After the Razorbacks eked out a two-point win against Missouri last month, the Tigers will look to get their revenge in their final home game of the season.
Line: Missouri -9.5, Total: 152 (Track Line Changes for the Game)
Missouri is the second-best rebounding team in the nation (41.3 RPG) and outrebounded Arkansas 47-31 when the teams first met on Feb. 16, but the Razorbacks scored the final four points of the game, in the contest’s last 19 seconds, to squeak out the 73-71 win, giving Mike Anderson his first win over the school he once coached. Since then, Arkansas has gone 2-2 both SU and ATS, most recently cruising past Kentucky for a 13-point win on Saturday. The Tigers have gone 3-1 SU (2-2 ATS) since that game, falling at Kentucky, but putting up 89.5 PPG in two straight wins over South Carolina and LSU. The Razorbacks are 5-3 ATS as underdogs this season, including 3-0 ATS as double-digit underdogs. Given the way they were able to play Missouri last time, they certainly have the ability to make this a close game. But the Tigers are a perfect 16-0 SU and 12-3 ATS since the start of last season after back-to-back, double-digit wins.
PF Marshawn Powell led Arkansas in the first meeting between the two teams, scoring 24 points (8-of-19 FG) without recording a turnover. Powell (14.9 PPG, 5.4 RPG) is a threat to score anywhere on the court and is averaging 16.0 PPG and 8.5 RPG in his past two contests. PG BJ Young (15.2 PPG, 3.5 APG) leads the Razorbacks in scoring and is the only other double-digit scorer on the team. Young also had a big game against the Tigers last month, dropping 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting while adding five assists, five rebounds, but also five turnovers. But since that meeting, Young has struggled shooting the ball with just 7.0 PPG on 11-of- 42 FG (26%) and 0-for-10 threes. In the two road games during this slump, he’s gone 2-for-19 from the floor and 0-for-8 from downtown. Junior SF Coty Clarke (7.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG) was the only other Arkansas player to score more than five points against Missouri, tallying 13 points (4-of-6 FG), seven rebounds and two steals. Clark also had a monster game in Saturday’s win over Kentucky with 14 points (4-of-5 FG, 6-of-7 FT), 12 rebounds, six assists and three steals.
SG Keion Bell (11.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG) had a career game against Arkansas, leading the Tigers with 25 points on a near-perfect 9-of-11 shooting and 7-of-8 from the line. He also added eight boards in the loss before fouling out. But he was the only starter to reach double figures in the contest for head coach Frank Haith, a surprise given the team has a whopping six players who average double-digit points. PF Laurence Bowers (14.2 PPG, 6.1 RPG) leads that effort and is coming off a big double-double, recording 23 points and 10 rebounds against LSU. He was dreadful in the first meeting against the Razorbacks though, going 1-for-10 from the field for just two points. The starting backcourt of PG Phil Pressey (12.1 PPG, 7.1 APG) and SG Jabari Brown (14.0 PPG) were just as bad in the loss, going a combined 4-for-19 from the field (1-of-9 threes). PF Alex Oriakhi (11.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG) scored seven points, but added 11 boards in the game. Oriakhi has found his scoring touch lately, with 17.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG and 2.0 BPG in his past three games. He also has two double-doubles in that span. Reserve G Earnest Ross (10.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG) was a rare bright spot against Arkansas, going for 16 points (7-of-12 FG) and nine boards, and he could be the necessary spark plug in this matchup too.
Source: Statfox
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