Arkansas Set For Saturday Showdown At Mizzou on ESPN2

AT A GLANCE
Less than 40 hours removed from a buzzer-beating overtime win against Alabama, Arkansas will look to carry that momentum over to a quick turnaround road game at Missouri on Saturday afternoon. Sophomore BOBBY PORTIS’ tip-in as time expired gave the Razorbacks a dramatic 93-91 win over the Tide on Thursday while junior MICHAEL QUALLS scored a career-high 30 points.
• Arkansas (No. 22) is one of seven SEC teams in the ESPN RPI Top 50. The SEC’s seven teams in the top 50 is tied with the ACC and Big 12. The BIG EAST leads with eight.
• Sophomore BOBBY PORTIS (17.8) & junior MICHAEL QUALLS (16.9) are the top SEC scoring duo.
• Portis and Qualls have the top three scoring performances in the SEC this season.
• Arkansas is one of two teams in the top five nationally in scoring (4th) and assists (T4th).
• Arkansas is receiving votes in both Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll.

#RAZORFACT
Sophomore BOBBY PORTIS and junior MICHAEL QUALLS are the only two players in the SEC to score 30 points in a game this year.

AT A GLANCE
Arkansas will look to snap its two-game losing streak and bounce back from its first loss at Bud Walton Arena in nearly a year when it hosts Alabama Thursday night on ESPN2. For just the second time since Arkansas joined the SEC in 1991-92, the two teams will meet only once in the regular season. Thursday begins a stretch of three games in six days for the Razorbacks.

• Arkansas (No. 28) and Alabama (No. 46) make up two of the seven SEC teams in the ESPN RPI Top 50. The SEC’s seven teams equals the ACC & Big 12 while the BIG EAST leads with eight.
• Sophomore BOBBY PORTIS (18.3) & junior MICHAEL QUALLS (16.1) are the top SEC scoring duo.
• Portis leads the SEC in scoring and has posted three straight double-doubles.
• Arkansas is one of five teams in the top 10 nationally in scoring (T6th) and assists (T4th).
• Arkansas is receiving votes in both Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll.

#RAZORFACT
Sophomore BOBBY PORTIS is the first player in program history to lead Arkansas is scoring the first four SEC games.

@RAZORBACKMBB FAST BREAK FACTS
• Currently No. 22 in the ESPN RPI with six wins over the top 100 and a 4-2 mark against the top 50.
• Both top 25 RPI wins have come on the road at SMU (No. 14) and at Georgia (No. 24).
• One of four teams (Kansas, Virginia, Duke) with two top 25 RPI road wins.
• Won four of last seven SEC regular season games with two of the losses (Missouri – 1 & Tennessee – 5) coming by a combined six points.
• One of two teams (BYU) nationally in the top five in scoring (83.5/4th) and assists (17.7/T4th).
• Won 22 straight games when leading at the half.
• Looking to snap a three-game losing streak at Missouri.
• BOBBY PORTIS and MICHAEL QUALLS are the top scoring duo in the SEC at 34.7 points per game.
• Portis and Qualls have the top three scoring performances in the SEC this season, including both 30-point games.
• Lead the SEC in scoring (83.5), three-pointers per game (7.4) three-point percentage (.380) and assists (17.7).
• Only SEC team to score at least 65 points in every game.
• Portis and Qualls have combined for 30+ points 13 times (10-3) and 40+ points in four games (4-0).
• Eight different players have reached double figures.
• Second in the SEC and 21st nationally in offensive rebounding (13.8).

COACHING MATCHUP
@RazorbackMBB
Head Coach: Mike Anderson (Tulsa ‘82)
Record at Arkansas: 73-43 (4th Season)
Overall Record: 273-141 (13th Season)
Vs. Missouri: 1-3

Missouri
Head Coach: Kim Anderson (Missouri ‘79 & ‘81)
Record at Missouri: 7-11 (1st Season)
Overall Record: 281-106 (13th Season)
Vs. Arkansas: First Meeting

20/20 VISION
Owning the top three scoring performances in the SEC this season, junior MICHAEL QUALLS and sophomore BOBBY PORTIS are each averaging over 20 points through the first five SEC games. Qualls leads all scorers in league play at 20.8 points while Portis is right behind at 20.6 points. Qualls is looking to become the first Razorback to reach 20 points in three straight SEC games since CORLISS WILLIAMSON (5 games) and SCOTTY THURMAN (3 games) in 1995.

ONE-TWO PUNCH
Either junior MICHAEL QUALLS or sophomore BOBBY PORTIS has been Arkansas’ top scorer in 16 of 18 games this season, combining for 30+ points 13 times (10-3), 40+ in four (4-0) of the last seven and two 50-point performances. Both have finished in double figures 15 times while combining for 15 of the team’s 17 20-point games. One of the two has reached the 20-point plateau in 12 games, while they are the only SEC duo both in the top 5 in scoring. Qualls and Portis don’t just get it done on the offensive end, as they rank one and two on the team in rebounding, leading the way on the glass 16 times. Below is a look at the top scoring duos in the SEC.

Program PPG Mins Per
Bobby Portis & Michael Qualls Arkansas 34.7 59.1
Jarell Martin & Jordan Mickey LSU 32.4 69.4
KT Harrell & Antoine Mason Auburn 31.2 61.2
Damian Jones & Riley LaChance Vanderbilt 29.1 62.7
Stefan Moody & Jarvis Summers Ole Miss 28.9 54.3

WATCH LIST FRENZY
The SEC’s leading scorer and one of three high-major players averaging 17.5 points and eight rebounds, sophomore BOBBY PORTIS was one of 25 players named to the Wooden Award Midseason Watch List. Portis is also on the Lute Olson Midseason Watch List and the Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List. He is one of 10 players on all three lists.

MUST SEE TV
Over the last two seasons (52 games), Arkansas has appeared on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays (#SCtop10) a remarkable 17 times. Junior MICHAEL QUALLS has been the primary culprit, turning in 11 career #SCtop10 dunks, including two during Thursday’s win over Alabama and two last year at Missouri. The Razorbacks occupied three of the 10 spots on the #SCtop10 on Thursday night.