FAYETTEVILLE — College of Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman is assured his staff will keep away from a letdown in opposition to Mississippi State at this time after the Razorbacks beat Kentucky 88-73 on Tuesday evening at Rupp Enviornment.

It was Arkansas’ fifth victory at Kentucky in 20 video games and second-largest margin after the Razorbacks beat the Wildcats 105-88 in 1992 within the groups’ first SEC matchup.

“I feel there’s loads of time to recover from that win,” Musselman mentioned Wednesday.

Musselman mentioned having a break day Wednesday helped the Razorbacks put the Kentucky recreation behind them in addition to having two full-scale practices Thursday and Friday to deal with the Bulldogs.

With at this time’s tipoff at 5 p.m., Arkansas additionally will get in a shootaround this morning because the Razorbacks go for what they hope will probably be a sixth consecutive SEC victory after a 1-5 begin.

“When you recover from 4, 5 wins, you simply can by no means get comfy with that,” Musselman mentioned. “You must perceive how exhausting it’s to win.”

Freshman ahead Jordan Walsh mentioned the Razorbacks know Mississippi State, which has gained 4 consecutive video games, is able to beating them.

“We will’t overlook them in any respect, as a result of if we do, they’ll are available in right here and beat us,” Walsh mentioned. “We’ve to be locked in and know Mississippi State is enjoying effectively and has crushed some good groups, crushed ranked groups.”

The Bulldogs have crushed two groups presently ranked in No. 10 Marquette and No. 17 TCU.

Mother and 200 wins

Eric Musselman earned his two hundredth victory in eight seasons as a school coach when the Razorbacks beat Kentucky. He has a 90-35 report in his fourth season at Arkansas after main Nevada to a 110-34 report in 4 seasons.

“I do know my mother was fairly glad in San Diego,” Musselman mentioned. “She was blowing my cellphone up with textual content messages, in order that was fairly cool.

“Actually, [wife] Danyelle and [daughter] Mariah and [sons] Michael and Matt and my mother, so long as they’re proud of the 200, I’ll be glad.”

Musselman’s mom, Kris, attended her first Arkansas residence recreation when the Razorbacks beat Texas A&M 81-70 at Walton Enviornment final week with a crowd of about 11,000 in attendance regardless of ice and snow hitting the realm.

“I’m on the brink of go away [for the arena] and I say to my mother as I’m strolling out the door … ‘Gosh mother, I want you can actually see Bud Walton [filled to capacity],’ ” Musselman mentioned. “And Danyelle snapped again and mentioned, ‘It’s going to be an incredible crowd.’ And he or she was proper.

“It’s not what it usually is. However contemplating the circumstances, I don’t wish to use the phrase ‘stunning,’ as a result of nothing shocks me with our crowd anymore, however it was actually, actually phenomenal.”

The primary recreation along with her son because the Razorbacks’ coach Kris Musselman attended was on the NCAA West Regional semifinals in San Francisco final season when Arkansas beat No. 1 Gonzaga.

Earlier this season, Kris Musselman, 80, attended Arkansas’ three video games on the Maui Invitational and when the Razorbacks performed at Baylor within the SEC/Large 12 Problem.

Sizzling pictures

The Razorbacks’ 62.7% taking pictures (32 of 51) at Kentucky matched their report for an SEC recreation. In addition they shot 62.7% (37 of 59) in a 94-61 victory at Missouri in 2016.

“They’ve obtained numerous good gamers, however they’ve numerous holes defensively,” freshman level guard Black mentioned of the Wildcats when he spoke on Arkansas’ postgame radio present. “We did a superb job selecting out our matchups, being unselfish.”

Black, a projected NBA Draft lottery choose, had 19 factors, 5 steals, 5 rebounds and 4 assists and sure performed at Rupp Enviornment for the one time.

“I imply, the gas was it’s Rupp Enviornment,” Black mentioned of his all-around efficiency. “Not all people will get to play in there.

“I don’t know what number of occasions I’m going to get to play in there, if I ever get to play in there once more.

“I used to be simply pondering, ‘It’s a particular enviornment, particular venue. Simply come out and attempt to play exhausting, as a result of it’s lots of people who wish to play in there.’ ”

At Arkansas once more

At the moment will mark the fifth time prior to now seven Arkansas-Mississippi State video games the groups are enjoying at Walton Enviornment with simply two matchups in that span on the Bulldogs’ Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Miss. This is also the second consecutive season the Razorbacks are enjoying the Bulldogs are residence with out having to journey to Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs gained three consecutive occasions at Walton Enviornment in 2017, 2019 and 2020 earlier than the Razorbacks gained 61-46 in 2021 and 63-55 final season.

Since Arkansas joined the SEC for the 1991-92 season, the Razorbacks are 22-7 at residence in opposition to the Bulldogs and 6-21 at Mississippi State.