Razorbacks Look to Keep Strong Play Going vs. Vanderbilt

Mike Cawood February 4, 2019

Who: Vanderbilt Commodores
What: Arkansas has won three straight SEC games.
When: Tuesday – Feb. 5, 2019 – 8 pm
Where: Bud Walton Arena – Fayetteville, Ark.
How (to follow):
– TV: ESPNU (Dave Neal and Dane Bradshaw)
– Watch ESPN/SEC Network Online
– Radio: Razorback/IMG Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
– Satellite Radio: Arkansas Broadcast – Sirius (105), XM (190), Internet (961)
– Live Stats: Arkansas Live Stats

– Arkansas Game Notes: https://bit.ly/2Snvkfq
– Vanderbilt Game Notes: https://bit.ly/2Tw3n2n

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas, winners of three straight SEC games, will return to Bud Walton Arena to host Vanderbilt with tip-off set for 8 pm.

This will be one of just three home games for the Razorbacks in the month of February. In fact, dating back to Jan. 15 at Tennessee, Arkansas is in the midst of a nine-game span with just three home games. After hosting Vanderbilt, the Razorbacks will close the nine-game span with contests at South Carolina and at Missouri.

This will be the 37th meeting between Arkansas and Vanderbilt. The Razorbacks own a 24-12 advantage in the series, including a 22-11 advantage since Arkansas joined the SEC in 1992 and a 14-3 record in games played in Fayetteville. Arkansas has won five of the last six.

Thanks to a scheduling oddity, this will be the fifth straight time Vanderbilt has come to Fayetteville for a regular season game. Arkansas will play at Vandy next month (Mar. 6) to mark the Razorbacks’ first trip to Memorial Gymnasium since Feb. 8, 2014.

Head coach Mike Anderson has said he feels his team is rounding into form and finding its rhythm. Saturday’s win at LSU may be proving him right. Also, if the past is a guide, February should be promising for the Razorbacks. Now in his eighth season, the Razorbacks are 37-20 (.649 winning percentage) in February — its best month in SEC play historically under Anderson. The Razorbacks have won at least six games in February in four of the last five seasons.
Arkansas ranks second in the SEC in field goal percentage defense (40.7%).
The Razorbacks have taken 44 charges in 21 games this season. In 35 games last season, Arkansas took 47 charges. Gabe Osabuohien leads the team with 17 charges taken and Isaiah Joe is second with 15.
Isaiah Joe is on pace to break two school record – most 3-pointers in a season and most 3-pointers by a freshman – and could break an SEC record – most 3-pointers made by a freshman in a season.
RECORD WATCH 1: Joe only needs to make 10 more 3-pointers for the Arkansas record for 3-’s made by a freshman. Joe has made 73 and Rotnei Clarke made 83 as a freshman in 2009.
RECORD WATCH 2: With 11 guaranteed games left (regular-season and at least one at SEC Tourney), Joe is on pace to finish with 111 3’s made. That would break the Arkansas single-season mark of 102, set by Scotty Thurman in 1994-95.
SEC RECORD WATCH: Joe is on pace to make 111 3-pointers over (through the regular season and one guaranteed SEC Tourney game). The SEC record for 3-pointers made in a season is 113 by Kentucky’ Jamal Murray in the 2015-16 season.