PREVIEW: Hogs host Bulldogs in midweek affair

The Hogs are back inside Bud Walton Arena tonight to take on the Georgia Bulldogs. After handling business against Florida on Saturday, the Hogs can continue the momentum. There are just four regular season games left for the Razorbacks to find a groove heading into March.

Date: Tuesday, Feb. 21. 2023

Time: 8 pm

Place: Bud Walton Arena - Fayetteville, AR

TV/Streaming: SECN

Line: ARK -13.5

Arkansas:

The second half of Saturday’s matchup against Florida was some of the better minutes for the Razorbacks all season. Nick Smith Jr. finally cracked the starting five in the matchup with the Gators, finishing the game with 32 minutes played. Smith tallied 10 points but was just 4-12 from the field. Continued minutes for Smith can only help this Razorback squad as they look to improve heading into the postseason. Additionally, Ricky Council returned to form after a few tough outings, scoring 15 points during 32 minutes played.

Jalen Graham submitted his best performance as a Razorback, finishing with 26 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Tonight could be another opportunity for Graham to rack up the points, as the Georgia interior defense has been lackluster all season.

Tonight is undoubtedly a game that the Razorbacks should win. A full-game effort similar to the second-half performance on Saturday can boost this team into the most brutal stretch of the schedule. The Mitchell twins have developed into a force in the interior, while Jalen Graham’s recent performances add an inside scoring advantage. In addition, the performances from Devo Davis, Anthony Black, and Ricky Council have been solid all season. Now if the Hogs can ease Nick Smith Jr. into a groove, the backcourt will be more rested and ready to tackle the gauntlet that awaits the next few weeks.

Georgia:

The Bulldogs have battled all season and sit at 16-11 (6-8 SEC) entering tonight. Georgia was thrashed by Alabama on the road over the weekend but won consecutive games against Kentucky and LSU before their matchup with the Tide. The Bulldogs average 14.4 turnovers per game, a statistic that can play to the advantage of the Razorbacks. The Razorbacks should be able to capitalize on fastbreak opportunities tonight.

Storylines:

• The Hogs enter tonight, projected as an 8-10 seed in the tournament and a win tonight sets them up with a chance to close out the season with quad one opportunities. Which would improve their seeding for the NCAA Tournament.

If they find some way to lose it could drop them considerably in the eyes of bracketology experts.