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SAN FRANCISCO — John Calipari made the declaration in the immediate aftermath of Arkansas basketball's second round win over St. John's in March Madness. He doubled-down Tuesday morning during an appearance on ESPN's Pat McAfee show.
The Razorbacks (22-13) are getting healthier and peaking as they set their sights on Texas Tech in the Sweet 16, but a key piece on the late-season turnaround has gone missing. The Hogs have to find a way to get more of an impact from Zvonimir Ivisic.
"We need (Ivisic) to play," Calipari said Saturday night. "I need him on the floor some."
More: From 1-6 to Sweet 16: Arkansas overcomes adversity in March Madness win over St. John's
More: Why Arkansas basketball's physicality lesson at Tennessee mattered in win over St. John's
Ivisic has gone missing this postseason, averaging 8.5 minutes while scoring just six points across four combined games in the SEC Tournament and men's NCAA Tournament. He's 1 for 6 from the field and 0 for 2 on 3-pointers, and the 7-foot-2 Croatian fouled out in 10 minutes against the Red Storm.
The disappearance in production is jarring after Ivisic played a key role in getting Arkansas into the big dance. The Razorbacks started 0-5 in the SEC, and while Ivisic struggled in that early-season stretch, he averaged 13 points and shot 358% from the floor as Arkansas went 8-5 over its last 13 games.
The offense drying up is hard to explain. Two potential factors are a recent injury to his right thumb and his struggles on defense.
He sustained the injury in the opening game at the SEC Tournament, and he avoided high-fiving his teammates at the free-throw line with his right hand during the win over South Carolina. Ivisic has repeatedly stressed he's healthy, but the downturn in shooting has correlated with the injury.
Calipari has had a quick hook for an Ivisic when there's a breakdown in the pick-and-roll or the big man fails to grab defensive rebounds. The recent emergence of Jonas Aidoo and Trevon Brazile has made the leash even tighter.
But as Calipari noted, Arkansas needs Ivisic. Aidoo and Brazile have dealt with foul trouble since Ivisic's minutes reduction. Against St. John's, Aidoo picked up his fourth personal midway through the second half, and Ivisic fouled out mere possessions later.
It felt like a moment that might end the Razorbacks' season, but they survived thanks to terrific play from freshmen Billy Richmond III and Karter Knox.
And if he's on, Ivisic's scoring from the perimeter is a game-changer. He forces opposing teams to pull their centers away from the basket and defend nearehind the 3-point line. Texas Tech ranks 82nd in the country in 3-point defense (31.9%), and a sharp-shooting Ivisic opens up driving lanes for the Arkansas guards.
Adou Thiero's return from injury will help Arkansas' depth in the front court, and even with Ivisic's struggles, the Hogs are two wins away from reaching their first Final Four since 1995.
The road to San Antonio becomes a lot easier with Ivisic contributing. He's got another chance Thursday night to turn the tide on his postseason struggles.
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas basketball needs more from Zvonimir Ivisic in March Madness
Continue reading...
The Razorbacks (22-13) are getting healthier and peaking as they set their sights on Texas Tech in the Sweet 16, but a key piece on the late-season turnaround has gone missing. The Hogs have to find a way to get more of an impact from Zvonimir Ivisic.
"We need (Ivisic) to play," Calipari said Saturday night. "I need him on the floor some."
More: From 1-6 to Sweet 16: Arkansas overcomes adversity in March Madness win over St. John's
More: Why Arkansas basketball's physicality lesson at Tennessee mattered in win over St. John's
Ivisic has gone missing this postseason, averaging 8.5 minutes while scoring just six points across four combined games in the SEC Tournament and men's NCAA Tournament. He's 1 for 6 from the field and 0 for 2 on 3-pointers, and the 7-foot-2 Croatian fouled out in 10 minutes against the Red Storm.
The disappearance in production is jarring after Ivisic played a key role in getting Arkansas into the big dance. The Razorbacks started 0-5 in the SEC, and while Ivisic struggled in that early-season stretch, he averaged 13 points and shot 358% from the floor as Arkansas went 8-5 over its last 13 games.
The offense drying up is hard to explain. Two potential factors are a recent injury to his right thumb and his struggles on defense.
He sustained the injury in the opening game at the SEC Tournament, and he avoided high-fiving his teammates at the free-throw line with his right hand during the win over South Carolina. Ivisic has repeatedly stressed he's healthy, but the downturn in shooting has correlated with the injury.
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Calipari has had a quick hook for an Ivisic when there's a breakdown in the pick-and-roll or the big man fails to grab defensive rebounds. The recent emergence of Jonas Aidoo and Trevon Brazile has made the leash even tighter.
But as Calipari noted, Arkansas needs Ivisic. Aidoo and Brazile have dealt with foul trouble since Ivisic's minutes reduction. Against St. John's, Aidoo picked up his fourth personal midway through the second half, and Ivisic fouled out mere possessions later.
It felt like a moment that might end the Razorbacks' season, but they survived thanks to terrific play from freshmen Billy Richmond III and Karter Knox.
And if he's on, Ivisic's scoring from the perimeter is a game-changer. He forces opposing teams to pull their centers away from the basket and defend nearehind the 3-point line. Texas Tech ranks 82nd in the country in 3-point defense (31.9%), and a sharp-shooting Ivisic opens up driving lanes for the Arkansas guards.
Adou Thiero's return from injury will help Arkansas' depth in the front court, and even with Ivisic's struggles, the Hogs are two wins away from reaching their first Final Four since 1995.
The road to San Antonio becomes a lot easier with Ivisic contributing. He's got another chance Thursday night to turn the tide on his postseason struggles.
Jackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas basketball needs more from Zvonimir Ivisic in March Madness
Continue reading...
