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After a game to forget, the Hogs return to Bud Walton Arena in their final tuneup before the Minnesota game. Arkansas takes on Colorado State, a team that has been pretty underwhelming. They’re 4-4 on the year, undefeated at home, winless away from home.
More On the Rams
Coming off a win against rival Colorado, the win got them back on track after a really poor stretch. Last year Colorado State finished 2nd in the MWC and made the NIT, and with a lot of players returning, there was a lot of optimism in Fort Collins. This year has been a bit of a disappointment for them, their best win is the previously mentioned Colorado or a 4 point win over Winthrop? This season also includes a 27 point loss to Tulane and a 13 point loss to New Mexico State.
Projected Starting 5
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First off I’m switching things up for the Hogs and going with all seniors in the starting 5. Part of this is because I expect Mike Anderson to want to shake things up after Saturday’s disappointment. Thomas comes in for Adrio Bailey instead of Daniel Gafford for Trey Thompson because of Gafford’s shoulder.
Che Bob and Prentiss Nixon are the two leading scorers on the team. Bob is also the leading rebounder for a very good rebounding team, four of their starters average at least four per game. It will be an interesting challenge for an Arkansas team that has done surprisingly well on the boards.
Coming off the bench is also former Razorback Lorenzo Jenkins. After sitting out last year, he’s coming off the bench and getting five points and just over two rebounds per game.
3 Key Stats
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Despite Saturday’s debacle, the Hogs are still doing well in terms of offensive efficiency and turnover percentage. Their three point percentage is still strong, and there is where the biggest difference lies. Colorado State has been a downright awful shooting team and it’s hurt their efficiency.
This isn’t a difficult concept for the Hogs in this one. If the defensive intensity is there, and the Hogs can knock down some shots, it will be a comfortable win for them. The good news is that this after a dud of a game, the Hogs can use this game to fall back into a rhythm and put some things back into place before Minnesota.