FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach Mike Anderson, with his team coming off consecutive road losses, has spent much of the week challenging the Razorbacks.
If Anderson’s comments during Thursday’s press conference were any indication, his most poignant complaints are aimed at starting point guard Julysses Nobles.
Anderson was critical of the junior’s play after the losses at Connecticut and Oklahoma, saying Nobles isn’t “playing to his capabilities.” Nobles has totaled five points (2-for-11 shooting), eight assists and five times during the road losses, which has dropped Arkansas to 5-3 entering Saturday’s game against Southeastern Louisiana (5-3).
“I don’t think he’s going all out,” Anderson said of Nobles. “Sometimes you get comfortable. Guys can take things for granted and you get comfortable and I think he’s maybe one of those guys that does.
“Who knows? He may need a jolt. Some kind of a boost.”
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Nobles has started all eight games this season, leads the team in assists (3.5), is tied for the lead in steals (1.6) and is third in scoring (9.5 points) among healthy players.
He’s shooting 40 percent from the field (24-for-60) and 34.3 percent (12-for-35) from behind the 3-point line.
Arkansas players were not available for comment Thursday, but Anderson said he is expecting more out of Nobles.
“Right now he is not doing the things I thought he would be at this particular time,” Anderson said.
Anderson pointed to leadership as one of the biggest question marks remaining with the Razorbacks as they moved through the midway point of nonconference play.
It’s a topic guard Mardracus Wade brought up after the loss at Oklahoma, too, saying Arkansas is lacking leaders now.
“I think that’s one of our biggest problems right now is that we don’t have that leader on the team,” Wade said. “That person that can calm us down and unrattle us.
“That’s one of the things we’ve got to try to find.”
Nobles, who has played in 67 games in his career, was expected to be one of those leaders when the season began.
Anderson said he still can be, too, hoping the junior will respond to the criticism when the Hogs return to the court after a week-long break for final exams. He said Nobles remains “important to what we do” with the Razorbacks, but no one will simply hand him the leadership tag.
“That’s not given. You’ve got to earn that,” Anderson said. “It’s not about what you’d do on the floor or off the floor, it’s about how you carry yourself. He would definitely be one of those guys that you would think would be (a leader).”
Anderson was asked what Nobles can do to improve and said the Razorbacks have worked on it during practice the past few days. He’ll get his next chance to prove it when Arkansas, which is 5-0 in Bud Walton Arena and 0-3 elsewhere this season, begins a seven-game homestand Saturday.
Anderson said Nobles isn’t alone, though. The Razorbacks are looking for improvement across the board after averaging 62.5 points and shooting 32.6 percent the past two games.
But he believes it will take good leadership on the court for the Razorbacks to gain confidence the next few weeks.
“You can see this is a young basketball team,” Anderson said. “We have got a lot of question marks. Those question marks are who are going to be the leaders on this team?
“The sooner we get the leadership established, then I think we are really on our way to doing some good things.”
Familiar Faces
Southeastern Louisiana will bring a couple of familiar faces to Bud Walton Arena on Saturday with two former Southeastern Conference players on its roster.
Starting guard Daron Populist (LSU) and forward Elgin Bailey (Mississippi State) both transferred to the school after beginning their careers in the SEC. Populist is averaging 8.3 points and 1.6 assists this season, while Bailey scored seven points in his first game Monday.
“I’m sure having somebody that’s been up in that level, they will not be intimidated,” Anderson said about the Lions’ trip to Bud Walton Arena. “I know that.”
Injury Updates
Forward Michael Sanchez, who suffered a minor hand injury in the second half of the Oklahoma game, missed one practice this week but is expected to play Saturday. … Anderson said guard Ky Madden has been slowed by some “little nicks and injuries” that have made him tentative. Madden has scored six points on 3-for-16 shooting the past two games. … Forward Marshawn Powell, who tore ligaments in his knee on Nov. 17, still hasn’t undergone surgery. But Anderson said Thursday it “should be happening pretty soon.”