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Published Feb 8, 2020
Gameday Central: How to watch Arkansas-Missouri, Vegas spread, more
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Andrew Hutchinson  •  HawgBeat
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On a day Missouri will honor its 6-6 football team for beating 2-10 Arkansas in the annual "Battle Line Rivalry," the two teams will square off on the hardwood.

The Tigers (10-12, 2-7 SEC) have lost back-to-back games, a 20-point comeback win over Georgia being the only thing keeping them from riding a seven-game losing streak.

On the flip side, the Razorbacks (16-6, 4-5) are trying to get back to .500 in conference play after a heartbreaking loss to Auburn on Tuesday.

In the last seven games between Arkansas and Missouri, the home team has won. Four of those games were decided by double digits, with the other three being within five points.

Here's everything you need to know about this year's matchup between the Razorbacks and Tigers...

How to Watch/Listen

Where: Columbia, Mo. (Mizzou Arena - capacity 15,061)

Tip off: 2:30 p.m. CT

TV: SEC Network (Richard Cross and Barry Booker) - ONLINE

Radio: Learfield IMG College Razorbacks Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman) - ONLINE

XM/Online: 386/976

Missouri Players to Know

#12 - G Dru Smith - R-Jr., 6-3, 203

Stats: 31.1 min., 11.3 pts. (42.6 FG%, 32.7 3PT%, 91.1 FT%), 4.1 reb., 4.2 ast., 2.1 stl.

#13 - G Mark Smith - Jr., 6-5, 220

Stats: 28.8 min., 10.9 pts. (39.9 FG%, 37.8 3PT%, 74.5 FT%), 4.3 reb.

Note: Missed the last two games with a back injury and is a game-time decision Saturday, but Arkansas coach Eric Musselman said he expects him to return to action

#23 - F Jeremiah Tilmon - Jr., 6-10, 260

Stats: 20.2 min., 8.5 pts. (61.4 FG%), 4.2 reb., 1.3 blk.

Note: Started the first 11 games of the season before being sidelined with a stress fracture in his left foot... Returned to action Tuesday, but came off the bench

What They're Saying

"Active, versatile. He's able to switch pick-and-rolls where their other two bigs they'll play different coverages. They'll soft trap, they'll aggressively trap with 14 (Reed Niko) and (Jeremiah) Tilmon. Smith allows them to kind of play small ball a little bit, match up with people, and he's a threat from the perimeter from 3 as well." - Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman, on Missouri forward and Van Buren, Ark., native Mitchell Smith

"Missouri, when they’ve had their pieces, they beat Illinois. Illinois is a ranked team right now. I think Florida is one of the most talented teams in our league. I think Florida is one of the toughest matchups in our league. We played against them in the NCAA Tournament last year, they are good. Missouri put it to them." - Musselman, on Missouri's resume despite a sub-.500 record

"I think that anytime a player gets to practice because it’s my understanding that he didn’t hardly practice at all, if at all, prior to the Texas A&M game. Now, he’s got a game under his belt. You get a couple of practices, you get extra reps, you are back at home. I think all those things are...Missouri is circling this game saying this is a game that you are going to go win." - Musselman, on Tilmon's return from injury

Projections

Vegas: Arkansas -1, O/U 131 ... Arkansas 66, Missouri 65

Sagarin: Arkansas -4.49, O/U 132.39 ... Arkansas 68.44, Missouri 63.95

ESPN BPI: Arkansas -3.6, Arkansas has 63.4% chance to win

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