Carleton University won’t be the kind of opponent Arkansas can breeze past in Nassau.
The Razorbacks opened their four-game stay in the Baha Mar summer league with a 106-59 win over the Bahamas National Team on Friday, but Saturday evening brings a much stiffer test. Carleton, based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, has built a heavy-duty résumé over the last 23 years, winning 18 U Sports tournament national championships.
That success has carried over against SEC programs, too. Carleton has beaten Alabama and Ole Miss twice apiece and knocked off Vanderbilt in 2017. Its only two losses to SEC teams came against South Carolina and Kentucky, with the Kentucky defeat coming against John Calipari’s 2022 team.
After Arkansas, Carleton will still have two more chances against Division I opponents in Texas A&M and Valparaiso.
Arkansas showed plenty of promise in its first outing, even with a roster loaded with youth. Freshmen accounted for 80 of the Razorbacks’ 106 points, and Jordan Smith Jr. led the way with 22. Associate head coach Kenny Payne said the team still has plenty to clean up, but he likes the talent level.
"We got a lot of work to do as a team," associate head coach Kenny Payne said after Arkansas' win on Friday, "But we have a lot of talent. Crazy talent.
When you have 11 or 12 guys... typically coaches are comfortable playing seven or eight. We have 10 legitimate players."
Arkansas is listed with 10 legitimate players because Miikka Murrinnen is dealing with an eligibility issue that should be cleared up before the regular season starts this fall. If there’s one game in Nassau where that absence could be most noticeable, it’s this one against Carleton.
That makes Saturday a valuable measuring stick for a young Arkansas group. The Razorbacks will need Smith, Davion Thompson, JJ Andrews and Maper Maker, among others, to mature fast if they want to handle a program with Carleton’s track record.
For Arkansas, the point of August exhibitions is clear: build experience now so the roster is ready when the season brings matchups with Indiana, Michigan State, North Carolina, Arizona, Alabama, Auburn and Kentucky.
The big question on Saturday is simple enough: can Carleton rattle Arkansas’ inexperienced roster and push the Hogs into a surprising loss, even if it wouldn’t count in the standings?
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