NCAA Tournament 2023: Ranking the starting lineups of each Sweet 16 team
By Joey Loose
11. Arkansas (8-seed)
Anthony Black (Freshman – Guard)
One of this season’s top recruits, Black has been a vital piece in Arkansas’s backcourt, putting up 12.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists a game for the Razorbacks. He’s been sloppy at times, but is among the SEC’s leaders in steals and assists and was Second Team All-SEC. His best basketball came early in the season at the Maui Invitational, but he did have 12 points and 6 rebounds in their first-round win over Illinois.
Ricky Council IV (Junior – Guard)
One year after winning AAC Sixth Man of the Year at Wichita State, Council has taken over an important role in the Razorbacks’ backcourt and been named Second Team All-SEC. He’s averaged 16.1 points and 3.6 rebounds a game this year and his presence has really helped keep Arkansas afloat when struggling with other injuries. He’s shown up in the Tournament, with an 18-point, 10-rebound effort against the Illini before a dynamic 21-point, 6-rebound effort to knock out defending champion Kansas in the second round.
Davonte Davis (Junior – Guard)
An important piece across the court, Davis has really developed this season, averaging 11.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists to become a starter in this backcourt. He’s a very solid defender whose 3-point numbers (35% this season) have gotten much better as a junior. He’s also shown up in the Big Dance, with 16 points against Illinois and a much-needed 25-point, 8-rebound performance against Kansas.
Kamani Johnson (Senior – Forward)
While he’s not one of their best players, this former All-Sun Belt forward has been one of Arkansas’s starters during the NCAA Tournament. Johnson averages just 2.3 points and 3.1 rebounds a game before giving way to some of the depth on this bench. However, Johnson grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds against the Jayhawks and could be playing his way into even more minutes down the stretch.
Nick Smith Jr. (Freshman – Guard)
The #3 freshman prospect in the nation, Smith lost a big chunk of his season to injury but has fought back and been a key contributor for the Razorbacks more recently. He’s averaging 12.6 points in limited time with the Razorbacks but has had five games with 20 or more points this season. He was kept scoreless against Kansas and if Smith can find his game then Arkansas will have another lethal weapon for their continued run.