Arkansas will try to grab its fourth straight victory when it hosts Sun Belt foe UT Arlington on Friday night.
The Razorbacks are coming off a 90-68 win over Montana State, which saw Mike Anderson’s team force 24 turnovers.
Meanwhile, UT Arlington is 3-2 on the season and suffered a 78-64 loss at Indiana earlier in the week.
Let’s run through what to watch for in this matchup.
Game Details
- Arkansas (3-1) vs. UT Arlington (3-2)
- Location: Bud Walton Arena – Fayetteville, AR
- Game Date: Nov. 23
- Game Time: 8 p.m. EST
- Watch: SEC Network+
Players to Watch
Daniel Gafford (Arkansas)
The 6-11 sophomore has been as good as expected through the first four games.
He’s currently averaging 18.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in 28.8 minutes per game while also shooting 75.6 percent from the floor.
Everything the Razorbacks do will run through the likely future NBA lottery pick, and his size will once again play a large role in this type of game against a smaller opponent.
Brian Warren (UT Arlington)
Warren is the current top scorer for the Mavericks, with the 5-11 junior averaging 17.6 points and 3.2 assists in 28.8 minutes per game.
The playmaking point guard is also the team’s best 3-point shooter through five games, as he’s made 10 of 27 attempts for 37.0 percent.
Guard play is going to be extremely important against a high-pressure team like Arkansas, so UT Arlington will need Warren at his best.
Key Stats
It’s been a tale of two different sides of the spectrum for the Mavericks when it comes to 3-point shooting.
UT Arlington hasn’t been able to find a rhythm from beyond the arc in making just 25.5 percent of their shots (331st nationally), but Chris Ogden’s squad has been excellent on defense in forcing opponents to shoot just 22.2 percent (sixth nationally).
Another key to victory for the Mavericks will be taking care of the ball, as they enter 240th nationally in turnover percentage while preparing for an Arkansas team that is 14th in the country in defensive turnover percentage.
And to revisit the size advantage, it’s worth noting that UT Arlington is the smallest team in the country when it comes to average height with most of the rotation players standing 6-6 or shorter.
Something that has also been different about the Mavericks under the new coaching staff is playing style, as they rank 323rd nationally in average offensive possession length (18.9 seconds) after ranking in the top 65 in that category in each of the past five seasons.
Game Outlook
- Spread: Arkansas -16.5
- Over/Under: 150
- KenPom Projection: Arkansas, 92 percent chance to win
- ESPN BPI Projection: Arkansas, 91.9 percent chance to win
I continue to be impressed with how the Razorbacks have looked early on this season, as they are playing more like a veteran team rather than one that is relying on a lot of underclassmen.
Anderson’s team has had a noticeable toughness to it thus far, and it’ll need it against an opponent that won’t back down from the challenge having just played at Indiana.
The two things that could lead to a big Arkansas win are creating turnovers and using the size advantage to own the glass.
If the Hogs can be effective in both areas, it’ll be tough for the Mavericks to keep up.
UT Arlington should at least get a minor boost from already playing in a hostile road environment, but it likely won’t be enough to hold off the surging Razorbacks.
Season Predictions Record (straight up): 52-10
Game Prediction: Arkansas 79, UT Arlington 63
For more SEC basketball coverage, follow me on Twitter @theblakelovell.