Eric Musselman details what led to strong second half from Anthony Black vs. Auburn

The result against Auburn may not be what Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman wanted but there was still positives to take home. Freshman guard Anthony Black continues to be one of the best in the country and was a bright spot for the Razorbacks in the second half on Saturday night.

Black finished with 23 points, four assists, and seven rebounds. He was just one of two Arkansas players to finish in double figures and was the second leading rebounder. Things really went through the freshman down the stretch.

“He was a guy that the atmosphere didn’t affect him,” Musselman said. “When he saw that we weren’t getting much, he took it upon himself to be way more aggressive offensively. We needed him to. I thought the first half foul trouble really threw us off.

Auburn Arena is not an easy place to play, especially for a freshman. Head coach Bruce Pearl has been able to build a fortress on the Plains, where teams and players have gone to die in the past. Arkansas as a whole did not come out in one piece but if anyone held their own, it was Black.

Eric Musselman says Arkansas must adapt amid injuries

Injuries have not been nice to Arkansas early in the season. Former five-star prospect Nick Smith Jr. is not expected to play at least until the month of January, while Trevon Brazile is out for the season with a knee injury.

Musselman is not looking to make excuses though following the Auburn loss. He said the Razorbacks must find a way to get back to winning basketball even without two top players.

“There’s no excuse,” Musselman said. “If you take two really talented players off any team in the country — we got to find a way to play better basketball.”

Players, such as Black, will have to continue to step up in a big way throughout the injury problems. While Brazile will not return, Smith could have the opportunity to play down the road for Arkansas. While Auburn was a solid example, there needs to be winning efforts mixed in as well.

The schedule does not get easier, with a top four ranked Alabama team heading to Fayetteville on Wednesday. Musselman will have an opportunity to get everyone in the program back on track with a huge win at home. And in the meantime, getting fully healthy will be a top priority as well.