MBB Preview at Tennessee

Mike Cawood February 10, 2020

Who: Arkansas Razorbacks (16-7. 4-6 SEC) at Tennessee (13-10, 5-5 SEC)
What: Razorbacks have won 6 of the last 8 versus the Vols
When: Tuesday – Feb. 11 – 7:00 pm (ET) / 6:00 pm (CT)
Where: Knoxville, Tenn. – Thompson-Boling Arena
How (to follow):
– TV: SEC Network (Kevin Fitzgerald and Joe Kleine)
^ CLICK HERE to Watch ESPN/SEC Network Online
– Radio: Learfield IMG College Razorback Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
^ Listen to Razorback Sports Network Online: CLICK HERE
– Sirius/XM: XM Channel 382, Streaming Online on channel 972
– Live Stats: Tennessee Live Stats

– Arkansas Game Notes: CLICK HERE
– Tennessee Game Notes: CLICK HERE

Versus Tennessee

This will be the 43rd meeting between Arkansas and Tennessee with all but four coming since the Razorbacks joined the SEC for the 1991-92 season.
Tennessee has won two straight to take a 21-20 advantage in the series. The Volunteers also lead 12-4 in games played in Knoxville and hold a 19-16 advantage since Arkansas joined the SEC.

LAST YEAR AT TENNESSEE:

The third-ranked Tennessee Volunteers jumped out to a 20-6 lead and never looked back in a 106-87 victory over Arkansas.
Despite the 19-point victory, the stats for both teams were fairly even across the board with the key difference coming from the free throw line as Tennessee was 35-of-39, compared to 13-of-22 for the Razorbacks.
The Vols would stake a 55-34 lead at halftime while shooting 50 percent from the field and making 20-of-23 at the charity stripe. The Razorbacks only made three fewer field goals than Tennessee (12-to-15) in the first half but were just 6-of-11 at the free throw line.
In the second half, Arkansas did not back down. The Razorbacks outscored the Vols, shot 57 percent from the field and out-rebounded Tennessee (16-13).
Grant Williams led the free throw barrage for Tennessee, going a perfect 14-of-14 and scoring 18 points. Lamonte Turner led Tennessee overall with 21 points off the bench while Jordan Bowden added 19 points off the bench. Admiral Scofield contributed 17 points – all in the second half – while Kyle Alexander had 12.
Isaiah Joe led the Razorbacks with 23 points, making 7-of-13 from 3-point range. Mason Jones finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Reggie Chaney (11) and Daniel Gafford (10) each finished in double figures as well.

Working Overtime; Close Losses

Arkansas has played back-to-back overtime games for the first time since playing three straight in January 2014 — Florida (L), Kentucky (W) and at Georgia (L).
This is the sixth time Arkansas has played four overtime games in a season (1970-71, 1984-85, 1994-95, 2010-11, 2013-14). The record is five in 1985-86 and 2015-16.
Arkansas has three losses in overtime and has lost its seven games by a combined 32 points — 4.5 avg.
Arkansas is one of nine teams in the NCAA that has yet to lose a game by double digits. San Diego State (0 losses), Baylor (1 loss by 3 pts), Dayton (2 losses by 8 pts; 4.0 avg), Duke (3 losses by 15 pts; 5.0 avg), Northern Iowa (3 losses by 11 pts 3.7 avg), Kentucky (5 losses by 24 pts; 4.8 avg), Yale (5 losses by 18 pts; 3.6 avg), Wright State (5 losses by 14 pts; 2.8 avg) and Arkansas (7 losses by 32 pts; 4.5 avg).

HOGS #1 in NCAA IN Defending 3; How Hogs Off-Set Rebounding Numbers

The Razorbacks have held opponents to shooting 29 percent or worse from 3-point range 17 times. Most recently, Arkansas held Texas A&M to 28.6, LSU to 26.7%, Ole Miss to 23.1%, Vandy to 25%, the SEC’s 3-pt percentage leader Alabama to 25.8%, Auburn to 25.8% and Missouri to 18.3%.
^ Arkansas’ 24.6% 3-point defense ranks 1st NCAA / 1st SEC
Arkansas has only committed 101 turnovers in SEC games (or 10.1/gm — fewest in SEC play) while forcing 155 (or 15.5 – most in SEC play). Arkansas has committed single-digit turnovers six times this year (8 vs South Dakota, 8 vs Tulsa, 9 versus Texas A&M, 7 at LSU, 7 vs Vandy and 7 at Mississippi State).
^ Arkansas’ +5.2 turnover margin ranks 6th NCAA / 1st SEC
Arkansas has SEC-best 81 steals (8.1 avg) in SEC games, including 14 vs Auburn. Arkansas has double-digit steals seven other times this year — 14 vs Rice, 13 vs Texas Southern, 11 vs North Texas, 11 vs Montana, 15 at Georgia Tech, 12 vs Tulsa and 11 at Alabama.
^ Arkansas’ 8.7 steals per game ranks 20th NCAA / 1st SEC
^ Arkansas’ 201 total steals rank 27th NCAA / 1st SEC
The Razorbacks have forced at least 15 turnovers 17 times this season, including a season-high 27 in the season opener versus Rice. Arkansas forced Auburn into 18 turnovers; Texas A&M, Alabama and Missouri into 17 turnovers; while Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and South Carolina each had 16. TCU had 19.
^ The 17.13 turnovers forced ranks 16th NCAA / 1st SEC.
Arkansas only committed 10 turnovers at Alabama as well as versus Auburn. Overall the Hogs have committed 10 or less turnovers 11 times this season.
^ The 12.0 turnovers committed ranks 59th-fewest in the NCAA / 2nd SEC
^ The 275 turnovers committed ranks 49th-fewest NCAA / 2nd SEC.

Taking Care of the Ball in SEC Play

Since SEC play began, Arkansas has valued the ball better than the non-conference season. In league play, the Hogs have 107 assists, a league-high 81 steals, a league-low 101 turnovers and a league-high 155 turnovers forced.
In SEC play, four teams have an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.1, including South Carolina, ARKANSAS, LSU and Tennessee.
In SEC play, Arkansas has a league-low 101 turnovers (10.1/gm) while forcing the most turnovers (15.5/gm).
In SEC play, Arkansas leads the league in turnover margin (+5.5). The next closest is South Carolina at +1.1.

For more information on Arkansas Men’s Basketball, follow @RazorbackMBB on Twitter.