Game Info
When | 3:00 p.m. CT
Where | Bud Walton Arena; Fayetteville, AR
TV | ESPN
Radio | Tiger Radio Network
Twitter | @MizzouHoops
KenPom prediction | Arkansas -13
ESPN win probability | 19.8% chance
The Starters
Mizzou (18-8, 8-5 SEC)
G: T.O. Barrett (SO, 8.2 PPG)
G: Jayden Stone (GR, 15.1 PPG)
F: Trent Pierce (JR, 10.2 PPG)
F: Mark Mitchell (SR, 16.9 PPG)
C: Shawn Phillips Jr. (SR, 7.5PPG)
Notable Sixth Man: Anthony Robinson II (JR, 9.2 PPG)
Arkansas (19-7, 9-4 SEC)
F: Nick Pringle (SR, 5.1 PPG)
F: Trevon Brazile (SR, 12.7 PPG)
G: Darius Acuff Jr. (FR, 22.3 PPG)
G: Billy Richmond
III (SO, 10.0 PPG)
G: Meleek Thomas (FR, 15.3 PPG)
Notable Sixth Man: Malique Ewin (SR, 9.0 PPG)
Note: these starting lineups are projected.
Get to know Arkansas: A team looking to follow up a deep Sweet 16 run
Similar to last season, the Hogs are peaking at the correct time. Currently ranked No. 20 in the country, the Razorbacks are fresh off a double overtime two-point loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide. While the loss is another roadblock in Arkansas’s hunt for a true road win, Darius Acuff Jr. had an unforgettable 49-point performance for the record books.
Last year, John Calipari undertook a Razorback crew that had no returning roster. While it took a minute into the season for pieces to fall into place, the team made a push towards the Sweet 16 as the momentum peaked at the right time. Mizzou, maybe take some notes?
This year, most of the roster comes back and Calipari’s talent for recruiting out of high school shined too. In total, there are five returners, four freshman, two transfers and one international signee.
Out of the returners, Trevon Brazile and Billy Richmond II are the two who have found their groove in the starting lineup.
Is Brazile sounding familiar Tiger fans? After spending freshman year in Columbia, the Missouri native has spent every year since at Arkansas. He’s currently the third highest scorer on the team, averaging 12.7 points per game. The forward is good for the outside shots and is settling into the potential as the team’s leader rebounds, steals and assists.
Richmond II is a more explosive type of player and averages 10 points per game. From the floor, he’s good 58.2 percent of the time from field goal range, giving him the third-best average on the team.
Karter Knox was also a key piece who returned to the lineup but he’s been dealing with a new injury that has kept him out of play as of late.
The other three starters are freshman and one transfer. Nick Pringle comes from fellow SEC South Carolina. He loves to be a steady presence at the rim and is a helping hand in the paint offense. Freshman Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas are the big acquisitions of this team.
As mentioned before, Acuff put up a record 49 points in his last outing and currently leads the team with an average of more than 22 points per game. He sits at ninth in the country in the statistic. In a previous RockM article, it states Acuff is an “explosive point guard with the physical profile and body control to be an elite player at the college and NBA level.” Meanwhile, Thomas averages the second-best average with north of 15 points.
As a team, Arkansas’s offense is ranked third in the Southeastern Conference. They currently average 89.8 points per game, meanwhile they only allow opponents to score 78 points per game. They’re also a lethal team from pretty much everywhere on the court with big guys on the floor and a 31.1 shooting percentage from beyond the arc.
In conference play, the Razorbacks only have four conference losses against No. 25 Alabama, No. 21 Georgia, Auburn and Kentucky. The Hogs are also significantly better when they play at home.
This could prove another huge win for the Tigers as March looms but the Razorbacks have the advantage heading into the Saturday afternoon affair.
Three Keys to the Game
Big Bodies in the Paint
Where Mizzou may hold an advantage is in the paint. It’s been the strong spot of the Tigers all season and they will need to use it to their advantage on Saturday. Arkansas had problems in this area against Alabama as well. Did four players foul out? Well yes, but the Hogs rely more on perimeter shpoting. If the Tigers won’t be able to contain them here, they’ll need the big men to step up.
Ride the Wave
“I think you take more out of a scrape away from Vanderbilt, as opposed to, maybe you blow them out, going into the next game, so I think it’s good for us,” said Jayden Stone after Wednesday night’s win.
The Tigers will want to come out with a vengeance against the Razorbacks. After losing a late lead, they still have much to prove to the doubters of why they belong around the top of the SEC. While the Hogs may be acting the same after an overtime loss, Mizzou has more on the line.
Trent Burns
The surprise player of the day on Wednesday was the man, the myth, the legend Trent Burns.
Dennis Gates even called him the player of the game after the win. While he may not have been the preferred man on the floor, he showed up when it mattered the most and put up a career high in minutes. It’ll be interesting to see whether Gates turns to him once again against Arkansas.
Postgame, Gates said the seven footer has been working extra hard in practice and putting the pieces into place. So even if he’s not used as heavily, the kid deserves his flowers.
Game Prediction
Final Score: Arkansas 84 – Mizzou 72
While it would be a huge resume booster for the visitors, I think the Hogs will be too much to handle. Overall, Arkansas has been the more complete team and I think they get the job done on home court. If Mizzou wants to compete, it will need to be aggressive and in the paint. They cannot take their feet off the gas at any point in this game.
