Arkansas Razorbacks 70 - Bakken Bears 59 (actual score)

 Another Scoring Error leads to the 2nd erroneous score of the 4 games played in Italy.  The final score of this one should be 70-59 rather than 73-59.

Arkansas jumped out to a 15 point lead in the 1st Quarter which may be partially due to the Italian team not being able to fully warm up as they had problems with the goal on their end so as I understand it they didn't get a full time to warm up.  The Razorbacks didn't have that issue.  Arkansas started Anthony Black, Nick Smith, Trevon Brazile, Barry Dunning, Jr and Kamani Johnson.

The 2nd half saw Bakkan outscore the Razorbacks to cut the deficit to 11 - Devo Davis scored just before the end of the half to extend Arkansas' 9 point lead to 11.  Trevon Brazile owned the scoring in the first half for Arkansas going a perfect 9 for 9 from the field and 1 for 1 from the line to lead Arkansas.

Nick Smith did not play the entire 2nd Half.   I didn't listen to the broadcast because I don't care for the Arkansas announcers so I'm not sure if they said why he was sitting.  He was on the sidelines.

Anyway, Arkansas started the same 5 in the 2nd except for Smith - Devo started in his place.

I did a 2nd half score to show that the 2 teams finished the 2nd half both with 29 points.  The veteran Italian team exploited the Razorbacks a couple of times on inbounds plays forcing the Razorbacks into turnovers and also bothered them a couple of times with traps.  This was another game where the play was physical with a lot fo contact being allowed.  Ricky Council missed a dunk and a couple of lay ups as did Anthony Black.  28 turnovers won't make Coach Musselman happy although a few wouldn't be turnovers in college games - FIBA rules.

You can see from the Box Score that the rotation was less in this final game even with Nick sitting the entire 2nd half.  The primary rotation appears to be:  Anthony Black, Nick Smith, Trevon Brazile, Kamani Johnson and 1 - Barry Dunning, Jr,  Jordan Walsh, Ricky Council IV or Devo Davis.  Those 8 played the most.  The Mitchell Twins played some but less.  Jalen Graham just hasn't seemed comfortable yet nor has Derrian Ford.  Ford and Pinion didn't enter the game until the final minute to play.

They have a lot of video to review and use to teach between now and the start of the season.  The talent is there.  Let's see how it evolves.

Razorback men Basketball Cumulative 3 game stats Europe Tour

   This is MY compilation of stats from watching the games.  As far as I know, there are no official stats so I know there may be some variations out there IF you can find anyone else posting stats from the games.  I know I saw some reports crediting Nick Smith with 21 points in the first game while I and others had him with 17.  

Some of the turnovers have been communication errors - thinking a teammate will cut and they don't type of thing and some simply do to hussle but ultimately having the ball go out of bounds off the player.  

Free Throw shooting - Kamani has surprised doing very well while Walsh and Dunning have only hit 50% but low volume.

Barry Dunning has simply been solid.  Coach Musselman singled him out for not turning the ball over.

One final game to go

UA Razorbacks 75 Orange Bassano 54

 University of Arkansas Men's Basketball team won their 3rd game on their European tour against a young Italian team whose oldest player was 19.

This was a more physical game as the officials let them play.  It was the old No blood no foul, play on system it seemed.

The Starting 5 for the Razorbacks were: Anthony Black, Nick Smith, Derrian Ford, Makhi Mitchell and Kamani Johnson.

Anthony Black hit a 3 on the first possession and the Razorbacks led throughout.  It was 24-16 after the first quarter, 41-30 at halftime and with a 16-0 run in the 3rd, the Razorbacks enjoyed a 65-39 lead going into the 4th Quarter.

The 4th quarter wasn't a pretty one for the Razorbacks as the Italians outscored them 15 to 10.

The Stats will be a little misleading due to the physical nature of the game.

Jordan Walsh is the perfect example as he was just 1 of 6 from the field but all 5 of his misses were driving to the basket and with a lot of contact.  No fouls were called.  Below is 1 screenshot.

The second half starters for the Razorbacks were: Anthony Black, Nick Smith, Devo Davis, Trevon Brazile and Kamoni Johnson.

For the 4th Quarter, the Razorbacks sent out a 5 guard lineup basically in Black, Smith, Council, Devo and Dunning.

All 15 players played which includes the 2 walk-ons.

Here is MY Box Score for the game.  You'll note I have 2 team fouls which of course isn't real.  I just couldn't tell from the broadcast which Razorback was called.  That seems to be par for the course with these broadcasts.  I tried to get all the stats but won't guarantee I didn't miss some or score it differently from others.  At times it is a judgment call as to who gets the Turnover, Steal, or even basket (Black and Johnson both tipped a ball for example in the 2nd game - I gave the basket to Black others may have given it to Johnson).

It's looking like a starting 5 of Black, Smith, and Trevon Brazile with 2 others.  I suspect the other 2 may vary game to game more.  Jalen Graham hasn't had the type of games expected of him yet.  There's 1 game left on this foreign road trip so we'll see if he breaks out in the final game August 15.

UA Razorbacks (Men) versus Catalona Elite (Barcelona) Basketball Box Score

 

The Razorbacks faced tougher competition and had fewer loose whistles in the second game of their Foreign road trip.

Starting five:  Nick Smith, Davonte Davis, Jalen Graham, Jordan Walsh and Makhel Mitchell

The Razorbacks trailed after the first Quarter and much of the 2nd before taking a 6 point lead into half time.

Second half Starters were: Trevon Brazile, Nick Smith, Davonte Davis, Jordan Walsh and Kamani Johnson.

Third Quarter was sloppy but the Razorbacks built a lead as Catalona couldn't score.  Catalona closed the gap toward the end of the 3rd Quarter.  

The Razorbacks played fewer people in today's game with Derrian Ford seeing action only at the very end briefly and Joseph Pinion not playing.  Eight Players played most of the minutes.  Kamani Made all 6 of his free throw attempts in a game that was a lot more physical than game 1.

UA Razorbacks vs Valencia Select on August 9, 2022 Box Score

Arkansas Razorbacks 107  Valencia Seleccion 59 

I checked online for a box score from the game on Tuesday - the first game showcasing the talent of this years Arkansas Razorbacks and was slightly disappointed to only find 1 hidden behind a paywall.  I can't verify that one because I wouldn't subscribe to see it.

So for Razorback fans and others who want to know, here is MY Box Score from that game.  I watched the game 3 times - once live where I didn't worry about the stats and twice again to try and capture the stats.  

One thing I did not was that the final score is wrong.  For some unknown reason 1 point was added to the UA score with 1:02 left in the 2nd quarter.  The Razorbacks had last scored to make the game 53-25.  Valencia scored 4 points to make the score 53-29 and had the ball when suddenly the score flipped by 1 point and it was now 54-29.  The UA had only 1 FT in that 1st half and it was already included in the score.  No idea where that phantom 1 came from other than just a mistake by the score table.

Anyway, this is my final Box Score from that game.

There were a LOT of iffy fouls called by the 2 person crew against the Razorbacks.  That resulted in Trevon Brazile sitting the entire 2nd quarter.  MY foul totals may not be correctly attributed since it was very difficult (I'd say impossible) to know which player the officials gave the foul to when there were multiple players in the area.  Once example would be where 13 Jordan Walsh was the only player close to the Valencia player but the officials seem to show 2 0 which would be Kamani Johnson who was not close to the action.  

Anyway of the 16 fouls called on the Razorbacks in the 1st half, I had 8 of them as phantom or questionable calls.  It doesn't matter.  It allowed the players to deal with that adversity which will happen in the real season also.

You had I think 10 players score in the first quarter.  The Razorbacks substituted freely and played a lot of different combinations.  They should have a LOT of good video to review and use teaching.  The only player to play and not score was Joseph Pinion who attempted only 2 shots - a 3 that went off the front rim and a driving 2 from maybe 6 feet that also went off the rim.  He had a third shot possible on a 2 on 1 fast break but went with a behind the back bounce pass to Jalen Graham for a big jam by Graham.

Overall?  The Razorbacks shot 68% from 2 with I think someone said 17 dunks.  Three Point shooting was off but remember they are shooting the FIBA ball.   They were 4 of 8 in the first half from 3 but only 1 of 8 in the 2nd half.  2 of the missed shots were "heaves" at the buzzer - one by Nick Smith and one by Devo Davis so 5 of 14 excluding the 2 heaves.

Defensively there were a lot of reaching fouls called.  That is one area for improvement.  Watching the video you would say many of those reaching fouls were not in fact fouls but they were called so be more disciplined and don't reach as much.  You also had a number of iffy calls coming off of players going around screens set by the Valencia team.  Minimum contact but the officials called fouls.  It seemed as though moving screens were allowed.  Makhel Mitchell had an offensive foul called on him that even with multiple replays I couldn't find.  

Anyway, I will try to do a Box Score for each game, and I now have a form created to show shot attempts and made as well as points.

Arkansas versus Barcelona will be this afternoon, and I'll try to do a Stat sheet by late tonight.

It's going to be an exciting team ..... it already is.

It's a bit chili today

 It's a bit chili today (pun intended).

Some fresh Carolina Reapers and Red Ghost to dry;

40+ dried Carolina Reapers ground with seeds;

Brasilian Malaguetas used to make a new bottle of pepper sauce (not shown).  But 

These are some of my existing Southern Pepper Sauce of various spice levels.  Just combine chiles / chilies / chillis (Spelled a variety of ways) with 5% vinegar and a little salt in a glass bottle.  If you want it spicier, cook the chiles in a little oil before adding the vinegar.  Puncture each chile before cooking it or it will "explode".  

Drying other varieties chile today

using a commercial grade dehydrator.

Word of caution:  Chiles are misnamed.  Don't wear contacts nor touch your eyes when working with these super hot chiles; there's nothing chilly about them except the name.

Educate yourself - informed decisions not political decisions

 Should you get one of the plethora of Covid19 vaccines?

I am neither provax nor antivax.  I am 100% personal decisions based on unbiased information.

The problem?  Finding unbiased information.

The censoring of "non" sanctioned views is alarming.  Opposing views are being cancelled.  And they are being cancelled in the land of freedom - the USA.

Social Media has joined with Main Stream media to push narratives instead of factual information.

How many people now believe that wearing a mask will protect them against getting Covid19?  A lot.  Is it true based on the science?  No.  The covid19 virus is very tiny.  So tiny that it will pass through the masks the average person wears including the higher rated N95.  

Wearing a mask MAY reduce the spread of the virus IF the person wearing it has Covid 19.  May.  The truth is the science on it, last I checked, is not clear.  Some reports say it increases the spread especially if the person wearing it doesn't properly put it on, take it off or touches and moves it while wearing it - which almost everyone does.

What about the Vaccines?  Will they prevent a person from getting covid19?  Again, the science now appears to be no.  The vaccines were sold as a prevent you from getting sick but if you now check the message they have switched to "prevent you from getting as sick".  

Then why are children who seldom get sick being targeted?  What is the science?  The true science.

Recently you had 6 players on the New York Yankees baseball team get sick with covid19.  All 6 were fully vaccinated.  Yet the US government has been claiming the vaccines are 96% effective at preventing sickness.  You do the math.  MLB rosters are at 40?  Almost all the players are vaccinated?  6 out of 40 get sick at one time?  

Then there is the report from Israel that the vaccines are showing about 40% not getting sick and that it seems the longer time that passes since getting a vaccine the more likely it won't protect you.

How much protection does a person have if they had covid and recovered?  The same as a vaccinated person?  More?  Less?  what is the science.  So far we mostly have hype.

What % of the US population has antibodies against covid19 from having had covid19?  Has anyone done testing?  why not?  Wouldn't it be good science to know if the person has existing immunity before giving them a vaccination?

What percentage of people getting sick now with covid19 are vaccinated?  What percentage are recovered covid19 patients?  What percentage have never been sick nor vaccinated?

Why don't we know?

Why isn't the US government agencies collecting this data?

What is the long term health impacts of getting each vaccine?  Do we know? (the answer is obviously no).

The truth is the vaccines were approved for "Emergency Use".  That means the decision to get it / give it should be a risk-based decision and that should be made NOT by the government or the pharmaceutical companies or the media (Facebook and twitter included) nor should vaccinations be mandated by any employer.  The truth is the safety of these vaccines are unknown especially for down the road.

Is the person at high risk of getting a serious covid19 case or dying if left unvaccinated?  If so, that person should probably get the vaccine especially if the long term health is not a big issue (if you're 80 tyou probably shouldn't be overly concerned if it will cause birth defects or cancer etc in 10 years).  On the other hand, should you be giving it to a 5 year old who has almost 0% chance of serious risk if left unvaccinated.

My next post will include a personal anecdote from a lady who took tthe vaccine and now regrets it.

Get educated.  Demand that your government provide data not mandates.  Each person should be allowed to decide for their own personal self whether to get a vaccine or not.

Informed decisions.  Decisions made freely without duress or coercion.