The highly anticipated matchup between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Auburn Tigers is set to take place this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, which has a capacity of 19,200. As both teams prepare for this SEC showdown, Arkansas enters the game with a record of 18-6 and a strong 8-3 mark in conference play, while Auburn stands at 14-10 with a 5-6 record in the SEC.
The Razorbacks are riding a two-game winning streak, while the Tigers are on a troubling three-game losing skid, creating an intriguing dynamic heading into this contest. At the helm for Arkansas is head coach John Calipari, who holds a 41-19 record in his second season with the team and an impressive overall coaching record of 895-283 spanning 34 seasons. In contrast, Auburn’s Steven Pearl is in his first year as head coach after taking over for Bruce Pearl, who retired in September.
Historically, Arkansas has dominated the series with a 38-24 lead, although the last meeting saw Auburn emerge victorious with a decisive 95-73 win in Auburn, Ala., on January 10. The current betting line favors Arkansas by 5.5 points, according to FanFuel.
Fans can catch the game on ESPN, with Tom Hart and Dane Bradshaw providing commentary. Radio coverage will be available on the Razorback Sports Network, featuring Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman.
One of the notable elements of this matchup is the performance of Auburn’s Keyshawn Hall, a transfer from UCF who leads the Tigers in both scoring and rebounding with an impressive average of 20.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Hall showcased his abilities by scoring 32 points against Arkansas in their previous encounter. Additionally, guard Tahaad Pettiford, who returned after testing the NBA Draft waters, is making strides this season, averaging 14.1 points and 3.5 assists.
On the other side, Arkansas has been dealing with injuries to key players D.J. Wagner and Karter Knox, who have missed the last two games, as well as Malique Ewin, who is recovering from a cut that required stitches. Despite these challenges, Associate head coach Chin Coleman reported that all three participated lightly in practice leading up to the game, indicating potential for their return.
As the Razorbacks aim to solidify their position in the SEC standings, they are currently tied for second place with Kentucky. The Wildcats will also be in action against Florida, which is currently leading the conference. Arkansas is ranked 21st in the AP Top 25, while Auburn, though not ranked, has garnered attention and is among teams receiving votes. In the KenPom rankings, Arkansas is rated 19th, with Auburn closely behind at 30th.
With significant stakes on the line for both teams, fans can expect an exciting and competitive game.