Image Courtesy: Best of Arkansas Sports
*Updated 6/28 with new games announced for the schedule*
Projected Starters
Keyon Menifield, Guard (Sophomore)
Davonte Davis, Guard (Senior)
Tramon Mark, Guard (Senior)
Trevon Brazile, Forward (Junior)
Makhi Mitchell, Forward/Center (Senior)
Eric Musselman’s starting lineup is in question right now with it being months from tip-off to the Razorbacks’ 101st season as a program. However, you can definitely bet on upcoming senior guard Davonte Davis being included in the lineup after leading the hogs to another appearance in the Sweet 16 last season. This starting lineup needs to lead the team beyond the second weekend of the tournament (Sweet 16 & Elite 8) to a Final Four and a national championship.
Bench
Jalen Graham, Forward/Center (Senior)
El Ellis, Guard (Senior)
Jeremiah Davenport, Guard/Forward (Senior)
Khalif Battle, Guard (Junior)
Joseph Pinion, Guard (Sophomore)
Layden Blocker, Guard (Freshman)
Baye Fall, Forward/Center (Freshman)
As you can see, the depth at guard for this Razorback team looks incredible on paper. Many fans wish there would have been a bigger focus on adding depth to the front court but fans should trust Eric Musselman to keep pounding this season.
2023 Class (per 247sports composite)
16.Baye Fall (#3C) Denver, CO (Accelerated Schools)
23.Layden Blocker (#4PG) Little Rock, AR (Sunrise Christian)
Transfer Additions
Tramon Mark, Guard (Senior) Former School: Houston
El Ellis, Guard (Senior) Former School: Louisville
Jeremiah Davenport, Guard/Forward (Senior) Former School: Cincinnati
Chandler Lawson, Forward (Senior) Former School: Memphis
Khalif Battle, Guard (Junior) Former School: Temple
Keyon Menifield, Guard (Sophomore) Former School: Washington
Transfers Out
Makhel Mitchell, Forward/Center (Senior) New School: Little Rock
Barry Dunning, Forward (Sophomore) New School: Alabama-Birmingham
Derrian Ford, Guard (Sophomore) New School: Arkansas State
Eric Musselman landed his heralded six member 2022 high school class of Nick Smith Jr., Anthony Black, Jordan Walsh, Joseph Pinion, Derrian Ford, and Barry Dunning, it was clearly a different strategy for Muss than in past years when he mainly focuses on transfers. After the 2022-2023 season, which was filled with injuries to Nick Smith and Trevon Brazile, Musselman has refocused on veteran transfers landing defensive stalwart Tramon Mark (Houston), high scoring guard El Ellis (Louisville), hot shooting forward Jeremiah Davenport (Cincinnati), defensive forward Chandler Lawson (Memphis), another high scoring guard in Khalif Battle (Temple), and playmaking point guard Keyon Menifield (Washington). With all of the options he has added at guard through the portal in addition to returning Davonte Davis, Arkansas needs to find a consistent shooter on perimeter and depth on the interior with the additions of Lawson and Davenport with Makhi Mitchell, Trevon Brazile, and Jalen Graham already on the roster.
2023-2024 Schedule (As it looks right now)
11/10 Gardner-Webb
11/13 Old Dominion
11/22-11/24 Battle 4 Atlantis (Paradise Island, Bahamas)
11/29 Duke
12/21 Abilene Christian
The 2023-2024 SEC basketball opponents for each team were announced today. Arkansas will play Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Missouri, and Texas A&M at home and away. Arkansas will just host Auburn, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt. The Razorbacks will just travel to Alabama, Florida, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss. The entire schedule should be known by the end of August.
Other News
With the sixth pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic selected Arkansas guard Anthony Black. Black is the first Razorback to be drafted in the top ten since Joe Johnson was selected tenth by the Boston Celtics in 2001. In addition, guard Nick Smith was selected twenty-seventh by the Charlotte Hornets and wing Jordan Walsh was selected thirty eighth by the Sacramento Kings and was then traded to the Boston Celtics. Wing Ricky Council signed a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Razorbacks had three draft picks for the first time since 1992 when they had four selections: Todd Day (Round 1, Pick 8; Milwaukee Bucks), Oliver Miller (Round 1, Pick 22; Phoenix Suns), Lee Mayberry (Round 1, Pick 23; Milwaukee Bucks), and Isaiah Morris (Round 2, Pick 37; Miami Heat.)
