Arkansas Basketball: 2019-20 season review for the Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, AR - FEBRUARY 15: Head coach Eric Musselman of the Arkansas Razorbacks tries to huddle his team during the second half of a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Bud Walton Arena on February 15, 2020 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Bulldogs defeated the Razorbacks 78-77. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

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FAYETTEVILLE, AR – FEBRUARY 22: Isaiah Joe #1 of the Arkansas Razorbacks (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

Peaks and valleys of the 2019-20 Razorbacks

The “No Joe Woes”

As the calendar turned to February, Arkansas was sitting in solid position. They sat at 16-5 overall and .500 in SEC play after an inspired come-from-behind road win at Alabama. Casting a shadow on the big win, however, was concern over lingering knee inflammation that was having a clear impact on the play of standout wing Isaiah Joe.

In the coming days, Joe underwent an arthroscopic procedure that cost him nearly three weeks. The Razorbacks went into a tailspin in his absence, dropping 5 straight games and falling on the wrong side of the bubble. Arkansas struggled with an extreme lack of depth and had trouble closing out games due to noticeable fatigue.

The 5-game stretch included heartbreaking overtime losses to Auburn and Missouri as well as a tip-in buzzer-beater at home at the hands of Mississippi State. They were also drubbed at Tennessee, in what was likely the worst performance of the season for the Hogs. It is both a fair and reasonable assumption that a healthy Isaiah Joe could have changed the outcome of one or more of those games.

Road Wins and Sweet Revenge

There were several memorable moments for Arkansas fans in the 2019-20 campaign. From Mason Jones’ multiple 40 point games to the ejection of John Calipari that sent a deafening roar through Bud Walton Arena, the excitement and buzz around the team was palpable most of the season.

As far as individual games go, Arkansas had a trio of inspired road wins that left their mark. Razorback fans will not soon forget the Mason Jones “Banksgiving Miracle” against Georgia Tech. Gritty comeback performances at Indiana and Alabama showed the team’s toughness, determination, and never-quit mentality.

Two of Arkansas’ toughest losses of the year came on the road. They dropped a nail-biter at LSU and took a pounding at Tennessee. The Hogs got their revenge at Bud Walton in a pair of blowout wins that rank among their top performances of the season.

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