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SEC play continues for Arkansas with a trip to Baton Rouge, La., to play LSU.
The Razorbacks are 12-1 - matching their best start in the past 35 years - but will have quite the challenge at 8 p.m. CT Wednesday to pick up win No. 13. Despite their 9-4 record, the Tigers are ranked higher in ratings by KenPom, Sagarin and ESPN's BPI.
In the all-important NET ratings, which replaced the RPI as the NCAA selection committee's primary metric, Arkansas is at No. 21 - seven spots ahead of LSU at No. 28. That makes this a Quadrant 1 game for both teams.
At least on paper, this will be a classic offense vs. defense matchup. The Razorbacks have had a smothering defense this season and are one of only 18 Division I teams holding opponents under 60 points, while the Tigers can light up the scoreboard and are one of 28 teams averaging more than 80 points.
On top of that, LSU has the country's seventh-best field goal percentage at 49.9 and Arkansas leads the nation in three-point field goal defense at 22.3.
When the Razorbacks visited the Maravich Center last season, they squandered an 18-point lead only for Mason Jones to knock down a game-winner with 22 seconds left to pull out a 90-89 victory.
Here is everything you need to know about this year's showdown with LSU...
How to Watch/Listen
Tip off: 8 p.m. CT
TV: ESPNU (Tom Hart and Jimmy Dykes) - ONLINE
Radio: Learfield IMG College Razorbacks Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman) - ONLINE
XM/Online: 382/972
LSU Players to Know
#4 - G Skylar Mays - Sr., 6-4, 205
This year: 33.6 min., 15.9 pts. (52.5 FG%, 40.4 3PT%, 85.7 FT%), 4.7 reb., 2.9 ast., 2.2 stl.
Notable: Has scored in double figures in five of six career games vs. Arkansas, averaging 14.2 points on 52.1 percent shooting... Made 10 of 21 career three-pointers vs. Arkansas (47.6 percent)... Leads SEC in steals per game
#5 - F Emmitt Williams - So., 6-6, 230
Stats: 26.8 min., 13.5 pts. (64.2 FG%, 81.6 FT%), 7.1 reb., 1.2 ast., 1.4 blk., 1.1 stl.
Notable: Had 10 rebounds off the bench in LSU's overtime win at Bud Walton Arena last season... Posted four double-doubles this season
#0 - F Darius Days - So., 6-6, 240
Stats: 26.5 min., 12.7 pts. (52.5 FG%, 82.1 FT%), 8.0 reb., 1.3 ast.
Notable: Shooting 74.6 percent from inside the arc, which ranks fourth nationally... SEC's fifth-leading rebounder
#1 - G Javonte Smart - So., 6-4, 205
Stats: 31.5 min., 11.0 pts. (39.1 FG%, 79.3 FT%), 3.4 reb., 5.1 ast., 1.6 stl.
Notable: Dropped 18 points off the bench in Arkansas' win at Baton Rouge last year... Has 41 assists and only 10 turnovers in last seven games
#2 - F Trendon Watford - Fr., 6-9, 235
Stats: 29.5 min., 12.8 pts. (49.2 FG%), 6.2 reb., 1.5 ast.
Notable: Five-star recruit and No. 16 overall prospect in the Class of 2019
What They're Saying
"I think that they’re really athletic. They have an experienced backcourt, obviously with (Javonte) Smart and (Skylar) Mays. That’s where you would start. ... They’re a team that’s athletic at the 4 and 5 spot, as well. They’re a little bit undersized. Then they’ve got guys coming off the bench that can score the ball as well. They’re maybe a little bit healthier than they have been from earlier in the year. They’re a really good team and we’re playing on the road, which makes it even more challenging." - Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman, scouting LSU
"Two crafty, really good guards that can really take over a game. They are really good. One of the probably best two players that the SEC can offer and the best two players on their team, so we know they are going to be really aggressive coming out and they are going to try to set the tone really early." - Arkansas guard Mason Jones, on LSU's Javonte Smart and Skylar Mays
"I've only met him a couple of times, but I think he's done a remarkable job. The team plays extremely, extremely hard. They put you in some tough predicaments just with their spacing on offense and their shooting. I think they're a team that will be in the hunt all year in the SEC, just because of how hard they play." - LSU head coach Will Wade, on Musselman and the Razorbacks
"They put tremendous pressure on the ball. They've got as good of hand activity as any team I've seen in the league. They play extremely, extremely hard and they're very, very handsy. They get their hands on a lot of balls. They're in the gaps. Sometimes it looks like they've got six guys out there because they play so hard. They're just flying around. They fly to the ball. They front the post really well. Teams try to lob the ball over top to take advantage of them and they just swarm to the ball." - LSU head coach Will Wade, on how Arkansas forces more than 18 turnovers per game
Projections
Vegas: LSU -5.5, O/U 145.5... LSU 75.5, Arkansas 70
Sagarin: LSU -3.91, O/U 136.89... LSU 70.4, Arkansas 66.49
ESPN BPI: LSU - 7.1, LSU with 73.8% chance to win
Headlines
Joe, Jones proving to be great 1-2 punch
Despite lack of size, Hogs' rebounding has improved this year
Scouting LSU: Tigers' roster, rankings, stat comparison
Recruiting: Top-50 2021 SG Jaxson Robinson impressed by Arkansas gameday
