This season has not started the way many Arkansas fans expected in year one of the John Calipari era in Fayetteville. After a 78-74 loss to LSU, the Hogs are 0-4 in the SEC, something Coach Cal never experienced during his time at Kentucky. Now, the Hogs will travel to Columbia, Missouri, hoping to secure their first conference win of the season.
“This is a very, very tough conference, and everybody can beat everybody,” assistant coach Kenny Payne said. “We have to go out and fight and be disciplined and focused on what we’re doing.”
Previewing Missouri
The Tigers enter the game off an 83-82 win over No. 5 Florida in Gainesville and have a 3-1 SEC record, with their only loss coming at Auburn, currently ranked No. 1. Unlike most teams, Missouri has 12 players averaging over nine minutes per game.
“They are different than most other teams that we’ll play,” Payne said. “Typically, at this point of the season, teams are going to seven, eight guys. He [Missouri coach Dennis Gates] has a deep team and a lot of very good basketball players, so it’s a challenge.”
Missouri is 13-0 at home this season, with their leading scorer being guard Mark Mitchell. He is shooting 51% from the field, 24.1% from the three-point line, and 61.7% from the foul line. Mitchell also leads the team in blocks with 0.9 per game. As a team, the Tigers are averaging 84.9 points per game, the fifth-best in the SEC. They also shoot 49.4% from the field, third-best in the SEC, 37.3% from three-point range, and 71.9% from the free-throw line.
Previewing Arkansas
At this point in the season, it is crucial for the Hogs to secure a win against Missouri. With only 14 games remaining, the Razorbacks need to start picking up conference wins to improve their chances of making the NCAA tournament. Currently, Arkansas is tied for last place in the SEC standings with Oklahoma and South Carolina, all with 0-4 conference records.
The Hogs must address their offensive issues after surrendering another game despite having a multiple-possession lead. Freshman guard Boogie Fland needs to find his rhythm in SEC play. Fland is the second-leading scorer on the team, but he has struggled with shooting since the conference games began, with his best performance being 35.3% from the field against LSU.
Broadcast Information
Time: 5 p.m. CST
Date: Jan. 18
Location: Mizzou Arena, Columbia, MO
TV: SEC Network
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