3 Areas Arkansas Must Improve Before Season Opener Against UAPB

Fixing Free Throws and Post Defense Before Arkansas Basketball Opens Against UAPB

Arkansas head coach John Calipari made it clear that a win does not erase glaring flaws, telling reporters after a 93-81 exhibition victory over Memphis, Well, we got a lot of work to do. The Razorbacks finished their exhibition slate at 2-0 after facing No. 15 Gonzaga and Memphis. Yet, as the team prepares for its November 3, 2026 season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, the coaching staff is zeroing in on three specific areas that require immediate attention.

Free Throw Shooting Struggles Plague the Razorbacks

The most alarming statistical trend from the exhibition games is Arkansas’s performance at the charity stripe. Across two contests, the Razorbacks shot a woeful 32 of 57 from the free throw line, good for just 56.1 percent.

Davion Thompson has stepped forward as the team’s most reliable shooter, finishing 5-of-6 against Memphis. Other rotation pieces struggled significantly in that same matchup, with Jordan Smith Jr. going 3-of-5, Billy Richmond III finishing 1-of-3, Miikka Muurinen hitting 2-of-4, and Cooper Bowser missing both attempts.

Calipari did not mince words about the long-term danger of these missed opportunities. Again, free-throw shooting, Calipari said post-game. Free-throw shooting. Come on now. So, when you watch that, and there’s four minutes left in a close game, can you tell me the three you would absolutely not have in? They’ll dictate that. You got to have… late in the game, I’m making free throws.

While an early-season mismatch against UAPB might mask these deficiencies, tougher non-conference tests loom. High-major matchups against Virginia, Indiana, Michigan State, North Carolina, and Arizona—alongside a brutal Southeastern Conference schedule—will punish teams that leave free points on the board.

Rebounding Margins and Interior Defense Deficits

Rebounding presents a different kind of concern. On paper, Arkansas appears physically imposing with a roster featuring 6-foot-11 and 7-foot talent. After dropping the rebounding battle 52-48 against Gonzaga, the Razorbacks bounced back to outrebound Memphis 40-34. Even so, Calipari wants a more dominant edge on the glass, noting that the team surrendered nine offensive boards to the Tigers and allowed several loose balls to slip away.

3 Areas Arkansas Must Improve Before Season Opener Against UAPB — Photo: sports.yahoo.com

We won the rebound battle by six, but we’re trying to go 10, 12-plus rebounds, Calipari said. Why? Seven foot, head on the rim, head on the rim, 6-11, seven foot. We’re big. Go get balls.

That size must also translate more effectively to interior defense. Against Memphis, physical play and a standout performance from opposing big man Nemanja Popovic exposed vulnerabilities in the Razorbacks’ post defense. Popovic carved up the defense for 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting, routinely outplaying Arkansas big men Caleb Ourigou and Maper Maker down low.

With elite frontcourts waiting on the schedule, the Razorbacks’ post defense has very little time to mature before the competition level spikes significantly in the coming weeks.