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Arkansas is hosting the No. 1 team in the country at Bud Walton Arena tonight. Here's everything you need to know ahead of the matchup...
Arkansas (18-5, 7-3) vs. No. 1 Auburn (21-1, 10-0)
The Basics
Location: Bud Walton Arena (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Tip off: 6 p.m. CT
How to Watch/Listen
TV: ESPN2 (link to watch online)
On the call: Tom Hart, Dane Bradshaw, Alyssa Lang
Radio: Razorback Sports Network (TuneIn / Razorback Gameday App)
XM/internet: 380/970
Projections
-- Vegas spread: Auburn, -2
-- O/U: 151.5
-- ESPN BPI: Auburn has 57.5% chance to win, favored by 2.1
-- Bart Torvik: Auburn has 58% chance to win, favored by 2.1 (proj. score: 76-74)
Scouting Report
~Auburn received 48 of 61 first-place votes in the latest AP Poll and comes to Fayetteville ranked No. 1. It's the first time Arkansas has ever hosted the No. 1 team at Bud Walton Arena. The Razorbacks are just 1-11 all-time against AP No. 1 teams.
~The Tigers lost to UConn in double overtime back November and haven't lost since, with their 19-game winning streak the longest in Division I. Arkansas' eight-game winning streak is tied for the ninth-longest active streak.
~It will be a Quadrant 1 opportunity for Arkansas because Auburn is No. 7 in the NET rankings through Monday's games. The Razorbacks are at No. 37 in the NET, so it's also a Q1 chance for the Tigers.
~It's worth noting that, despite its stellar 21-1 overall record, Auburn has shown some vulnerability on the road. While they are 7-0 in true road games this season, the Tigers have won those by an average of just 5.9 points. All but one of them was decided by single-digits, including 1- and 2-point wins at SEC cellar-dwellers Missouri and Georgia, respectively.
~This will be a matchup of the top scoring offense in SEC play (Auburn, 78.9 ppg) and the top scoring defense in SEC play (Arkansas, 65.8 ppg). Both teams are also ranked fourth in the league in the other category.
~Auburn is led by star freshman Jabari Smith, who is averaging 15.3 points and 6.7 rebounds this season. The 6-foot-10 forward was the No. 7 overall recruit in the Class of 2021, according to Rivals. He is also shooting 40.4 percent from beyond the arc. However, in the Tigers' last two road games, he's scored just 7 points at Georgia and 5 points at Missouri while shooting a combined 4 of 22 from the floor.
~In addition to Smith, the Tigers also start 7-foot-1 center Walker Kessler. He's averaging 11.4 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds, plus his 4.2 blocks per game by far lead the SEC and rank second nationally.
~Perhaps not surprisingly considering that size, Auburn is plus-5.1 in rebounding during SEC play - the top mark in the conference. On the flip side, the Razorbacks lead the SEC in defensive rebounding percentage at 77.4% - something that will be critical with Kessler's success on the offensive boards.
~After missing the Georgia game with a non-COVID illness, starting point guard Zep Jasper is questionable for Tuesday's matchup with Arkansas. He had started the previous 22 games and is averaging 5.0 points with an impressive 3.1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
~If Jasper - a transfer from Charleston - can't play, Eastern Kentucky transfer Wendell Green Jr. will slide into the point guard role. He'll likely play quite a bit regardless, as he ranks fourth in the SEC at 4.9 assists per game, plus he averages 12.9 points.
~Another transfer to watch out for is K.D. Johnson from Georgia. He is second on the team in scoring at 13.5 points per game, but is also one of only four players in the SEC averaging at least two steals. He's at 2.1 per game, while Arkansas' JD Notae leads that category at 2.4 per game.
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