No. 25 Arkansas and Missouri will both be looking to get back on track in SEC play when they square off on Wednesday night. The Razorbacks have lost four of their last five games and are coming off a 97-84 loss at Vanderbilt on Saturday. Missouri has dropped three of its last four games, falling to Florida by nine points over the weekend.
Arkansas was a popular betting option to win the national title in the offseason, as the Razorbacks brought in one of the top recruiting classes in the country to go along with some returning experience. They went 11-1 in their first 12 games, appearing to justify those bets. However, they have struggled since conference play began, losing four of their first five SEC games. Arkansas is now on a three-game losing streak, with each of those losses (Auburn, Alabama, Vanderbilt) coming by double digits. The Razorbacks gave up a season-worst 97 points in a 13-point loss at Vanderbilt on Saturday. They did pick up a 74-68 win against Missouri two weeks ago, though.
Dating back to last season @RazorbackMBB has now been ranked in the @AP_Top25 for 17 straight weeks #WPS pic.twitter.com/GKcFtiGlEN
— Arkansas Basketball Recruiting (@RazorbackMBBRec) January 17, 2023
They come into this week tied with LSU and Mississippi State for the next-to-last spot in the conference, with Ole Miss sitting in dead last at 0-5. Arkansas ranks No. 45 in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency ratings, despite sitting at No. 339 in 3-point percentage (29.1). The Razorbacks are No. 40 in 2-point percentage (54.3), but they are outside the top 110 in effective field goal percentage, turnover rate and offensive rebounding rate. They are facing a Missouri defense that is No. 285 in field goal percentage and No. 354 in rebounding, but the Tigers have the fourth-best defensive turnover rate. Junior guard Ricky Council IV leads Arkansas with 18.3 points per game, but second-leading scorer Nick Smith Jr. (knee) is out indefinitely, and fourth-leading scorer Trevon Brazile (ACL) is out for the season.