After shaking off rust in the two games since returning from knee soreness, Arkansas forward Trevon Brazile appears to be on track for an expanded role.
The redshirt sophomore played four mostly uneventful minutes against Missouri over the weekend before scoring 7 points and grabbing 6 rebounds in 17 minutes versus Vanderbilt Tuesday night.
Arkansas found some success with small-ball lineups in recent games, but Eric Musselman would prefer to have more size on the floor down the stretch.
“I think we’ll end up playing a little bit bigger down the stretch than the four guards,” Musselman said. “That happened out of necessity.
“We’ll try to get TB more involved in the next few games. We’ll have a little bit more of a traditional look. It doesn’t mean based on the way a game is going or matchups that we won’t go back to four guards.
“But I do think, at least right now and today, we would plan on having more of a traditional look during the course of a game.”
Brazile was one of Arkansas’ most effective players early in the season but saw his production drop drastically near the start of SEC play.
The 6-10 stretch forward showed flashes against Vanderbilt with an impressive blocked shot and a critical late three-pointer, but struggled in the foul department, including a very costly whistle in the final minute.
“The fouling out in a short amount of time, we want him to be able to play a little bit more,” Musselman said. “But that was his first extended minutes really.
Brazile’s talent is undeniable, but it will take more time to work him back into continuity within the rotation, which is something Musselman had to work through late last season with the return of Nick Smith Jr.
“It’s hard on a team when a player comes back from an injury,” Musselman said. “It’s hard on the individual player. It changes rotations. It makes that a little bit more complicated for everybody involved.
“I think he’s looking forward to trying to get back in the flow as well.”
Arkansas (14-14, 5-10 SEC) returns to action Saturday at 12:30 p.m. (CT) on CBS for a rematch with Kentucky (20-8, 10-5 SEC) at Rupp Arena.
The Wildcats snuck out of Bud Walton Arena with a 63-57 win on Jan. 27 in a game Brazile was unavailable for.
“He can add offensive rebounding to our team, which is an area we’ve lacked,” Musselman said. “He can be a perimeter threat for us from three.
“He’s got the ability to tip-dunk, he can run the floor and get some easy baskets, hopefully in transition, based on his ability to run.
“He can add shot-blocking, too, to us as well from a defensive standpoint, and he’s one of our better defensive rebounders.”