If you thought the upcoming Arkansas basketball season couldn’t get any more exciting, think again. The Razorbacks raised expectations to new heights with their preseason exhibition win over No. 3 Purdue. This 81-77 overtime victory was a statement performance against one of the country’s best teams. Bud Walton Arena was packed to capacity, creating a hostile environment despite the lack of regular season stakes. Purdue head coach Matt Painter described it as a “hornet’s nest.”

Arkansas men’s basketball coach Eric Musselman celebrated in the locker room after the game, acknowledging the incredible support from the fans. “Twenty-thousand people before Halloween. I don’t know many places that can do that. I really don’t,” Musselman said. “Yeah, I think there’s a lot of anticipation.”

With the anticipation reaching its peak as Arkansas gears up to open their season against Alcorn State, here are five bold predictions for the upcoming campaign:

A bench player leads Arkansas in scoring

While things can always change, it seems likely that Khalif Battle will be the Razorbacks’ sixth-man this season. Battle has consistently come off the bench in both of Arkansas’ exhibition games, averaging a team-high 13 points per game. This trend is expected to continue into the regular season.

With Battle’s impressive scoring ability, showcased by his average of 17.9 points per game at Temple last year, Arkansas has a dynamic scorer who can do damage as both a spot-up shooter and an attacker at the rim. Battle’s shooting efficiency is also remarkable, with a free throw percentage of 89.8% last season. His explosive playing style and ability to excel against second-string units will make him a top contender for leading scorer.

Trevon Brazile emerges as a lottery pick

Trevon Brazile’s NBA Draft stock was on the rise last season until an ACL injury cut his season short. Now, as a redshirt sophomore, Brazile returns as the Razorbacks’ top prospect. His performance against Purdue, playing 31 minutes and showcasing his shooting stroke, demonstrates his potential.

Standing at 6-foot-10, Brazile is the type of player NBA teams covet. With his ability to stretch the floor as a forward and potentially play center in small-ball lineups, he constantly creates space for his teammates. Despite limited playing time over the past year, Tankathon.com ranks Brazile as the 27th prospect for the 2024 NBA Draft. When his athleticism fully returns, Brazile’s draft stock will soar once again.

Three-point shooting improves moderately

Last year, three-point shooting was a weakness for the Arkansas team, ranking 318th in the country with a shooting percentage of 31.3%. Although Coach Musselman has added some shooting talent through the transfer portal, the improvement in this area has been marginal during the preseason. Arkansas shot 33.3% across their two exhibition games, a percentage that would have ranked 204th last year.

Jeremiah Davenport and Joseph Pinion are the team’s best three-point shooters, but their playing time remains uncertain on a game-by-game basis. While fans may expect a significant uptick in three-point shooting, this Musselman-led team prioritizes defense and physical guards. Therefore, the improvement in three-point shooting is expected to be moderate rather than drastic.

Arkansas contends for the SEC title

Last season, Arkansas was not considered a contender for the conference championship. They stumbled at the start of league play, going 1-5 and focusing more on making the tournament than winning the SEC title. However, this year will be different.

Arkansas will be in the mix for the SEC title, especially during a crucial three-game stretch at the end of the season. Facing Kentucky on the road, followed by a home game against LSU and a final game at Alabama, these matchups will determine if the Razorbacks clinch the conference title. Both Kentucky and Alabama are also expected to be strong contenders this year.

Highest NCAA Tournament seed of Musselman’s tenure

Under Coach Musselman’s leadership, Arkansas has consistently reached the second weekend of March Madness. This season, the Razorbacks have a more favorable path to that destination, potentially earning a No. 1 or No. 2 seed.

Despite being a No. 3 seed in 2021, this year’s team is deeper and more experienced. With a roster full of talented seniors, the likelihood of regular season slip-ups is reduced. The SEC is undoubtedly challenging, but Arkansas is poised to have one of their best regular seasons in history. The highest seed the Razorbacks have achieved since 1995 was No. 2 when they made it to the National Championship game.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record.

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