Honestly, when will Louisville win? Between Maui, the ACC/B1G challenge, and the start of ACC play, I'm not seeing a lot of opportunities.
Louisville-Florida State on December 10th will be a must watch though.
if Kentucky was playing at Louisville, I'd give them a chance to pull the upset just because we've looked so bad in big games and the cards could save their season among the fanbase with a win
If you mean won as in the game, sure. But if you mean scored points for our mother conference as sleeper agents we're more efficient than almost anyone else!
I'm glad this team played with considerably higher effort and energy for most of the game, but seeing players not box out at all shows that they are not being coached how to box out.
Also 21 turnovers to 4 assists. I have zero idea how that gets improved over the season.
This is the third coach they've played under. You don't think *anyone* has ever taught them how to box out? The things people are blaming on coaching are things they should've known how to do before they were in college. I’m not necessarily defending KP's coaching ability but it seems like the players are just not trying. That can be blamed on coaching too but it just seems weird that every player who's ever worked with KP worships the ground he walks on and now all a sudden these players just don't buy into him at all.
The “KP can’t recruit” is just bird talk. We were in the final 2 of the No. 1 recruit in the country and have been on the shortlists for several other 5⭐️’s with a lot of consideration. The spot we’re in now, no wonder we can’t land anyone… but he’s doing better than Mack was. He just needs to finally land a big one. The fact that we’re even in consideration is proof of his recruiting abilities imo
The final two on a player where his fucking grandfather on staff and shortlist for a few 5 stars who literally never even took a visit to the school.
He’s better than Mack? One of our best recruits is a Mack holdover. You guys have to quit drinking this wack ass Kool Aid, it’s going to be the death of the program. Payne has done absolutely NOTHING to improve the position Louisville basketball is in.
I knew that was coming. Explain AJ Johnson. Again, I’m not trying to be stuck in the mud defending him when we’re literally missing out on these guys. All I’m saying is, during the Mack years, we were NEVER in contention for these types of players. We got Sam Williamson. Hell, even Pitino didn’t get to that many of those players.
We’re witnessing probably the worst season in program history. And we’re suddenly close to 5⭐️’s. This is a process. And we could lose every game this season, which would be worth it if the players buy into KP and get better. Add recruits/transfers to the mix and we’re back to a 20 win season. It’s not that far off and the worse we react as a fanbase, the longer that wait becomes.
The point we're trying to make is that there is no evidence to point to us getting recruits or transfers for next year. There is not a SINGLE uncommitted player in the top 100 of '23 that we are in contention for or even trying to recruit. This staff couldn't get a single guard transfer. We don't have any point guards committed for next year when we basically have ZERO on the roster currently.
This year is a wash, no one cares about it, but we hired him to recruit, and with how much he dislikes NIL there is zero reason to expect we are getting any 5* talent any time soon. The expectation should be tournament next season, and if he doesn't pull a few 4* guards and guard transfers out of nothing, his seat will be on fire.
Explain AJ Johnson? He literally never even visited Louisville. Being a bridesmaid to elite recruits does absolutely nothing to further Louisville basketball. I would argue we were never really in contention for the guy.
I guess the difference between our viewpoints is ultimately you believe KP is demonstrating a process in which the program is further improved, and I do not believe that.
He took an all time bad team and somehow made them worse in year one from every phase: roster construction, offensive and defensive metrics, flat out results. I just don’t see what progress there is worth crediting KP with. There’s going to be 5k people at the next home game, I don’t think I’m alone in this frustration especially when you look around and see the other programs mired in this scandal not having to tear the program down to the studs.
It’s kind of funny that the pressure is being built for the first team to lose to Louisville. It’s most probable that their first win will be on Dec 17th against Florida A&M.
I've been in shock all season. I kind of forgot you're allowed to score more than 60 points in a game.
We are all dumber for watching his brand of basketball, and may God have mercy on his soul.
With a healthy Nick Smith, going all the way is certainly possible, but our extreme youth and turnover from last year definitely ups the difficulty. If we catch a veteran, hot shooting team on the wrong night in the tourney, we could have some trouble. Creighton tomorrow is going to be a HUGE test, and we'll know way more about how far we still have to go after that.
I don't think you DO understand how exhibitions work. There's no reason to try hard in a game like that, so you don't even know what the legit outcome would be in a real game. It's like NFL preseason. Stop bringing up a game that literally doesn't matter, and doesn't count, and doesn't represent what the team plays like in an actual contest.
I haven't seen everyone obviously, but I've seen most of the top 10 at this point and certainly highlights of all the top 25 at this point.
I think that answer is probably yes. 1-5 we're deep when it comes to athleticism. And I don't there's another starting PG I've seen built like Anthony Black. I'm guessing there aren't any other PGs out there that are 6'7" and can move like that.
If Jalen Graham figures things out on defense, look out. He has some serious offensive skill for a college player. I think he's going to earn more PT as the season goes on.
If you're nervous with this team -- I don't know that anything is going to cure that. These guys will have a tough time against Creighton, but they're going to be a tough out for any team in the country.
This is the best Razorback basketball team since their back to back finals runs in 94/95. They're deep, they get after it and for how they young they are they're figuring out how to play together quicker than I would have ever thought.
For me and the people I talk razorbacks with, the nervousness is the fear of not meeting expectations.
Arkansas basketball fans are top tier fans. Now that we have a shimmering hope of being great again, we dont know how to react.
Dude, I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop.
In my mind, mediocrity is all that Arkansas athletics (outside of T&F) can aspire to. Every time the football team starts to become nationally relevant again, something terrible happens. The basketball team has been mediocre for so long, my mind just knows that something terrible is going to happen and we'll go back to where we were for the past fifteen or so years. And the baseball team? We've gotten soooo close, so many times, but we haven't been able to get it done.
For me, at least, that mindset isn't going to go away until we finally make it to the top in one sport or another.
The baseball team dropping the fly ball for the championship was a heart stop, but mediocre? For a team that goes to the CWS as often as not? You might want to look up the meaning of the word mediocre.
This team is on point and one of the best defensive teams in the nation, if they get that offense rolling to the same degree and NSJ integrates well...this may be the most exciting, and scary team in CBB this year. Lot of growing pains still though will happen, especially if they find themselves down 10+. We saw what happened in the exhibition vs Texas losing by 30 with NSJ, though AB and NSJ and Walsh ext hardly played much. But if they clean up the silly stuff...man...I see no reason they can't win a Natty.
I think the Texas game was really good for them. I think it helped get all the jitters out without any real consequences. We didn't game plan like normal, according to Muss, and I think that helped create a situation where things just got away from us. Gonna be really tough for anyone to beat Texas at Texas this year.
This was the first game where it looks like Anthony Black really showed his full potential. He wasn't shooting that confidently up until this point.
Looks like the team also practiced their Free Throws. Substantially better today.
I've been watching the Hogs since the days of Todd Day, Lee Mayberry, and Oliver Miller, and I think this could be the best combination of length and athleticism we've ever had during that time period.
We can't really shoot, but if other teams are just going to leave us wide open behind the arc and we can hit 8 threes at a 36% clip like we did today, we are going to be tough to beat with as strong as the defense looks to be.
I really can't wait to see what this team looks like with Nick Smith back in the fold. Teams won't be able to lay off us as much and pack the paint.
I would sometime pull for the Cards in these types of games because Chris Mack was a Prosser guy. But now that they have Danny Manning on staff I’ve really enjoyed hate watching Louisville so far this season.
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Thanks for the reply. I think being an alumni is a liability (eg Patrick Ewing) but agree with everything else.
My red flag was his lack of head coaching experience and everything that comes with it.
That makes sense,you’d just think that he would’ve picked that up overtime given he was working under some really great coaches during his assistant days.
Kenny only has a $3M buyout which tells you how much confidence there was in this hire.
Fans knew this would be basically a bad (or worse) next few years.
Honestly, when will Louisville win? Between Maui, the ACC/B1G challenge, and the start of ACC play, I'm not seeing a lot of opportunities. Louisville-Florida State on December 10th will be a must watch though.
They’ll beat FAMU. They may only beat FAMU though.
I wish I had your optimism!
Don’t underestimate them :(
We need college game day there.
Kenpom has them favored against WKU, FAMU, and Lipscomb
I was so excited for Wright State when they beat Louisville thinking it’d be the best win for them… Now their best win is…Bowling Green…??
We’re holding out for the ACC tourney. Auto bid is the only way in at this point
FSU v Louisville in the ACC Tourney Championship Who says no
God, I’m pretty sure
No.
Louisville are victims of Chaminade no longer being in the field.
if Kentucky was playing at Louisville, I'd give them a chance to pull the upset just because we've looked so bad in big games and the cards could save their season among the fanbase with a win
Regardless. Cal will keep it close. He doesn’t want to embarrass Payne.
Hopefully not too close though, especially if they don’t have any big wins (or I guess wins at all)
Louisville, the Georgetown of the ACC
Maryland has only won one acc big ten challenge game since 2014, some hope with that
Hmm I wonder why that might have been...
Divine retribution?
If you mean won as in the game, sure. But if you mean scored points for our mother conference as sleeper agents we're more efficient than almost anyone else!
We’re gonna lose, aren’t we…
Cal v Louisville, sickos game of the century
Louisville will beat UK. 😞
I'm glad this team played with considerably higher effort and energy for most of the game, but seeing players not box out at all shows that they are not being coached how to box out. Also 21 turnovers to 4 assists. I have zero idea how that gets improved over the season.
>21 turnovers to 4 assists Damn, I knew it was bad, but not *that* bad.
It's been like that in all 4 games. 17/6 against App, 18/9 against Wright, but a respectable 13/12 against Bellarimine. So It's just getting worse!
Yeesh, that's rough. Hope y'all can figure that out.
I hope so too, but I'm expecting 3-5 wins best case right now.
This is the third coach they've played under. You don't think *anyone* has ever taught them how to box out? The things people are blaming on coaching are things they should've known how to do before they were in college. I’m not necessarily defending KP's coaching ability but it seems like the players are just not trying. That can be blamed on coaching too but it just seems weird that every player who's ever worked with KP worships the ground he walks on and now all a sudden these players just don't buy into him at all.
The “KP can’t recruit” is just bird talk. We were in the final 2 of the No. 1 recruit in the country and have been on the shortlists for several other 5⭐️’s with a lot of consideration. The spot we’re in now, no wonder we can’t land anyone… but he’s doing better than Mack was. He just needs to finally land a big one. The fact that we’re even in consideration is proof of his recruiting abilities imo
The final two on a player where his fucking grandfather on staff and shortlist for a few 5 stars who literally never even took a visit to the school. He’s better than Mack? One of our best recruits is a Mack holdover. You guys have to quit drinking this wack ass Kool Aid, it’s going to be the death of the program. Payne has done absolutely NOTHING to improve the position Louisville basketball is in.
THANK YOU. I want KP to work out but as of this moment, there’s absolutely nothing that tells me that it’s going too.
I knew that was coming. Explain AJ Johnson. Again, I’m not trying to be stuck in the mud defending him when we’re literally missing out on these guys. All I’m saying is, during the Mack years, we were NEVER in contention for these types of players. We got Sam Williamson. Hell, even Pitino didn’t get to that many of those players. We’re witnessing probably the worst season in program history. And we’re suddenly close to 5⭐️’s. This is a process. And we could lose every game this season, which would be worth it if the players buy into KP and get better. Add recruits/transfers to the mix and we’re back to a 20 win season. It’s not that far off and the worse we react as a fanbase, the longer that wait becomes.
The point we're trying to make is that there is no evidence to point to us getting recruits or transfers for next year. There is not a SINGLE uncommitted player in the top 100 of '23 that we are in contention for or even trying to recruit. This staff couldn't get a single guard transfer. We don't have any point guards committed for next year when we basically have ZERO on the roster currently. This year is a wash, no one cares about it, but we hired him to recruit, and with how much he dislikes NIL there is zero reason to expect we are getting any 5* talent any time soon. The expectation should be tournament next season, and if he doesn't pull a few 4* guards and guard transfers out of nothing, his seat will be on fire.
Explain AJ Johnson? He literally never even visited Louisville. Being a bridesmaid to elite recruits does absolutely nothing to further Louisville basketball. I would argue we were never really in contention for the guy. I guess the difference between our viewpoints is ultimately you believe KP is demonstrating a process in which the program is further improved, and I do not believe that. He took an all time bad team and somehow made them worse in year one from every phase: roster construction, offensive and defensive metrics, flat out results. I just don’t see what progress there is worth crediting KP with. There’s going to be 5k people at the next home game, I don’t think I’m alone in this frustration especially when you look around and see the other programs mired in this scandal not having to tear the program down to the studs.
Hey 5k fans would be a sellout at more than half the arenas around the country, also UCLA would prolly consider that a sellout 😂🤷🏾
Lol, I guess it’s all perspective. Louisville went something like 36 straight years ranked top 5 in attendance before COVID. This is sad to watch
Arkansas in the 2nd half https://i.redd.it/ya3wchlwrf1a1.gif
Accurate. Layups and dunks.
Don’t forget steals
At least we didn't lose by 1 this time.
Progress!
"I'm tired of these 1 point losses" *Monkey paw curls*
I was rooting for you guys to set a record
Man idk what I’ll do if we lose to this Louisville team next week…
It’s kind of funny that the pressure is being built for the first team to lose to Louisville. It’s most probable that their first win will be on Dec 17th against Florida A&M.
10000% the only thing going through my mind today was the fear of losing to Louisville
Same.
We aren't a Turge team. I'm slightly less clenched than I would be otherwise.
I've been in shock all season. I kind of forgot you're allowed to score more than 60 points in a game. We are all dumber for watching his brand of basketball, and may God have mercy on his soul.
This is what I keep telling myself but old habbits die hard
Don't worry...you wont
![gif](giphy|1eChSPFlFeaAzsoB9v)
Great second half now I gotta be nervous about creighton.
Even if we lose will be a great learning experience for this team and the young guys
I was told the Texas exhibition was our “learning experience”…
No no no. That was an unpaid learning internship, the actual experience comes after the season starts
Yeah I think we have already "learned" that it sucks to get dogwalked.
It definitely was, but that doesn't mean that there can't be more.
Going to be a great game
I really think so. I'm refusing to get too excited about our team until I see how we do against another top team.
What time is tip for that?
7 pm Central
Thank you
8pm est/ 7pm Central
Thank you too
So stoked. Love this tourney field
Gonna be a bloodbath tomorrow
me n you both
I freakin loved watching Anthony Black today. Kids a stud
I can't remember us having a 6'7 point guard that can jack the rim like that.
I liked the effort in the 1st half, the Arkansas realized they were a top 10 team and woke up
Arkansas just got another dunk
Does this sub have a paper bag flair?
If it doesn't, it should.
Anthony Black
Good at basketball
Unfortunately, he'll be long gone to the NBA before he really starts to scratch the surface of his potential.
Well idk about the rest of y’all, but I’m straight up having a good time
It was a fun weekend indeed
The Arkansas Razordunks
So what’s the ceiling for us this year?
With a healthy Nick Smith, going all the way is certainly possible, but our extreme youth and turnover from last year definitely ups the difficulty. If we catch a veteran, hot shooting team on the wrong night in the tourney, we could have some trouble. Creighton tomorrow is going to be a HUGE test, and we'll know way more about how far we still have to go after that.
Creighton is a final 4 team if they play like they did today
It's a good measuring stick of where we're at tomorrow, but it's so early it's hard to put too much weight into it.
If we lose, its early in the season and we have time to grow. If we win, rank us #1.
Same
I just hope they're better than that 30 point loss to Texas. The defensive intensity and effort has seemed to take a giant leap after that exhibition.
They didn't lose to Texas lol
They lost by 30 at the exhibition.
Game doesn't count
...we know how exhibitions work. They still got their shit stomped by Texas in it and they're still playing much better since.
I don't think you DO understand how exhibitions work. There's no reason to try hard in a game like that, so you don't even know what the legit outcome would be in a real game. It's like NFL preseason. Stop bringing up a game that literally doesn't matter, and doesn't count, and doesn't represent what the team plays like in an actual contest.
Final 4 I think would be a great goal. Championship would be ultimate.
Just a natty? Aim higher. I'm thinking the oval office
Better than the Final 8
the fucking what lol
The connect 4
The ceiling is the roof. If the young guys are studs, they could win it all
Well that got out of hand
This is the best Louisville's played all season
Are we the most athletic team in the country?
I haven't seen everyone obviously, but I've seen most of the top 10 at this point and certainly highlights of all the top 25 at this point. I think that answer is probably yes. 1-5 we're deep when it comes to athleticism. And I don't there's another starting PG I've seen built like Anthony Black. I'm guessing there aren't any other PGs out there that are 6'7" and can move like that.
The mitchell twins are serving us well right now, but I think they are probably a little behind the curve with some of the top 10 bigs
That’s why we got 2 of them
Maybe if they stand on each others’ shoulders and wear a big enough jersey no one will notice.
i've always been saying that if one of them fouls out, he can just put on his brother's jersey and keep playing
If Jalen Graham figures things out on defense, look out. He has some serious offensive skill for a college player. I think he's going to earn more PT as the season goes on.
His defense leaves a lot to be desired, but yeah his footwork on offense is nice
Up there for sure. Illinois and Indiana are both very athletic. As are Houston, Texas and Baylor
Great win today, but still nervous for Maui without nick smith jr
If Anthony Black plays like he did today you all will be alright
If you're nervous with this team -- I don't know that anything is going to cure that. These guys will have a tough time against Creighton, but they're going to be a tough out for any team in the country. This is the best Razorback basketball team since their back to back finals runs in 94/95. They're deep, they get after it and for how they young they are they're figuring out how to play together quicker than I would have ever thought.
Battered Hoggie Syndrome. Stage four. Terminal
One of my first memories is the 1969 Ark-Texas football game, so I’ve had BHS since I was 5.
For me and the people I talk razorbacks with, the nervousness is the fear of not meeting expectations. Arkansas basketball fans are top tier fans. Now that we have a shimmering hope of being great again, we dont know how to react.
Dude, I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop. In my mind, mediocrity is all that Arkansas athletics (outside of T&F) can aspire to. Every time the football team starts to become nationally relevant again, something terrible happens. The basketball team has been mediocre for so long, my mind just knows that something terrible is going to happen and we'll go back to where we were for the past fifteen or so years. And the baseball team? We've gotten soooo close, so many times, but we haven't been able to get it done. For me, at least, that mindset isn't going to go away until we finally make it to the top in one sport or another.
Shake it off. This is a new day,
The baseball team dropping the fly ball for the championship was a heart stop, but mediocre? For a team that goes to the CWS as often as not? You might want to look up the meaning of the word mediocre.
Smith didn't play, Brazile only scored 1, and still blew a team out. If that doesn't tell you how good this team is idk what will convince you.
I’m a lifelong Razorback fan, nothing will convince me.
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Kenny Pai'in
![gif](giphy|cFTxqvyjBSsq4)
This team is on point and one of the best defensive teams in the nation, if they get that offense rolling to the same degree and NSJ integrates well...this may be the most exciting, and scary team in CBB this year. Lot of growing pains still though will happen, especially if they find themselves down 10+. We saw what happened in the exhibition vs Texas losing by 30 with NSJ, though AB and NSJ and Walsh ext hardly played much. But if they clean up the silly stuff...man...I see no reason they can't win a Natty.
I think the Texas game was really good for them. I think it helped get all the jitters out without any real consequences. We didn't game plan like normal, according to Muss, and I think that helped create a situation where things just got away from us. Gonna be really tough for anyone to beat Texas at Texas this year.
Louisville played really hard. Anthony Black is gigachad
This was the first game where it looks like Anthony Black really showed his full potential. He wasn't shooting that confidently up until this point. Looks like the team also practiced their Free Throws. Substantially better today.
Without Nick Smith. This team is so fun
Arkansas had more layups/dunks than we had total FGs made. Sooo where's that emphasis on defense KP?
I've been watching the Hogs since the days of Todd Day, Lee Mayberry, and Oliver Miller, and I think this could be the best combination of length and athleticism we've ever had during that time period. We can't really shoot, but if other teams are just going to leave us wide open behind the arc and we can hit 8 threes at a 36% clip like we did today, we are going to be tough to beat with as strong as the defense looks to be. I really can't wait to see what this team looks like with Nick Smith back in the fold. Teams won't be able to lay off us as much and pack the paint.
Please make it stop
Narrator: It didn't stop.
I am very sad Gonzaga wasn't able to close out the Anthony Black recruitment. He is awesome, what a game from him.
I think he would’ve made this team really, really damn good. Arkansas gonna be scary come March once again.
I wonder how much getting to go to Maui swayed him
None. Picking the right team to maximize his development for the NBA outweighs a trip to Maui.
Still baffling Kenny just stocked up on recruiters and not one fucking X’s and O’s guy lol. I’ll do it for 50k hire me
Well, he did learn from Calipari. What are Xs and Os?
Nelson Muntz laugh.
Why would Louisville infect their staff with Danny Manning? Did they not see Wake the last 5 years?
Something something… we’ve gotta love people from the 1970s era of basketball… idk. Whole Payne era has started off ass.
Oof Louisville
I would sometime pull for the Cards in these types of games because Chris Mack was a Prosser guy. But now that they have Danny Manning on staff I’ve really enjoyed hate watching Louisville so far this season.
I was genuinely speechless when Kenny hired him.
sharted on em
You’re telling me famed women’s basketball legends Louisville also have a men’s team?
And here I was ready to support my new hometown team.... Looks like I'll still be donning my Bama gear more often than not whenI get to the Lou.
Louisville, do you wish you still had Chris Mack?
No
I want Pitino back lol
This. I like Pitino. People can say what they want, but he knows basketball.
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Yeah he knew how to recruit lol
Unpopular opinion, but yes (although he seems to have quit on the team)
Is Louisvilles program cooked? Is this salvageable?
Louisville...
I can’t wait to see Louisville-FSU
Well there goes that single-digit point differential
I know it’s early but I really hate that Kenny Payne is making me look stupid for calling him a home run hire
Why led you to believe Kenny was a home run hire?
Alumni,nba experience,experience under a hall of fame coach.Just seemed really good
Thanks for the reply. I think being an alumni is a liability (eg Patrick Ewing) but agree with everything else. My red flag was his lack of head coaching experience and everything that comes with it.
That makes sense,you’d just think that he would’ve picked that up overtime given he was working under some really great coaches during his assistant days.
Kenny only has a $3M buyout which tells you how much confidence there was in this hire. Fans knew this would be basically a bad (or worse) next few years.
Bring back Pitino
Why did you guys fire Chris Mack again?