FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas beat LSU in their first men’s basketball matchup this season, but the Tigers were able to control the paint despite playing without one of their key low-post threats.
LSU outrebounded the Razorbacks 46-38 and grabbed 17 offensive rebounds without highly-touted freshman Johnny O’Bryant III, who missed that game and four others with a broken bone in his left hand.
O’Bryant has since recovered and will start today, presenting the Hogs with an additional challenge as they try to win their first game away from Bud Walton Arena this season.
The 6-foot-9, 262-pounder gives LSU coach Trent Johnson another big body to use against Arkansas’ young, depth-depleted frontcourt as the Tigers try to avenge a 69-60 loss in Bud Walton on Jan. 14.
“It adds more depth to their team,” Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said. “(O’Bryant) is a versatile forward, 6-9 and can score in a variety of ways. He’s a guy that can go to the glass for them, but has skill.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
O’Bryant has played in the last two games after recovering from the hand injury and is averaging 8.1 points and 6.3 rebounds this year. His return has allowed senior forward Storm Warren, averaging 8.2 points and five rebounds, to come off the bench.
O’Bryant and 7-foot junior center Justin Hamilton give the Tigers (12-9, 2-5 Southeastern Conference) a formidable starting frontcourt.
“It enables us to be a better rebounding team,” Johnson said. “I know there’s a lot of pain (with his hand), but Johnny’s playing through it. We need him back because before he got hurt he was starting to figure this thing out.”
Arkansas’ rebounding struggles this season haven’t been limited to the first LSU game. The Razorbacks’ minus-2.1 rebounding margin ranks No. 11 in the SEC.
The Razorbacks (16-6, 4-3) are coming off one their best efforts on the glass this season against Vanderbilt, though.
The Hogs outrebounded the Commodores 36-29 in an 82-74 win on Tuesday, the first time they outrebounded an SEC opponent this season. Arkansas’ ability to carry over the success it had on the glass against Vanderbilt will be key in trying to win on the road and complete a season sweep of LSU.
“It’s a mindset and hopefully we’ll have that mindset going against LSU, because they’re an even bigger team,” Anderson said. “We have to be pretty active and hit the glass.
“Now it’s really important that our guards get in there and help us rebound and keep them off the offensive glass.”
The Razorbacks outrebounded the Commodores while combating foul trouble and injury issues inside.
Senior forward Marvell Waithe returned to action against Vanderbilt missing two games because of a strained calf muscle he sustained in the win against Michigan. He played just 4 minutes, though, leaving Anderson with senior Michael Sanchez and freshmen Hunter Mickelson and Devonta Abron as his post options.
“Hopefully he will be (OK) because we are going to need that depth,” Anderson said.
Mickelson scored nine points, but fouled out in just 11 minutes of playing time, continuing his recent struggles to stay on the court. He has picked up 16 fouls the last four games, at times limiting Anderson from playing his tallest player and leading shot blocker.
“He’s got to stop getting the cheap fouls,” Anderson said. “It’s a learning process for him … He’s been written up and talked about as being this great shot blocker, so what do you do? You attack him. So, it’s something he’s got to figure out.”
Mickelson and the Hogs are also still trying to figure out how to win on the road.
Today, Arkansas will try to end an eight-game losing streak outside of Bud Walton Arena, dating back to last season. The Razorbacks will try to end the skid in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, a building they haven’t won in since 2008.
The Hogs played their most competitive game on the road last week at Alabama, leading with less than five minutes remaining before losing 72-66.
“We have to play one of our better games on the road and hopefully we can put together a full 40 minutes,” Anderson said.
“I thought in Alabama we did for 37 or 36 minutes, but it’s going to need a 40-minute effort … We talk about taking it to the next level we have be sure we can go out away from here and play good basketball.”
Arkansas is 16-0 at home for the first time since the national championship team in 1994, but is one of just two teams in the SEC without a road win.
“You have to protect home,” junior guard Julysses Nobles said after the Vanderbilt game. “We have to get better though and take it to the next level by winning on the road.”
•