Arkansas thinks KU basketball looks familiar: ‘It’s kind of similar to Missouri’

Before Eric Musselman became the coach of Arkansas basketball, he visited Lawrence, Kansas, to learn more about coaching college basketball.

His teachers? KU coach Bill Self and former assistant coach Joe Dooley, who is now the Director of Student-Athlete Development.

Musselman spent four days at KU attending practices and hanging with the staff.

“Coach Bill Self might not remember it, but Joe Dooley certainly does,” Musselman told The Star.

Musselman told The Star he doesn’t know acting KU coach Norm Roberts too well but has a good relationship with assistant coach Kurtis Townsend and Self.

He also had plenty of praise for the program his former teachers built. No. 1-seeded Kansas will play No. 8 Arkansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena.

“They’re obviously a top two or three team in the country,” Musselman said. “Really talented. Really long. Do a great job in transition offense.”

Musselman’s biggest worry? KU’s offense.

Naturally, Musselman is the defense-oriented coach — the Razorbacks rank 13th on defense per KenPom.

“I think we really have to worry about how to defend them,” he said. “They throw skip passes so well and they’re great cutters, so those are some of the things we are really worried about,”

KU didn’t remind Musselman of any SEC teams, but his players didn’t quite agree.

“Just the way they run, it’s kind of similar to Missouri and they get a lot of steals like Missouri,” Arkansas freshman Anthony Black told The Star. “So, I can see the similarities in the defensive steals and in the transition.”

Black’s teammate Jordan Walsh agreed, to a certain extent.

“I would agree with Mizzou, but Kansas is their own school,” said Walsh. “They have their own wrinkles and a coach that knows the game in and out, so a lot of respect for that. They have their own special twitch to it. They have a five-man (KJ Adams) who wants to make plays on the perimeter, who is throwing bullet passes through the defense to hit a flare to Gradey Dick all the way in the corner and he’s in the slot.

“Just small stuff like that that separates them from other SEC teams, because maybe SEC teams aren’t as confident to make that pass because they haven’t seen it enough because the defenders are always on them.”

The most intriguing matchup in this game is Arkansas’ height (ranking 13th in average height per player) vs. KU playing undersized. Kansas can switch everything on defense, but KU will be in for a test against the Razorbacks’ high-flying length and athleticism.

Roberts believes no school has more athletes than Arkansas. Kansas forward Jalen Wilson emphasized limiting those athletes as much as possible as a key to victory.

“Especially with the talent they have, I think it’ll be really important for us to control the boards, control the pace of the game and limit them in transition,” Wilson told The Star.

Arkansas star Ricky Council IV knows Arkansas has the height advantage but isn’t taking it for granted.

He pointed to how tall Illinois — the Razorbacks’ first-round matchup — was and how it came in highly ranked in rebounding (No. 35 overall). Still, Arkansas outrebounded them 43-34 and ultimately won 73-63.

“Just because we are taller, it doesn’t really mean much,” Council said. “We are taller, but we’ve got to be tougher as well and take advantage of that in the areas that are needed.”

Arkansas knows the world sees them as underdogs against Kansas, but the Razorbacks don’t see themselves that way.

“We still feel like we’re the top dog,” said Nick Smith Jr. “At the end of the day, we just got to go out and compete. Seed stuff matters, but at the end of the day that really just goes out the window when you’re out there on the floor. Try to go out there and compete. Play at a high level and try to win games.”