FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Now we get to find out if Arkansas can play as a front-runner.
The Razorbacks open SEC play against LSU on Wednesday, who they’ve played more than any team since joining the SEC, on Wednesday.
Tipoff in Baton Rouge, La., is set for 8 pm and the game will be televised on ESPN2.
The Hogs are entering league play ranked the highest they’ve been since 1994-95.
And two league teams (Alabama and Tennessee) are ranked ahead of them so the path ahead is not exactly an easy win.
“It’s going to be a tough night, but I think we’ll be fine,” Ricky Council IV, the Hogs’ leader scorer said Monday morning. “They’re a good team. They’re not ranked, but they’re 11-1 just like us.”
The Hogs are favored by 5 at SISportsBook.com.
“We like our roster a ton,” Hogs coach Eric Musselman said on Monday.
It has been a juggling act and is testing the depth of that roster with Trevon Brazile out for the season with a knee injury and freshman Nick Smith Jr. dealing with a wobbly knee situation that is being “managed.”
“Different guys have stepped up at different moments,” Musselman said.
It has created opportunities and Davonte Davis, Jalen Graham and Joseph Pinion have been most notable performing with more playing time.
But now the games start to mean a little more.
Arkansas Razorbacks Jalen Graham during their win over UNC-Asheville on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022, at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. (Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images)
Who: No. 9-7 Arkansas Razorbacks (11-1, 0-0 SEC) at LSU Tigers (11-1, 0-0 SEC)
What: SEC opener for both teams.
When: Wednesday, Dec. 28, 8 p.m.
Where: Baton Rouge, La., Pete Maravich Assembly Center (13,215)/Dale Brown Court
Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Phil Brame and Matt Zimmerman)
Sirius/XM: 138 (Sirius)/190 (XM), SXM App: Channel 961
Arkansas Razorbacks Anthony Black during their win over UNC-Asheville on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022, at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. (Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images)
Game notes
• This will be the 76th all-time meeting between Arkansas and LSU and 69th since the Razorbacks joined the SEC. Arkansas leads the all-time series, 41-34, and is 37-29 versus the Tigers since joining the SEC. Arkansas has won three straight in the series and four of the last five.
• The Tigers lead 19-13 in games played in Baton Rouge, including 18-12 in SEC action in Baton Rouge.
• Arkansas has played LSU 66 times since joining the SEC. The next closest is Mississippi State (59), followed by Alabama and Ole Miss (56).
• The Razorbacks are 18-13 all-time in SEC openers.
• This will be the third straight year — and the eighth time in 11 years — Arkansas has opened SEC play on the road.
• Arkansas is 6-7 when opening SEC play of the road.
• Arkansas lost last year’s SEC opener (at Mississippi State) but won four straight SEC openers prior to that.
• Arkansas is ranked No. 9/7 which is the program’s best ranking heading into SEC play since being No. 3 for the 1994-95 SEC opener. Overall, it is the eighth time Arkansas has been ranked when opening SEC played.
• Arkansas has an NCAA NET of 10 (through Dec. 25) thanks to an 11-1 start.
• This is the highest NET for Arkansas since it was instituted.
• Previous highs 14 (3/15 & 4/6/21) • 20 (3/7 & 14/22) • 23 (12/16/19)
• Last year at this time, Arkansas was 90 in the NCAA NET before finishing 21st.
• There are four teams with a league-best record of 11-1 including Arkansas, LSU, Missouri and Mississippi State. Arkansas will play two of those teams — at LSU and vs Mizzou — to start SEC play. Kentucky is the only other team that will start the season versus two SEC teams currently 11-1 — at Mizzou (Dec. 28) before hosting LSU (Jan. 3).
