-Nolan great against Ole Miss at home....get absolutely pummeled by a bad AL team on road as the tournament looms.  It's the complete polar opposite nature of their play that makes it "a thing."  But look at 2013 road records from teams at around UAs current level:
Minnesota: 3-7
Nebraska: 3-8
Missourri: 3-8
KS ST: 2-7
Georgetown: 2-8
Maryland: 2-8
Utah: 2-8
LSU: 3-8
IND: 2-8
OKST: 3-7
AZST: 4-7
TN: 4-7
Even eventual runner up KY: 5-5 in the supposedly awful SEC.
Eventual Champ UConn: Went 5-5 or 5-6, something like that.

It always comes up in mentions of Arkansas, right after the style of play, but the 0-fer came with a team that was not at all ready to play MA/Nolan Ball, and didn't have the horses to understand road toughness.  As MA goes on at UA - and unfortunately for you ill-wishers, he will go on - that toughness will increase, making road play more of a fight.  But the fact will remain that ALL TEAMS will be climbing an uphill battle on the road from now on, especially with the junior programs producing and preparing more and more kids to deal with tough players coming into their house.