No. 18 Arkansas Ready For Top 20 Showdown At Iowa State

AT A GLANCE
Off to its best start since 1997-98 at 6-0, No. 18/21 Arkansas will head to Ames, Iowa for an SEC/Big 12 Challenge showdown with No. 20/19 Iowa State on Thursday night at Hilton Coliseum on ESPN2. Already owning a road win at SMU, the Razorbacks will look to snap Iowa State’s 23-game home non-conference win streak and are in search of their first non-conference road win streak since the end of the 2003 non-conference season (at Tulsa) and the start of 2004 (at Missouri).

RAZORBACKS IN THE NATIONAL POLLS
Arkansas appeared in the Associated Press Top 25 for the second straight week, jumping seven spots to No. 18. It marks the first time since December of 2000 that the Razorbacks have been ranked in the top 25 two straight weeks, while they also cracked the USA Today Coaches Poll for the first time this year at No. 21. Arkansas holds a 381-101 record all-time as a ranked team and will be looking for its first road win as a ranked team since Jan. 13, 1999 at Mississippi State.

#RAZORSTAT
Arkansas is one of just four teams in the country to score 78 or more points in every game this season, ranking fourth at 90 ppg.

@RAZORBACKMBB FAST BREAK FACTS
•Off to a 6-0 start for the first time since 2006-07.
•First 6-0 start with a true road win since 1993-94.
•One of 23 unbeaten teams in the country.
•Won four of its last six regular season road games dating back to last year – at SMU, at Kentucky, at Mississippi State & at Vanderbilt.
•Win at SMU was Arkansas’ first road win as a ranked team since 1999 at Mississippi State and first true non-conference road win since 2008.
•Haven’t won two non-conf. road games in the same season since 2001.
•Trailed in the second half for a total of 4:03 on the year and haven’t faced a two-possession deficit.
•Ranked for the first time since November of 2007, snapping a streak of 225 games played as an unranked team.
•Ranked back-to-back weeks for the first time since December of 2000.
•Own a 381-101 record all-time as a ranked team.

OFFENSE
•Lead the nation in assists (20.7) and fourth in scoring (90.0).
•Only team in the SEC and one four teams in the country that hasn’t been held below 78 points.
•First time since 1993-94 Arkansas has scored 78+ points in each of the first six games.
•Hold the early lead in the SEC in scoring (90.0), three-pointers per game (8.8), three-point percentage (.461) and assists (20.7).
•Eight different players have reached double figures.
•Three different players have scored 20 points in a game with someone reaching 20 points in five of six games.
•Held below 40 points in a half just three times, while scoring 50+ points in the second half three of the last four games.
•First time since 2000-01 that Arkansas has 20+ assists in three of the first six games.
•Own a 3-0 record when passing out 20+ assists while coach Anderson is 84-1 all-time when his teams accomplish the feat.
•Passed out 26 assists against Delaware State, good for the fourth-most under coach Anderson.
•Out-scored each opponent in bench points and 175-109 for the year.
•Haven’t trailed at the half this season.

THE #FASTEST40
• Forced its opponents into double-digit turnovers in six halves.
• Hold the early lead the SEC in steals (9.5), turnover margin (+7.3) and assist/turnover ratio (1.8).
• Out-scoring opponents 144-71 in points off turnovers.
• Finished with a positive assist/turnover ratio in each game while only one opponent has accomplished the feat.
• Scored 25+ points off turnovers in four games.
• Won the turnover battle each game and 89 of 104 under coach Anderson.
• Forced opponents into 20 turnovers 23 times (22-1) under Anderson, including three times this season.

COACHING MATCHUP
@RazorbackMBB
Head Coach: Mike Anderson (Tulsa ‘82)
Record at Arkansas: 65-39 (4th Season)
Overall Record: 265-137 (13th Season)
Vs. Iowa State: 8-2

Iowa State
Head Coach: Fred Hoiberg (Iowa State ‘95)
Record at Iowa State: 94-48 (5th Season)
Overall Record: Same
Vs. Arkansas: First Meeting

SCOUTING IOWA STATE
• Ranked No. 20 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll and No. 19 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
• Won 23 games in a row against non-conference opponents
• Led by fifth year head coach Fred Hoiberg, who has led the Cyclones to three straight NCAA Tournaments
• Hoiberg is 63-10 at Hilton Coliseum
• Predicted to finish fifth in the Big 12 by the league head coaches
• Led the Big 12 in scoring each of the last two seasons and are currently averaging 83.4 points.
• Held below 81 points just once this season, a loss to Maryland.
• A year removed from leading the nation in assists, the Cyclones are averaging 18.6 helpers with just 10 turnovers per game.
• Junior Georges Niang is on the Wooden Award Watch List and Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List.
• Sophomore Monte Morris is one of 36 players on the Bob Cousy Award Watch List.
• A transfer from UNLV, senior Bryce Dejean-Jones was the Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.

WOODEN AWARD WATCH LIST SHOWDOWN
Thursday night will feature two of the premier big men in the nation when sophomore BOBBY PORTIS and Iowa State junior Georges Niang meet in the paint at Hilton Coliseum. This past summer, Portis and Niang both attended the Nike Big Man Skills Academy (10 collegiate players) in New Jersey and the LeBron James Skills Academy (30 collegiate players) in Las Vegas. Just over two weeks ago, they were two of 50 players on the Wooden Award watch list and last Monday they two of the 24 players on the watch list for the USBWA Oscar Robertson Trophy.

FAMILIAR FOE
Over his five seasons at Missouri, head coach MIKE ANDERSON went 8-2 against Iowa State, including a 4-1 mark at one of the nation’s toughest places to play, Hilton Coliseum. Anderson’s final year at Missouri was Fred Hoiberg’s first at Iowa State, as the Tigers swept the season series, accounting for one of just 10 losses for Iowa State at home under Hoiberg.

CASE OF THE MONDAYS
The last three Mondays have been Monday Fundays for the Arkansas men’s basketball team. Below are some news-worthy items from the past three Mondays.

Monday, November 17
• BOBBY PORTIS named to the preseason Wooden Award watch list.

Monday, November 24
• Arkansas ranked No. 25 in the Associated Press Top 25, good for the program’s first national ranking since November of 2007.
• Portis named to the USBWA Oscar Robertson Trophy watch list.

Monday, December 1
• Arkansas jumped seven spots to No. 18 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, marking the first time since December of 2000 its been ranked consecutive weeks.
• The Razorbacks cracked the USA Today Coaches Poll at No. 21.
• MICHAEL QUALLS was named the SEC Player of the Week.

FOLLOWING IN BIG BRO’S FOOTSTEPS
Freshman NICK BABB will get a chance on Thursday to do what his older brother Chris did 35 times during his collegiate career … play at Hilton Coliseum. A native of Arlington, Texas, Nick played a season-high 18 minutes last game against MAAC favorite Iona, finishing with a team-best +17 rating. Nick has seen action in the five games and has been a difference maker on the floor with a +35 rating in 42 minutes played with no turnovers. Nick’s older brother Chris played two seasons at Iowa State, earning Big 12 All-Defensive team honors as a senior.

SHARING THE ROCK
After leading the SEC in assists last season, Arkansas is back at it again. Through their first six games, the Razorbacks are averaging a nation-best 20.7 assists, highlighted by three games of 20+ assists. It marks the first time since 2000-01 that Arkansas has passed out 20+ assists in three of the first six games, led by senior RASHAD MADDEN who is third in the SEC and 23rd in the nation in helpers per game (6.0). Madden has 27 assists over the last four games, while eight different players have passed out three or more assists in a game. Arkansas has assisted on 124 of its 188 made field goals, good for a staggering 66 percent clip.