Michigan State basketball got off to a shaky start on Monday, using a late run to fend of Colgate in an 80-69 win. After the game, head coach Tom Izzo said his team would get “embarrassed” in their next game if they do not play better.

That next game for the 22nd-ranked Spartans is against No. 14 Arkansas. This will be the first ranked-versus-ranked non-conference game in the Breslin Center since No. 11 MSU faced No. 10 Duke on Dec. 3, 2019.

Looking at the Razorbacks, big, sweeping statements are never great to be made after Game 1, but Arkansas looked like a stronger team than last year’s during its season opener. On Monday, the Razorbacks crushed Southern, 109-77, to reach 1-0.

During the first year of the John Calipari era, Arkansas was a 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament, reached the Sweet 16, but blew a 13-point lead with less than five minutes left against Texas Tech with an Elite Eight spot at stake.

Scoring 109 points in a college basketball game is always tough. Southern is not exactly an opponent that spooks many power-conference teams, but the Jaguars are actually the top-ranked team in the SWAC on KenPom and are a couple of spots above Colgate.

Three different Razorbacks scored at least 20 points, two of whom were freshmen guards. A senior forward, Trevon Brazile, led the team with a career-high 25 points and 11 rebounds.

Both freshmen entered as five-star recruits as part of Calipari’s 5th-ranked class, according to 247Sports. Darius Acuff Jr. had a monster first half, scoring 20 of his 22 points on the day during the initial 20 minutes.

Meleek Thomas had 21 points, seven assists, and three steals during his collegiate debut.

The other Razorback with 10+ points was another freshman, Isaiah Sealy. He was a four-star recruit in Arkansas’ latest recruiting class.

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Calipari’s squad nearly led this game wire-to-wire. Southern’s only lead was 2-0, and Arkansas was up by at least 10 during the final 31:31 of game time. The Razorbacks certainly played like a team that deserves, at the very least, their No. 14 ranking.

A quick thing that stands out is that Arkansas looks like a good shot-making team that also has some athleticism. Acuff made some impressive shots during his 22-point day, including a few from deep.

Brazile against MSU’s Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper will also be a critical matchup, as he is a lob threat every time the Razorbacks push the ball up the court. His rebounding will also be a factor.

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