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Eric Musselman breaks down how Mitchell twins slowed down Oscar Tshiebwe

On3-Social-Profile_GRAYby:On3 Staff Report•02/11/23
Makhi Mitchell, Arkansas Razorbacks forward
Arkansas forward Makhi Mitchell blocks a shot in a game against Texas A&M on Jan. 31, 2023. (Wesley Hitt / Getty Images)

Arkansas dispatched Kentucky at Rupp Arena this week, using an energetic outing from two of its big men to slow down Oscar Tshiebwe. The Mitchell twins showed up ready to roll.

The Kentucky star and reigning national player of the year was limited to just seven points and seven rebounds as the Mitchell twins made life difficult on Tshiebwe.

“Yeah, I mean we felt that Makhi and Makhel would be matchups that they could body and meet and greet and kind of try to meet him at the foul line so he couldn’t establish great post position,” coach Eric Musselman said.

Whatever Arkansas did it worked, as Tshiebwe’s impact was much more muted than it has been in most games this season.

“I thought we did an awesome job of digging in the post when he did catch it, and kind of playing a litttle bit of a yo-yo defense where guys are in and out,” Musselman said. “Just trying to make him play a little bit in space, but just as importantly trying to defend the 3-point line of their three 3-point shooters, which, CJ Fredrick No. 1 and obviously Cason Wallace and Antonio Reaves. We didn’t want to help off those guys inside, so we picked and choosed other guys that we were going to help off of a bit.”

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Nick Smith Jr. set to make his return

It’s been a bummer of a freshman season for phenom Nick Smith Jr., having played in just five games to date while saddled with injury.

But according to a report from Jonathan Givony at DraftExpress, Smith will return to the Arkansas lineup on Saturday against Mississippi State. Smith hasn’t played since Dec. 17 due to a knee injury, but he returned to Arkansas’ practices this week.

On the season Smith is averaging 12.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, but he has appeared in only five games for the Razorbacks so far, limited by injury most of the year.

As Givony notes, ESPN has Smith pegged as the No. 6 overall prospect in the 2023 NBA Draft class.

Arkansas will tip off against Mississippi State at 6 p.m. ET with a broadcast on ESPNU.