Arkansas vs Kentucky II: Kamani Johnson’s Iffy Word Choice Cracks Up Anthony Black

There are two methods a crew can reply to an 18-point loss just like the one Arkansas basketball suffered Tuesday evening: they’ll permit it to linger and doubtlessly value them a second loss, or they’ll be taught from it and bounce again within the subsequent recreation.

Arkansas can have a chance to show their toughness and talent to maneuver previous their deflating loss to Tennessee when it performs Kentucky for the second time this season – this time in Bud Walton Enviornment. Tipoff is ready for 1 p.m. CT Saturday and the sport might be televised on CBS.

The final time these groups met, the Razorbacks took care of enterprise and earned their greatest highway win of the season in an 88-73 beatdown over the Wildcats. On the time, each groups have been flirting with the NCAA Event bubble and have been in determined want of wins.

Regardless of dropping Spherical 1 of the Arkansas vs Kentucky sequence, the Wildcats had been taking part in a few of their finest basketball of the season previous to Wednesday’s loss to Vanderbilt at house. That may be partially attributed to dropping star freshman Cason Wallace to an damage, however the Commodores additionally misplaced their finest participant and have been already forward when Wallace went down.

Now, Arkansas will cap its brutal three-game stretch by internet hosting Kentucky for a rematch after dropping back-to-back Quadrant 1 highway video games over the past week.

“I don’t have the metrics in entrance of me, however I’m assuming our SEC schedule was as robust as any crew,” Arkansas basketball coach Eric Musselman stated. “It’s a really exhausting schedule to finish the yr. You play Saturday at Alabama. You lose a detailed recreation, a recreation that actually got here right down to a possession or two. You fly house Sunday after which get on a aircraft Monday and go play Tennessee. And now we’ve got a ranked crew in Kentucky coming in on Saturday.”

NCAA Event Outlook

Arkansas basketball followers have been handled to back-to-back Elite Eight runs, however this yr’s crew heads into March with extra accidents, query marks and inconsistencies than both of the final two rosters.

That stated, that is the most important month of the season and something can occur – a truth not misplaced on ahead Kamani Johnson, the one participant being honored throughout Saturday’s Senior Day festivities.

“March is type of like nut dropping time,” Johnson stated on Thursday, apparently referring to squirrels and their type of favourite meals. “It’s when the boys come to play basketball. That’s what it’s about. I feel you get battle-tested in March. That’s why upsets occur. No person cares about what you probably did all yr.”

His explicit alternative of phrases right here apparently received an increase out of teammate Anthony Black, because the beneath video reveals:

The newest bracketology from ESPN’s Joe Lunardi nonetheless has Arkansas hovering round an 8 seed — partially attributable to its present two-game dropping streak, even when each losses got here on the highway to Quad 1 groups, whereas Kentucky is slotted as a 6 seed.

After their loss to Alabama, the Razorbacks truly moved up from No. 15 to No. 14 within the NET rankings, thanks partially to a crew in entrance of them dropping, but in addition as a result of the loss didn’t injury their resume. They once more stayed put at No. 14 after dropping to Tennessee earlier than Creighton handed them with a monstrous win over Georgetown Wednesday evening, knocking them again right down to No. 15.

The Hogs at the moment are 3-8 in Q1 video games and solely a mixed 5-9 in video games exterior of the Pure State. Some followers is perhaps questioning how Arkansas may even be a top-30 crew with these numbers, a lot much less as excessive as No. 15 within the NET rankings. Briefly, it’s due to how good the Razorbacks’ non-conference schedule was.

The Hogs have solely two Quad 4 video games on their resume – tied for the bottom variety of This autumn video games amongst groups within the top-15 of the NET – and a type of got here within the Maui Invitational towards Louisville, who was not anticipated to be as dangerous because it’s been. The overwhelming majority of Arkansas’ non-conference wins rely in direction of their 10-1 Q3 file – and some, like Oklahoma and Bradley, have been Q2 wins.

Whereas most high groups win all (or most) of their non-conference matchups, Arkansas’ “mediocre” non-conference wins truly maintain extra weight than most of these from groups above them within the NET rankings – finally balancing out their sub-par file towards Q1 groups.

“You deal with your small business the primary a part of the yr and that has a big effect when you get to the tip of the season,” Eric Musselman stated. “Our gamers did an awesome job of taking part in very, very, very properly in non-conference and received some actually good video games towards some excellent competitors. (Anthony) Ruta did a extremely good job of taking a look at groups like Fordham and among the different groups which have performed actually, very well of their convention.”

This balanced resume gives a security internet of types – no pun supposed – for the Hogs even when they have been to lose to Kentucky on Saturday, which might drop their Q1 file to 3-9.

Three Q1 losses in a row doesn’t precisely encourage confidence for the Razorbacks or their followers, however strictly from a resume standpoint, it possible wouldn’t harm them sufficient to drop them out of the NCAA Event fully, both. Ending their season with a Q1 win over Kentucky, nevertheless, may doubtlessly enhance the Hogs as much as a 7 seed if the playing cards fall proper – in addition to work wonders for his or her confidence heading into event season.

Damage Bug Biting Laborious

Arkansas has handled its justifiable share of accidents this season – headlined by the season-ending damage to Trevon Brazile (torn ACL) and extended absence of their projected main scorer in Nick Smith Jr. (knee). Makhel Mitchell and Devo Davis have additionally missed a recreation every attributable to damage and private causes, whereas gamers like Anthony Black and Ricky Council IV have performed by means of minor accidents.

Simply how a lot accidents have impacted the Razorbacks – and the way they’ve nonetheless been stable regardless of all of them – is illustrated on this chart:

Fortuitously, the Razorbacks appear to be trending towards a comforting degree of well being – other than Brazile – at simply the correct time. Smith is again from damage and has averaged 18.0 factors since returning to the beginning lineup two weeks in the past.

Nevertheless, the damage bug appears to have bit Kentucky on the most inopportune time. The Wildcats have been already with out maybe their finest on-court chief in level guard Sahvir Wheeler, who has been sidelined since Feb. 4 with an ankle damage. The 5-foot-10 senior underwent an “unrelated minor process” on Wednesday morning.

Then, lower than two minutes into the second half of their loss to Vanderbilt on Wednesday evening, freshman guard Cason Wallace went down with a lower-leg damage, inflicting him to depart the court docket for the rest of the sport.

“They X-rayed (Wallace), he’s fantastic,” Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari stated after the loss. “It’s not swollen. We’ll see. I’m hoping he’ll be okay for Saturday, however I don’t know.”

Musselman famous that – attributable to these feedback from Calipari – his crew might be making ready for Wallace to go well with up on Saturday.

Arkansas vs Kentucky Sport Preview

With out their two finest level guards for the second half towards Vanderbilt, the Wildcats struggled significantly to get something happening offense. Taking pictures guards Antonio Reeves and CJ Fredrick have been left with the ball-handling duties — and it didn’t go properly.

The 2 guards mixed to shoot 6 of 24 from the sphere, together with 2 of 12 from lengthy vary, and scored solely 20 whole factors. In addition they mixed for no assists and 4 turnovers. Reeves and Fredrick are each wonderful shooters, however neither are skilled in working the offense with the ball of their palms.

If the Wildcats are certainly with out Wallace – who was the one constructive issue for Kentucky final time they confronted Arkansas, tallying 24 factors, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals and a couple of blocks on 59% FG and 33% 3P capturing – Davonte Davis, Nick Smith Jr and Anthony Black ought to have a area day guarding inexperienced ball handlers on this matchup.

Even when Wallace does play, the Hogs did an distinctive job of slowing down each different Wildcat that noticed the court docket in that February recreation. Reigning Nationwide Participant of the Yr Oscar Tshiebwe was held to solely 7 factors on 6 shot makes an attempt. Maybe much more impressively, he was restricted to solely 7 rebounds – together with 3 offensive rebounds – towards the Hogs. He averages 12.8 whole rebounds and 5.1 offensive rebounds on the season.

Chris Livingston (6-foot-6 freshman) was the Wildcats’ second-leading scorer towards Arkansas, tallying 13 factors on 5 of 10 capturing from the sphere. On the season, he averages solely 6.4 factors per recreation. His 13 towards the Hogs is tied for his second-highest scoring whole of the season.

Don’t be stunned if he once more performs a much bigger function within the rematch towards Arkansas – which might be primarily targeted on slowing down Tshiebwe (16.5 PPG), Reeves (13.4 PPG) and Jacob Toppin (12.0 PPG). Nevertheless, if Wallace is unable to play, Musselman ought to have the ability to expend extra defensive sources on guys that harm them within the final matchup like Livingston.

Daimion Collins is one other title to observe for Kentucky. He performed solely 8 minutes towards the Hogs final time, however managed to attain 7 factors on an environment friendly 75% capturing – together with a buzzer-beater to finish the primary half. He hasn’t performed greater than 8 minutes since Jan. 31, however he clearly has the expertise to harm the Hogs ought to they lean extra into their bench attributable to being short-handed.

Makhel and Makhi Mitchell had arguably their worst mixed outing for Arkansas final day out towards Tennessee, combining for a meager 2 factors, 3 rebounds, 1 help and three blocks whereas capturing 0 of two from the sphere. In contrast, they mixed for 19 factors on 8 of 10 capturing to associate with 13 rebounds and 5 blocks of their first recreation towards Kentucky.

“In the event you take a look at our blocked photographs and the way we’ve got – throughout the season – been a crew that’s completed an awesome job of defending the lane,” Musselman stated. “We’d have favored to have gotten higher the final two video games (at Alabama and Tennessee), we’ve received to enhance that space, actually, towards Kentucky.”

The Mitchells may simply be the deciding issue on this rematch towards Kentucky. In the event that they’re in a position to considerably replicate their success towards Tshiebwe, Arkansas stands an awesome likelihood of ending its season on a excessive word. If they arrive out flat like they did towards Tennessee, although, the Hogs may simply discover themselves coming into the SEC Event on a three-game dropping streak.

What to Watch in Arkansas vs Kentucky

The final time these groups met, a freshman guard dictated the tempo for his crew and scored roughly 33% of his crew’s factors whereas tallying an extremely well-rounded stat line. No, it wasn’t Arkansas’ Nick Smith Jr. – he was nonetheless out with a knee damage. It was Kentucky’s Cason Wallace.

This time round, Smith is again within the fold for Arkansas and there’s an actual chance that Wallace misses his second recreation of the season. Not solely was Wallace Kentucky’s essential level guard and finest offensive weapon the primary time it performed Arkansas, he’s been its finest point-of-attack defender all season.

The Wildcats nonetheless possess appreciable size, however with out Wallace, the Razorback guards – particularly Smith – may discover that breaking down their defender and entering into the paint might be a far much less daunting job.

Even when Wallace is ready to go well with up, the extra firepower of Smith ought to present the Hogs with a lift offensively, because it did for his or her first three video games since returning to the beginning lineup. Excluding their abysmal 57-point outing on the highway towards Tennessee’s No. 1-ranked protection, the Razorbacks have been averaging 88.0 factors on 54% FG and 45% 3P capturing of their first three video games with Smith again as a starter.

Discovering their means again to that offensive rhythm might be important – not just for their subsequent recreation towards Kentucky, but in addition for any hopes of successful upcoming event video games. Being on their homecourt one last time may play an enormous consider straightening out any offensive woes they confronted towards the Volunteers.

Sport Prediction – Arkansas vs Kentucky

Simply because Arkansas received the primary matchup towards Kentucky on the highway doesn’t assure something for Spherical 2 – although it ought to encourage some degree of confidence. The Razorbacks are nonetheless 3-8 of their final 11 conferences with the Wildcats – although they’ve received the final three in a row for the primary time because the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons.

Dropping Cason Wallace for this recreation would possible be the dying blow for Kentucky – although Tennessee dropping its star guard did little to discourage it from beating Arkansas by 18 earlier within the week. Musselman will certainly use that for example of why his crew can’t afford to take this recreation evenly, no matter Wallace’s standing.

The addition of Nick Smith Jr to the offense – together with a rising sense of urgency after an enormous loss and mere days separating them from event season – will present sufficient of a spark for the Razorbacks to bounce again offensively.

With out Wallace, the Hogs ought to maintain Kentucky to beneath its SEC common of 71.8 factors per recreation – and even when Wallace does play, Arkansas desperately must get its toes again on the bottom defensively after permitting 75 factors on 50% capturing to the Volunteers.

Of their final likelihood to view this crew in Bud Walton Enviornment, the Razorback crowd will gasoline their crew on each side of the ball, however particularly on the defensive finish. Smith will paved the way in scoring as Arkansas makes it 4 in a row over the Wildcats for the primary time in program historical past.

Arkansas, 77-69

How one can Watch Arkansas vs Kentucky

Date: Saturday, March 4

Location: Bud Walton Enviornment (Fayetteville, Ark.)

Tipoff Time/TV Schedule: 1 p.m. CT (CBS)

ESPN BPI: Arkansas has a 69% likelihood to win

Take a look at what Eric Musselman and Anthony Black needed to say concerning the upcoming Arkansas vs Kentucky matchup:

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Want a refresher on how the final Arkansas vs Kentucky matchup went? Right here is our recap + some highlights:

Extra protection of Arkansas basketball from BoAS…