We certainly lost the dunk battle, but we won the game and thats what matters.
Shout out to the bench today… 20 bench points I think was the difference.
Graham was awesome off the bench with 16 points
Walsh was a machine off the bench with 10 rebounds
I’m so old I can remember when tracking individual and team ASSISTS was an important stat. Not so much anymore. DUNKS and BLOCKS get more attention these days.
In the grand scheme all a dunk is good for is 2 points. On the road it will help silence a crowd and at home it will whip the crowd into a frenzy. Both those are good things, but still just two points.
For me its always about assists, turnovers, and rebounds. You do well in those 3 spots, you can win at home or on the road.
Votan, what’s the definition of a layup? I was thinking a layup is a shot very close to the basket and the percentages seem very low for that?
I was in the arena today and I counted four dunks. I think they shorted Graham a dunk.
Mike these are not my stats… I just bring them here from StatBroadcast. I am not sure what their algorithm for layups might be… nor do I know where they get their data. I do know it streams live from the game because its about 8-10 seconds ahead of the television broadcast or the streaming services. I generally have it running while watching the game so I know if we miss or make a steal or make a big three before it happens… certainly helps my stress levels. 
I think they count a layup as any shot within 5 feet of the basket
Jalen Graham is an enigma to me.
No doubt he can score very well around the rim. Great footwork. Soft touch. Pretty decent in the mid-range and even hit a 3 yesterday. He’s particularly useful when Arkansas goes into its inevitable scoring drought every single game.
But he’s shooting 34% from the FT line. HUGE liability at the FT line.
He’s a below average rebounder for his size. He had 1 defensive rebound yesterday. ONE.
He gets very few assists, charges, steals, or blocks when he’s in the game.
He turns the ball over and fouls at a high rate.
He gets abused in the paint when opponents recognize the need to go at him.
He ball watches too much on defense and doesn’t recognize he’s supposed to switch back to the guy he was initially guarding after a screen.
Graham is a very good offensive player, but overall, he’s got a lot of holes in his game.
I guess I understand why Muss is playing him more minutes becuz of his scoring ability, but in other areas he’s a big liability.
I hate to pick on the kid becuz he seems really enthusiastic and a great teammate, but there it is.
Graham didn’t shoot a 3 yesterday. In fact, I don’t believe he’s shot one all season.
I like the way Miss is bringing him along. He still gets lost away too easy on defense. And doesn’t have the beef to rebound. But his ability to make contested shots near the rim has, in my opinion, given Devo more time to get set in his 3-pointers. Earlier in the season, teams were much closer to Devo causing contested perimeter shots. They have to sag further with Graham down low.
You make some really good points, although I think Graham actually had 2 rebounds yesterday…which isn’t nearly enough.
Agree completely about the holes in his game…awful FT shooter, rebounder, and defender. Turns the ball over waaaay too much.
That said, I don’t think Muss has any choice but to play him, because he can easily get you 15 every night.
Not many of our other guys can.
true
Muss needs his offense
I think Muss has accepted he loses a lot on defense with Graham, but he needs a big that can consistently score 12-16 ppg in close at the rim, with so few good perimeter shooters on the roster right now
good point wrt Devo
hadn’t considered that
thanks
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