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WATCH: Makhel Mitchell throws down poster dunk early in first half vs Alabama

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•01/11/23•

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Arkansas forward Makhel Mitchell
Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Makhel Mitchell jumped into the starting lineup for Arkansas Wednesday night against Alabama and wasted no time making his presence known. The former Rhode Island star threw down a poster dunk early on in the matchup.

Mitchell went up off a pass from Davonte Davis and slammed one home on Alabama forward Noah Clowney. He also drew a foul on the play and made the impending free throw to complete the three-point play.

It got Bud Walton Arena rocking in a big way for the top-15 showdown between the Razorbacks and Crimson Tide.

Wednesday marked Mitchell’s first start as a Razorback after making 11 appearances throughout the year. He entered play averaging 3.0 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in his first year since transferring from Rhode Island.

Arkansas is trying to get back to .500 in SEC play after a 1-2 start, including a loss to Auburn Jan. 7. To do so, the Razorbacks will have to hand Alabama its first conference loss of the season and halt the Crimson Tide’s three-game winning streak to open league play.

Eric Musselman not worried about slow start to SEC play

It has not been a great start to SEC play for Arkansas and head coach Eric Musselman. The 15th-ranked Razorbacks are 1-2 over their first three games with away losses to LSU and Auburn and a home victory over Missouri.

Slow starts to its conference slate has become a trend for Arkansas, which went 1-2 two seasons ago and 0-3 last year to the start the season. It won’t get any easier with top-five ranked Alabama next on their schedule, but Musselman isn’t worried.

“Just because it’s happened that way the last two years doesn’t mean that that’s going to happen this year,” Musselman said. “When you look at our road games towards the end of the year and you got to go at Tennessee, you gotta go (against) Alabama. But I will say this, and I learned it a long time ago from my father, your schedule often dictates wins and losses at times as well.”