Preview And Thread: Arkansas Tries to Avoid Losing To Three Different Tigers

Time: 5 p.m. CT

TV: SEC Network

Line: Arkansas -5.5, O/U: 153.5

More On The Tigers

If you thought Mizzou was doomed when Michael Porter Jr. went down with a back injury, you weren’t really paying attention to the Tigers. This isn’t a Ben Simmons at LSU situation. The Tigers don’t have a marquee win this year, but have beaten several solid teams and nearly knocked off Florida and West Virginia. Their shooting will be a handful for the Hogs to deal with today.

Projected Starters

Arkansas likely won’t go with the same starting 5 after last game’s debacle. I’d expect Dustin Thomas to fit back into the starters, and potentially more if Mike Anderson is feeling like he need to make more changes.

Seniors Jordan Barnett and Kassius Robertson are the only two averaging double figures in points for the Tigers, but they can fill it up. They both aren’t shy about shooting threes and do so at a high percentage, both are over 40% from deep. They also have a handful of freshman who can play. Jeremiah Tilmon, Jontay Porter (Michael’s brother), and Blake Harris all have contributed this year.

3 Key Stats

Despite the LSU disaster, Arkansas’ offensive numbers are still solid from the surface, although they dropped 15 spots in offensive efficiency in just one game. Missouri has been extremely efficient due to Barnett’s and Robertson’s three point shooting. One thing they don’t do a lot of is force turnovers, in the bottom third of D1 in that category. Arkansas on the other hand, a team that prides itself on that, has just been average in doing so this year. The Hogs haven’t been getting out in transition recently and it’s hurting their offense. Arkansas will need to do more of that tonight or a disastrous start in SEC play is in sight.