Arkansas basketball kicks off its grueling SEC schedule with arguably its biggest challenge of the season.
The Razorbacks (11-2) head east to face No. 1 Tennessee (13-0) on Saturday (1 p.m., ESPN). This will be John Calipari’s first conference game in Arkansas and his Hogs are on a six-game winning streak in Knoxville.
Tennessee bludgeons opponents. Only one of the Volunteers’ 13 wins has come by fewer than 13 points, and Rick Barnes’ team ranks second in the nation at 56.2 points per game.
Here’s a scouting report and prediction for the SEC opener between Arkansas and Tennessee.
Can Arkansas basketball avoid a slow start?
THE Razors fell behind by double digits in all four games against Power 4 opposition. They rallied against Miami and Michigan, but slow starts turned into losses to Baylor and Illinois.
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According to Arkansas assistant coach Kenny Payne, the Hogs need to be aggressive with their defensive pressure on the ball to avoid a slow start. Offensively, it will be difficult to fill a big hole against KenPom’s second team in terms of defensive efficiency.
Are the Razorbacks getting big?
The Volunteers start a pair of bigs with Igor Milicic Jr. and Felix Okpara. Do the Hogs fit this formation with Trevon Brazile joining Jonas Aidoo in the frontcourt or do they have Adou Thiero guarding one of Tennessee’s big men and creating a mismatch on the other end?
“Let’s let the other team worry about us and change what they’re doing to take care of us,” Arkansas assistant Kenny Payne said. “We have a guy playing fourth right now who’s going up against one of the best players in college basketball, Adou Thiero, so we don’t need to play big.”
Calipari has only thrown two big games once. Regardless of the lineup, Saturday will be an important game for Aidoo, who must protect the paint and provide an offensive punch against his former team. He was second team All SEC last year with the Volunteers.
First SEC test for Arkansas freshmen
Karter Knox and Billy Richmond III became regular contributors toward the end of the non-conference roster. They will have their first chance to prove their worth in a hostile environment against a league rival.
Knox has scored at least 10 points in three straight games, while Richmond is averaging 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and a steal during that stretch. Richmond had an overall impact throughout the season.
The Hogs need both players to play well as key pieces of an eight-man rotation. Their play could be the difference in the Razorbacks’ end in the SEC.
Prediction
The Razorbacks have improved in every game on the non-conference schedule, but this is a step up in the competition. Tennessee has too many guns and an established identity, while Arkansas is still learning about itself. The Hogs will stay close, but they won’t have the firepower to pull off a statement upset. Tennessee 73, Arkansas 67.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas vs. Tennessee Basketball: Scouting Report, Prediction
