CBB Full-Court Press: Cal, Arkansas off to disappointing start

College Basketball Full-Court Press recaps the most important developments from the sport and examines their significance moving forward.

New school, same Cal

Don't let a recent win over Georgia cloud your judgement. John Calipari's first year at Arkansas has been a massive disappointment, and it shouldn't be much of a surprise.

Calipari brought over his entire coaching staff from Kentucky. He and his assistants have collectively refused to adapt to the modern game, leaning once again on a heavy diet of mid-range jumpers. The Razorbacks are 201st in threes attempted (22.3 per game) and 251st in 3-point percentage (32.5%). Guards D.J. Wagner and Johnell Davis are shooting 35.5% and 27.7%, respectively, in SEC play. Five-star recruit Boogie Fland also struggled up until his season-ending hand injury, making only 28.2% of his field goals across five conference games.

Arkansas' lack of floor spacing has been problematic, especially since its roster features an abundance of big men and downhill drivers. Opponents can clog the paint without much repercussions, making it much more difficult for the Razorbacks to get easy baskets down low. The program ranks 279th nationally with only 34.5% of its field-goal attempts coming at the rim, per Hoop-Explorer.com.

It's not as if Calipari inherited Eric Musselman's roster, either. The Hall of Fame coach reportedly has "at least" $5 million annually in NIL funds at his disposal, a source told On3's Pete Nakos. Calipari could've theoretically brought in anybody with that type of budget, yet he chose to recruit multiple Kentucky players and members of the Wildcats' 2024 class. The Hogs aren't short on talent, but the pieces don't fit together. Arkansas is 1-7 against Quad 1 teams and must somehow start racking up wins in a stacked SEC just to make it into the Big Dance.

Sparty's on fire

Michigan State has rattled off 12 consecutive victories, which marks its longest win streak since 2018-19 when the Spartans last reached the Final Four. The program is undefeated in the Big Ten after posting no more than 11 conference wins in each of the previous four campaigns. Some predicted Michigan State to be in a transition year with its top scorer (Tyson Walker), rebounder (Malik Hall), and playmaker (A.J. Hoggard) all graduating. But Tom Izzo has done a tremendous job getting his players to buy into their roles and play unselfishly.

The Spartans rank eighth in the NCAA in assists, led by Jeremy Fears Jr. at 6.3 dimes per contest. They operate on a 10-man rotation, with each player averaging at least 14 minutes of action. While Jaden Akins paces the team in scoring, anyone in the rotation can step up on any given night. Freshman Jase Richardson - the son of two-time Slam Dunk champ Jason Richardson - was the latest player to rise to the occasion. He registered a career-high 20 points and four boards in the school's most recent victory over Rutgers.

Richardson is one of many weapons on college basketball's second-highest-scoring bench. Omaha transfer Frankie Fidler has brought some additional offensive punch to the second unit since making way for Tre Holloman in the starting lineup. Coen Carr often provides a spark with his perimeter defense and explosive athleticism in transition. Xavier Booker gives the Spartans some rim protection and rebounding.

The biggest concern for Michigan State is its shortage of 3-point threats. The Spartans are draining only 5.5 threes per contest at a 28.7% success rate. Still, they've been able to produce a top-20 offense on the foundation of an elite transition game and frequent trips to the charity stripe.

Louisville's back

What a difference a year can make.

It's hard to believe this is the same Louisville program that won eight games last season and dropped 18 of 20 conference matchups in 2022-23. New head coach Pat Kelsey already has three more victories than predecessor Kenny Payne, and he's guided the Cardinals to their first AP ranking in four years.

Louisville's turnaround starts with its offense. Kelsey's enjoyed success at each of his previous stops deploying an up-tempo brand of basketball that emphasizes 3-point shooting. The Cardinals have taken on that same identity, making 9.9 triples per contest - an increase of nearly 4.5 - and averaging the sixth-most threes (31.1) in the nation. They tied the single-game ACC record with 19 makes from beyond the arc in last Tuesday's win over SMU.

Senior guard Reyne Smith is spearheading Louisville's outside attack, ranking second in the NCAA with 78 triples. The school's 3-point barrage has largely resulted in a top-25 offensive unit, according to KenPom.

The Cardinals' defense has made significant strides as well, surrendering 9.3 fewer points per game than the season prior. They provide the necessary help and play aggressively without fouling. Wisconsin transfer Chucky Hepburn has been a major defensive catalyst, tallying a conference-leading 49 steals. Terrence Edwards has also recently been effective against the opposition's top scorers, which includes a shutdown performance on North Carolina guard RJ Davis. Louisville's start is even more impressive when you factor in the season-ending injuries to Kasean Pryor and Koren Johnson.

Transition three

St. John's in contention: The Johnnies are in unfamiliar territory, tied for first in the Big East and within the AP's top 25 for the first time since 2019. The school hasn't won a share of the regular-season conference title in 33 years or an NCAA Tournament game since 2000. There's still a long way to go before St. John's snaps either drought, but Rick Pitino deserves full credit for getting the program back on track in just his second year in charge. RJ Luis and Zuby Ejiofor have made the leap as juniors, emerging as the Red Storm's top scorers. St. John's has been exceptional on the offensive glass, with Ejiofor ranking first in the nation. Its elite defense has made up for a lack of sharpshooters. Pitino's squad ranks third in blocks (6.2), 10th in opponent 2-point field-goal percentage (43.6%), and 16th in turnovers forced (15.8).

Woodson's time is up: Mike Woodson's seat is scorching hot with the Hoosiers off to an uninspiring start. Indiana is hovering around the bubble thanks to a 2-7 mark against Quad 1 teams. While its 14-7 overall record isn't bad on the surface, how the team has lost is concerning. Five of the Hoosiers' losses have been by 16-plus points. Their 25-point home defeat to Illinois earlier this month was the second-most lopsided result in Assembly Hall history and a reflection of how far one of the sport's top brands has fallen. Some Indiana players noticeably lacked effort, many fans left at halftime, and chants of "Fire Woodson" rained down from the remaining Hoosiers faithful. The school shouldn't be a borderline tournament team in Year 4 of the Woodson era. Indiana has just one NCAA Tournament victory under Woodson despite having multiple future NBAers and one of the highest NIL budgets for the transfer portal. It's become more than evident that Woodson isn't the right person to lead the Hoosiers back to prominence.

Purdue thriving post-Edey: Purdue continues to chug along following the departure of star big man Zach Edey. The Boilermakers are in the hunt for a third straight Big Ten regular-season crown, sitting just one game back of Michigan State for first place. Braden Smith has proven that his success wasn't just a byproduct of playing alongside the back-to-back Wooden Award winner. The junior guard is having an All-American campaign, averaging 15.4 points, 8.9 assists, and 2.4 steals. Trey Kaufman-Renn is having the breakout campaign many projected, tallying a team-high 18.1 points per game to go along with 6.3 boards and 2.5 assists. Fletcher Loyer remains one of the country's top 3-point shooters, knocking down 43 threes and 46.7% of his long-range attempts. Matt Painter's defense relies on instinctual plays and staying disciplined to make up for the absence of a rim-protector. Purdue does a great job guarding the 3-point shot, applying pressure, and scoring off turnovers.