FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — No. 19 Arkansas fell victim to plenty of wasted possessions Sunday during a 92-71 loss to No. 6 Virginia, but it wasn't due to just one mistake either.

Young teams are going to take time to mold, and that's why coach John Calipari schedules such a tough non-conference slate that prepares them for SEC play and beyond.

Sunday's loss to the Cavaliers could serve as a wake-up call for a talented Arkansas team that must understand how one costly mistake or decision to play hero ball can throw a game away in a hurry, especially against a notable opponent.

Calipari made it clear on Sunday that his team will learn from the Virginia film, and these two areas deserve particular attention as the Razorbacks get back to work in preparation for a busy week with three games in six days.

Turning Offensive Rebounds into Second Chance Points

A singular offensive rebound should be enough to make a defense stress no matter which half the game is in. The Razorbacks didn't do that enough against Virginia when given the opportunity either.

The Razorbacks attacked the offensive glass with 15 boards, but failed to capitalize with second chance points to go along with it. Virginia grabbed 19 offensive rebounds and outscored Arkansas 28-14 in that department as the Cavaliers pulled away by as many as 27 points midway through the second half.

Whoever comes down with the ball, whether that is Cooper Bowser, Miikka Muurinen or a smaller guard such as Davion Thompson or Jordan Smith Jr., the Razorbacks have to find a way for easier points or resetting the shot clock and force an opponent to defend an additional 20 seconds.

Arkansas has struggled to finish strong at the rim during exhibition play and its first two regular-season games. The Razorbacks are 23-of-37 on shots at the goal from point blank range this season, and many of those misses have come from failed putbacks.

So, what's the fix? The Razorbacks have plenty of length and build to make teams pay for not blocking out. However, they've got to learn how to finish at the rim when given second chance opportunities because getting doubled up in that category will equate to a loss more times than not.

Not Allowing Turnovers to Mount in Costly Fashion

Calipari wants to play fast, and has the personnel to do exactly that. But his biggest problem to this point has been ball handlers forgetting to actually take care of the basketball.

The Razorbacks were forced into 15 turnovers, including eight in the second half, and Abdou Toure was the only player to play more than 10 minutes without a single turnover. Arkansas shot over 60% from the field and 55% from three in the final 20 minutes, but the carelessness with the ball is what did them in.

Whether it was throwing bounce passes across the perimeter or trying to pass over a 7-footer against halfcourt pressure, Arkansas gave Virginia opportunities to turn mistakes into points.

Those decisions aren't always on the ball handler either because teammates have to come within view with decisive movement before a defender beats them to the ball.

Once Arkansas lost momentum against Virginia it became harder to grab it back. A lot of that must be credited to Cavaliers coach Ryan Odom and his group of veteran players who understand how to capitalize on an opponent's mistakes.

When Arkansas is in the halfcourt, they must make opponents earn their stops because it's much easier to recover defensively than allowing an easy basket in transition the other way.