MBB Preview: Arkansas at Missouri; Coach Calipari 1 Win Shy of 900
Who: #20/19 Arkansas Razorbacks (22-8, 12-5 SEC) at RV/RV Missouri Tigers (20-10, 10-7 SEC)
What: The Razorbacks’ regular-season finale, Coach Cal goes for win 900.
When: Friday – Mar. 7 – 11:00 am (CT)
Where: Columbia, Mo. • Mizzou Arena / Norm Stewart Court (15,061)
How (to follow):
– TV/Stream: ESPN / Watch ESPN (Roy Philpott and Jon Crispin)
– Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
– Sirius/XM: 106 or 109 || SXM App/Online Channel 960
– Razorback Gameday App
– Live Stats
– Arkansas Game Notes
– Missouri Game Notes
– SEC Men’s Basketball Release/Stats
FAYETTEVILLE – The #20/19 Arkansas Razorbacks travel to Columbia for the regular-season finale versus the Missouri Tigers on Saturday (Mar. 7). Tipoff is set for 11 am (CT) and the game will be televised on ESPN.
The Razorbacks and Tigers met 14 days ago in Bud Walton Arena, with Arkansas claiming a 94-86 victory. Billy Richmond III scored 21 points and Darius Acuff Jr. added 20. The first half was back-and-forth before Arkansas went on a late run to end the first half and held the lead the rest of the game. However, the Tigers kept hanging around and trailed by five (78-73) with 6:28 left. At that point, Meleek Thomas grabbed back-to-back defensive rebounds, going coast-to-coast for a jumper in the lane on the first one and a 3-pointer on the right wing for a double-digit lead to help seal the win. Missouri was led by Mark Mitchell (26 pts) and Trent Pierce (22 pts).
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
With the win over Texas, Coach Cal got win number 899 to tie Bob Knight for 5th-most, on-court wins as head coach at an NCAA Division I program. With his next win, Cal will become just the fifth head coach to reach 900 with Mike Krzyzewski (1,202); Jim Boeheim (1,116); Rick Pitino (909) and Roy Williams (903).
Darius Acuff Jr. is 2 points shy of the school record for most points in a season in SEC games only. Acuff currently has 422 points in 17 SEC games this season. Mason Jones holds the record with 424 in the 2020 season, which helped him win SEC Player of the Year. Here is where Acuff stands in the Arkansas record book for season stats in SEC games only.
^ 24.82 ppg 1st – currently #2 is 23.55 – Mason Jones (2020)
^ 145 FG made 1st – previous record was 136 by Bobby Portis (2015)
^ 295 FG Att 1st – previous record was 287 by JD Notae (2022)
^ 113 assists 1st – previous record was 107 by Kareem Reid (1996)
^ 422 pts currently 2nd – record is 424 pts by Mason Jones (2020)
NOTES:
- This will be the 66th meeting between Arkansas and Missouri all time and the second n a 14-day span. The teams met in Bud Walton Arena on Feb. 21, a game the Razorbacks won 94-86.
- Arkansas leads the all-time series, 37-28, and has won 10 of the last 13.
- Since Missouri joined the SEC in 2012-13, the border rivals have played 28 times with Arkansas owning a 18-10 advantage.
- Missouri leads the series in games played in Columbia, 18-13 overall and 8-5 in SEC meetings.
For more information on Arkansas Men’s Basketball, follow @RazorbackMBB on X, Instagram and Facebook.
