Observations from John Calipari’s debut, Arkansas basketball’s exhibition win over Kansas

Arkansas basketball opened the John Calipari era with an impressive 85-69 win over No. 1 Kansas in a preseason exhibition Friday night.

The No. 16 Razorbacks controlled the game from start-to-finish, shooting 48.3% from the field as starting guards Boogie Fland and DJ Wagner led the offense in an efficient performance.

The coaches agreed to a unique format for the scrimmage, playing quarters rather than halves. Kansas was under-manned without three key contributors in Hunter Dickinson, Shakeel Moore and Rylan Griffen.

Here are 11 observations from the Razorbacks’ victory over the Jayhawks.

Boogie Fland is ready to be a focal point of the offense

Fland looked like a multi-year veteran against the Jayhawks, scoring 22 points and dishing out a team-high five assists.

In a mild surprise, he spent the most time as the Hogs’ point guard and displayed a crafty game, scoring his first basket off a one-footed jumper and showing an array of finishing moves near the basket. The five-star freshman will be a key figure for Calipari when the season begins.

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DJ Wagner’s shot looks great

Wagner was a top-five recruit in the country coming out of high school in 2023, but he shot 29.2% from 3 last year at Kentucky and struggled to find consistency on offense.

Wagner made his first two 3-pointers against Kansas and led all Arkansas scorers with 24 points. The form on his jumper looked smooth, and he got to the basket with ease. Wagner looks primed for a major bounce back in his sophomore season, living up to the hype he had entering college.

Johnell Davis is still settling in

Davis has missed time this preseason with an undisclosed injury and did not start Friday. Viewed as one of the top transfers in the country last offseason from Florida Atlantic, Davis didn’t attempt his first shot until the 5:25 mark of the second quarter. His first points came in the closing seconds of the first half.

Davis was doing more fitting in than taking over, and maybe that’s a good sign for the depth of talent on the roster.

Hogs healthier than anticipated

Tennessee transfer Jonas Aidoo was the only member of the core-nine who missed Friday’s exhibition.

Arkansas’ relative health is a surprise after associate coach Kenny Payne said Thursday that Arkansas has spent plenty of practices in recent weeks with only five players. It’s a terrific sign that Arkansas is inching toward a full team with the regular season starting in 12 days.

Zvonimir Ivišić’s passing stands out

There were a plenty of possessions where Ivišić was the hub of the offense from the 3-point line. The 7-foot-2 center had two assists to cutting guards from the perimeter, and he finished the night with four dimes.

Ivišić also made two 3-pointers, showed off his low-post game and scored 18 points with six rebounds. It will be fun to watch his tall frame’s diverse skill set this winter.

Trevon Brazile isn’t settling

Brazile did not float around the 3-point line as he did throughout last season. Calipari wants the 6-10 forward to be more aggressive attacking the paint, and there was one point in the second half where Brazile traveled after turning down a wide-open 3. He and Calipari laughed it off during the next dead ball.

Brazile finished with five points and went 3 of 4 from the free-throw line. He failed to take four free-throw attempts in 18 games last year.

NBA-type spacing from the Hogs

Arkansas scored 40 paint points and took 28 free throws, with both numbers a product of terrific spacing. It’s a huge bonus having Brazile and Ivišić as bigs who can shoot 3s.

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Defensive rebounding was an issue

Kansas pulled down nine offensive rebounds and had opportunities for more. The Jayhawks were pests on the glass, looking to take advantage of Arkansas playing without Aidoo.

The big-man’s health should clean up this category, but Arkansas doesn’t have much depth in the front court. Health and avoiding foul trouble with their three interior players will be critical for the Razorbacks.

But the defense was still strong overall

Arkansas forced Kansas into 17 turnovers and held the Jayhawks to 45.3% shooting, doing so without Aidoo, who was a member of the All-SEC defensive team last year.

The Hogs’ defense was connected on a string most of the night, with good rotations and solid ball-pressure from their guards.

Billy Richmond III needs some grooming

The five-star freshman scored zero points and attempted just one shot. He also committed three fouls in eight minutes.

He’s got plenty of potential, but Richmond looked like he was still adjusting to the pace of the college game and his role on a star-studded team against Kansas.

The fans are ready for this new era

A sold-out Bud Walton Arena greeted Calipari and his team with a raucous environment that felt more like a SEC game than a preseason exhibition.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: 11 observations from Arkansas basketball’s exhibition win over Kansas