Arkansas basketball vs. Tennessee: Scouting report, prediction for SEC opener

[ad_1]

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) Saturday (1 p.m., ESPN). This will be John Calipari’s first conference game at Arkansas and his Hogs ride a six-game winning streak into Knoxville.

Tennessee is bludgeoning opponents. Only one of the Volunteers’ 13 victories has come by fewer than 13 points, and Rick Barnes’ squad ranks second in the country giving up 56.2 points per game.

Here is a scouting report and prediction for the SEC opener between Arkansas and Tennessee.

Can Arkansas basketball avoid a slow start?

The Razorbacks fell behind by double digits in all four games against Power 4 opposition. They rallied against Miami and Michigan, but sluggish beginnings turned into losses to Baylor and Illinois.

More: New York point guards take center stage when Arkansas basketball faces No. 1 Tennessee

More: Adou on the move: How Arkansas basketball maximizes Adou Thiero on offense

According to Arkansas assistant coach Kenny Payne, the Hogs need to be aggressive with their defensive ball-pressure to steer clear of a slow start. Offensively, a big hole will be difficult to climb out of against KenPom’s second-ranked team in defensive efficiency.

Do the Razorbacks go big?

The Volunteers start a pair of bigs in Igor Milicic Jr. and Felix Okpara. Do the Hogs match that lineup with Trevon Brazile joining Jonas Aidoo in the front court or do they have Adou Thiero guard one of Tennessee’s big men and create a mismatch at the other end?

“Let the other team worry about us and change what they are doing to deal with us,” Arkansas assistant Kenny Payne said. “We have a guy that is playing the four position right now that’s playing one of the best players in college basketball in Adou Thiero, so we don’t have to just go big.”

Dec 21, 2024; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; North Carolina A&T Aggies guard Ryan Forrest (1) attempts a shot in the first half defended by Arkansas…

[ad_2]
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/arkansas-basketball-vs-tennessee-scouting-100456420.html

Author : Ft. Smith Southwest Times Record

Publish date : 2025-01-03 10:04:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.