Love might be in the air when No. 21 Arkansas hosts Auburn for a Valentine’s Day clash Saturday night, but revenge will be on the menu.
The Razorbacks (18-6, 8-3 SEC) suffered their first conference loss when they faced the Tigers (14-10, 5-6 SEC) on the road back in January. It feels harsh to say a 22-point margin of defeat flattered the Hogs, but the game was even uglier than the 95-73 scoreline indicated.
Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari said afterwards there was “no way” for his team to win that game with how poorly they played and how well Auburn performed. Now back in the friendly confines of Bud Walton Arena, the Hogs can get their get-back.
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The Tigers, meanwhile, will be looking to get back in the win column after three straight losses to Tennessee, Alabama and Vanderbilt. Auburn basketball coach Steven Pearl even apologized after failing to defend home court against the Commodores on Tuesday.
Arkansas has won five of its last six games, most recently dominating back-to-back road games against Mississippi State and LSU.
That’s even more impressive considering the Hogs were without sophomore wing Karter Knox (knee) and junior guard DJ Wagner (ankle) for both contests. The shorthanded Razorbacks were able to make do against two opponents with a combined 5-17 mark in league play, but they’ll need to be back to full strength to feel good about this matchup.
Fortunately, a source indicated to Best of Arkansas Sports that Knox and Wagner are expected to play Saturday. Both returners have struggled this season, and it remains to be seen if their two-week absence can act as a fresh start or not. Big man Malique Ewin, who took a shot to the face Tuesday that required four stitches to fix up, should also be good to go.
The initial SEC availability report will be released Friday night, but that trio returning would be a major boon for Arkansas — especially considering the ways in which Auburn dominated the first matchup.
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Scouting Auburn Basketball (Again)
As Arkansas fans know all too well, everything for the Tigers starts with Keyshawn Hall — the 6-foot-7 Swiss army knife hung 32 points on Arkansas last month. The senior is averaging 20.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 40.6% from three. He accounts for nearly a quarter of Auburn’s scoring and is incredibly efficient inside the arc, as well, sinking 63.2% of his two-pointers.
Hall is a volume shooter who rebounds well for his position and draws fouls at a high clip (2.6 PF drawn per game). Arkansas cannot allow him clean catch-and-shoot rhythm or straight-line drives. Razorback defenders will have to body him up, contest everything and make him finish over length and through contact. That screams Billy Richmond III, but Knox’s return will also be a big help here.
The tone-setter in the backcourt is Tahaad Pettiford (6-foot-1). He’s averaging 14.1 points and 3.5 assists. Despite lackluster efficiency from behind the arc (26.5%), his 1.59 assist-to-turnover ratio shows he’s steady with the ball. Despite scoring just 8 points in Auburn’s earlier win, Pettiford tallied 7 assists and only two turnovers in under 30 minutes during the blowout.
Pettiford’s value is pace control, though he’s capable of electric scoring bursts. When he gets downhill, Auburn’s offense flows. This is where Wagner’s defensive presence at the point of attack will be vital.
Acuff should be able to attack offensively if he’s matched up with the smaller Pettiford, though Auburn will likely put a bigger body on Arkansas’ standout freshman.
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KeShawn Murphy (6-foot-10) provides the physical interior backbone. He’s averaging 10.5 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting efficiently and stretching the floor at 36.7% from three on low volume. The senior averages 1.8 stocks (steals plus blocks), often swinging the momentum with his defensive presence.
Ewin, Nick Pringle and Trevon Brazile hosted a block party against LSU, but they’ll have their hands full in this contest and will have to stay out of foul trouble.
Kevin Overton (6-foot-5) is another dangerous complementary piece. He averages 12.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and a team-leading 1.4 steals, shooting 36.5% from three.
Predicting Arkansas vs Auburn
Auburn plays fast and confident offensively, scoring at a high clip but giving up nearly 79 points per game. The Tigers rank 11th in offensive efficiency on KenPom but just 84th on defense. The Razorbacks are fifth and 42nd, respectively.
This is not an airtight defensive group — it’s a tempo-and-shotmaking team. Auburn scores in volume but isn’t dominant on the glass (29.4 rebounds per game), although the Razorbacks lost the rebounding battle by nine in the first matchup. Arkansas will have to be better on the boards and avoid live ball turnovers to dictate the game’s flow. The Hogs are 2-4 when outrebounded by five or more and 16-2 otherwise.
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Even after consecutive blowout wins, complacency shouldn’t be a hindrance for Arkansas given the way the first matchup went. Arkansas has played connected, disciplined basketball with sharper defensive attention to detail in its last two outings. If that edge carries over, the Hogs flip the script.
Arkansas wins, 92-78.
How to Watch Arkansas vs Auburn
Date: Saturday, Feb. 14
Location: Bud Walton Arena (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Tipoff Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. CT (ESPN)
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ESPN BPI: Arkansas has a 65.6% chance to win and is favored by 4.0 points.
KenPom: Arkansas has a 72% chance to win, with a projected score of 87-80.
Need a refresher on how the first matchup went? Here’s our recap of the Arkansas vs Auburn game on Jan. 10:
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More coverage of Arkansas basketball from BoAS:
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Michael Main is a Fayetteville native who, like both of his older brothers, attended the University of Arkansas. Main graduated in 2025 with a double major in journalism and political science and a minor in legal studies. He spent his childhood following the Razorbacks closely and attending as many games as possible, witnessing iconic moments like the Michael Qualls put-back dunk, the Henry Heave and a number of field stormings. Main was a member of the Razorback Marching Band and Hogwild Pep Band, attending every home football and basketball game while he was a student and traveling to San Francisco, Providence, Tampa and elsewhere for postseason play. After freelancing for BoAS for a year and a half, the 22-year-old made the transition to a full-time role as senior writer following his graduation. In his free time, Main is likely spending time outdoors, enjoying the company of friends or feeding his obsession with Liverpool FC and European football as a whole.
Arkansans can now present their driver’s licenses and state identification cards on mobile devices using Apple Wallet, state finance officials announced Wednesday.
The Department of Finance and Administration said Arkansans can use Apple Wallet to present their license or ID in person, online and in apps at select organizations, including at more than 250 Transportation Security
IDEMIA Public Security North America and the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration’s Division of Driver Services and Motor Vehicles have launched Arkansas driver’s licenses and state IDs in Apple Wallet, allowing residents to securely store and use their credentials on an iPhone or Apple Watch.
The new feature gives Arkansans the ability to present their identification at participating businesses and venues, at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints in more than 250 airports, and online or within apps when age or identity verification is required.
The launch builds on Arkansas’ ongoing efforts to expand digital identification options. In March 2025, the state introduced the Arkansas Mobile ID app, and officials say adding IDs to Apple Wallet offers residents another secure and convenient way to access their credentials.
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“We’re proud to build on our partnership with the Arkansas DFA’s Division of Driver Services and Motor Vehicles, expanding on the launch of the Arkansas Mobile ID app in March 2025. The launch of ID in Apple Wallet in the state provides Arkansas residents a new, secure way to store and present their digital credentials, with transparency and control over how their information is shared at the forefront,” said Rob Gardner, CEO, IDEMIA Civil Identity.
To add an Arkansas driver’s license or state ID to Apple Wallet, users can tap the plus sign at the top of the Wallet app on their iPhone, select “Driver’s License or State ID,” and follow the verification process.
Officials say privacy and security were central considerations in the rollout. Information stored in Apple Wallet is encrypted on a user’s device, and users control when and how their information is shared. When presenting an ID, only the information necessary to verify age or identity is provided.
Apple and the Arkansas Division of Driver Services and Motor Vehicles also do not receive information about when or where residents use their digital IDs.
The technology is also designed to make verification easier for businesses. Participating businesses can use IDEMIA’s Mobile ID Verify app to accept and verify mobile IDs directly from an iPhone without requiring customers to hand over their devices or use additional hardware.
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The launch marks another step toward broader adoption of digital credentials in Arkansas, giving residents a secure alternative to carrying a physical driver’s license or state ID while maintaining control over their personal information.
For information on the launch of IDs in Apple Wallet in Arkansas, click here.
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New Arkansas gymnastics coach Chris Brooks announced Monday the hiring of Zan Jones to complete his first staff, as well as the promotion of assistants Kyla Ross and Catelyn Branson.
Brooks succeeded his wife, Jordyn Wieber, on April 28 after Wieber stepped down.
Jones joins the Razorback after two seasons as an assistant coach at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. The Pioneers won back-to-back Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics National Invitational Championship titles in 2025 and 2026 with Jones on staff. He has been named a Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association Division II assistant coach of the year three times, including this spring.
Jones also earned Midwest Independent Conference assistant coach of the year in both of his seasons at Texas Woman’s.
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Jones served as the Pioneers’ primary vault and uneven bars coach, and the team set a program record of 49.35 on the bars in March.
An Alabama alumnus, Jones served as a student manager for the Crimson Tide gymnastics team. He served a year at Talladega (Ala.) College in its inaugural season of gymnastics and spent time as a recreational and team coach at Trussville (Ala.) Academy of Gymnastics.
Brooks also promoted both Ross and Branson to the title of associate head coach. Ross, a former UCLA gymnast and Olympic gold medalist as part of Team USA in 2012, started at Arkansas as a volunteer assistant in 2022. Ross helped Arkansas produce program records on the balance beam in back-to-back years before taking over the vault squad, which set a program high 49.675 in 2026.
The Razorbacks ranked as high as No. 2 on the vault last season and were never lower than No. 7. Senior transfer Morgan Price landed the first 10 in school history on the vault in February.
Branson returned to the Arkansas staff ahead of the 2025 season, helping lead the floor squad. In that time, Branson has led the Gymbacks to two of their top five best floor scores ever and Arkansas has been ranked as high as No. 2 in the country on floor in the last two seasons. In 2026, over 60% of the team’s scores on floor were 9.85 or better.
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Branson served as Lindenwood’s head coach from 2022-24, where she was named 2024 Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association South Central Region Coach of the Year and the Midwest Independent Conference Coach of the Year. She led the Lions to their second consecutive and fifth overall USAG national championship and seventh MIC title in 2024.
Branson had a prior stint at Arkansas from 2020 to 2022, in which time the Gymbacks ranked as high as third on beam and second on floor.
Tom Murphy
tmurphy@wholehogsports.com
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Tom Murphy is a sports reporter for WholeHogSports. A graduate of Louisiana Tech University, he is a member of the Football Writers Association of America and voter for the Heisman Trophy and AP Top 25 football poll. He was voted the 2017 Arkansas Sportswriter of the Year.
