The Official #16 Tennessee @ #23 Arkansas Gam Thread, 4:00 PM ET, ESPN

[YankeeVol]

#16 Tennessee Volunteers: 19-6 (10-3 SEC)

@

#23 Arkansas Razorbacks: 20-6 (9-4 SEC)

GAME 26 | TENNESSEE at ARKANSAS - Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022 | 4:05 p.m. ET / 3:05 p.m. CT | Bud Walton Arena (19,200)


Line: UT +3
O/U: 140

TV: ESPN / Watch
Radio: Vol Network / Listen
Satellite Radio: Sirius: 135 / XM: 191 / Internet: ---
Online: WatchESPN App


Arkansas Game Notes

 

[YankeeVol]

THE SERIES

• Tennessee leads its all-time series with Arkansas, 23-21, dating to 1936.
• The Volunteers have won four of the last five meetings.
• Arkansas holds an 11-4 advantage when the series is contested in Fayetteville and has won each of the last six clashes at Bud Walton Arena. The Vols' last win at Arkansas came in 2009.
• Arkansas is 14-1 at Bud Walton Arena this season.
• Incredibly, Saturday's game marks the first time in the history of this series that both the Vols and the Razorbacks will be ranked in the AP Top 25 at tipoff.
• Rick Barnes is 2-1 in head-to-head coaching matchups with Eric Musselman.
• John Fulkerson started and had 15 points and five boards in his last trip to Bud Walton Arena in 2020.
• A victory Saturday would give the Vols a winning record in true road games this season (5-4).

 

[YankeeVol]

LAYUP LINES - TEAM

• For the second time during the Rick Barnes era, Tennessee is riding a streak of at least eight straight wins over SEC opponents.
• Tennessee stands at No. 9 in the NCAA's latest NET ratings. Each of UT's six losses are Quad 1.
• Tennessee joins Kentucky and Auburn as the only three SEC teams that have no losses outside Quadrant 1 this season.
• According to KenPom, the Vols rank fourth in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing only 87.6 points per 100 possessions.
• Tennessee averages an SEC-best 16.1 assists per game during league play (209 assists on 317 FGs).
• The Vols rank eighth among all Division I teams in both steals per game (98. spg) and turnover margin (+4.8).
• During Tennessee's current five-game win streak, the Vols own a +13.0 scoring margin.
• Tennessee commits an average of 13.6 turnovers on the road in SEC play. Arkansas this season is forcing 18.0 turnovers per game in its home SEC contests.

 

[YankeeVol]

LAYUP LINES - PLAYERS

• During UT's five-game win streak, junior Josiah-Jordan James leads the Vols in scoring (14.8 ppg) and rebounding (5.8 rpg) while shooting .370 from 3-point range and .900 from the foul line.
• All-SEC candidate Santiago Vescovi is the league's top 3-point shooter during SEC play, hitting at a .458 clip from long range
• Naismith Defensive Player of the Year and Bob Cousy Award candidate Kennedy Chandler's 2.33 steals per game rank 12th in Division I and second nationally among true freshmen.
• During SEC play, Vols freshmen Zakai Zeigler (2.54 spg) and Chandler (2.50 spg) rank first and second, respectively, in steals per game.
• Zeigler and Chandler have combined for 18 steals over UT's last three games.
• Zeigler has scored in double figures in each of UT's last seven games.

 

[YankeeVol]

ABOUT ARKANSAS

• Arkansas (20-6, 9-4 SEC) enters Saturday's matchup with Tennessee having won 10 of its last 11 games.
• After starting SEC play 0-3 with road losses to Mississippi State and Texas A&M and a home loss to Vanderbilt, the Razorbacks rattled off eight consecutive conference wins—capped off by a win over then-No. 1 Auburn.
• Arkansas currently sits in fourth place in the SEC standings, just one game behind Tennessee and Kentucky.
• The Razorbacks are 14-1 at Bud Walton Arena this season.
• Arkansas has posted a 2-4 record during Quadrant I games this season—notching wins at No. 12 LSU on Jan. 15 and at home against No. 1 Auburn on Feb. 8.
• Senior guard JD Notae has paced Arkansas on offense this season, averaging 18.8 points per game—a mark that ranks second in the SEC.
• Notae also leads the SEC and ranks eighth in the nation in steals per game, averaging 2.4 per contest.
• Razorback forward Jaylin Williams is averaging nearly a double-double with 10.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Williams ranks second in the SEC and 17th in the nation in total rebounds.
• Through the games of Feb. 16, Arkansas ranks No. 22 in KenPom.com's rankings. The Razorbacks rank No. 18 in adjusted defensive efficiency and No. 67 in adjusted offensive efficiency.
• Bud Walton Arena opened for the 1993-94 basketball season, and the Razorbacks posted a perfect 16-0 home record that year en route to the national championship under head coach Nolan Richardson.

 

[VolPack22]

Our last 3 games we have won:

72-63
73-64
76-63

They have found the right mix of offense and defense these past few games, however Bud Walton is a tough place to play, and I honestly don’t expect us to win this game. It will be close but I think we lose something like 71-68. I have us getting them back at TBA though.

 

[orangemadam]

Sadly enough I'm gonna guarantee a UT victory by predicting Ark 68, UT 64

 

[Creeker]

Coming off an emotional win against UK, Saturday game, inside Bud Walton. It’s going to be a tough one. By no means impossible though.

 

[BowlBrother85]

Big road game, which will really show us where we stand right now. I think we're getting better, but this will be the stiffest test since our last loss. I understand picking against us, but I think we come ready to play with renewed confidence. Should be a good game. GBO!

 

[GBO18]

Let’s get that 20 dub.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

We’ve lost 1 game this season when we’ve scored at least 69 points. That was the anamoly in Rupp. So, score 69 or more points and we win.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

We’ve lost 1 game this season when we’ve scored at least 69 points. That was the anamoly in Rupp. So, score 69 or more points and we win.

Arkansas hasn’t given up 69 points in the last 11 games (in regulation), games 12/13/14 they gave up 86/75/81 and lost all 3. That’s when they made some changes in their lineups and stylistically and over the last 11 games they are the #1 defense in the country by a pretty wide margin. If we manage to put up 69+ it will be an incredible showing from our offense.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Arkansas hasn’t given up 69 points in the last 11 games (in regulation), games 12/13/14 they gave up 86/75/81 and lost all 3. That’s when they made some changes in their lineups and stylistically and over the last 11 games they are the #1 defense in the country by a pretty wide margin. If we manage to put up 69+ it will be an incredible showing from our offense.

True. I’m not sure we’ll score 69 either, but I was just throwing it out there as a benchmark for how good this team is when they just score 69. Almost unbeatable. I think the game will be more like the rock fight in Texas.

 

[golfballs]

We’ve had 3 days off since UK, and I actually don’t think it’s that much of an adjustment to prepare for Arkansas. We’ll be ready. I think the TO margin is one of the keys to this game. And that’s one area we’ve improved significantly in lately

 

[GBO18]

6999999999

 

[Doctrippin]

Big road game, which will really show us where we stand right now. I think we're getting better, but this will be the stiffest test since our last loss. I understand picking against us, but I think we come ready to play with renewed confidence. Should be a good game. GBO!

I'm rolling with my Vols. $ 50 on the ML at +140

 

[firestorm]

I’ll be able to watch this game at DJs Dugout today because I’ll be landing in Omaha 11:55 AM.

 

[Larkin]

68-67 nail biter. Hogs win this one

 

[camp_steveo]

Road wins are tough, but the Vols are a tough basketball team. Can't make a prediction on this one. Just want the Vols to play hard and hope for the W!

 

[VolPack22]

6999999999

71 is better.

 

[firestorm]

This is a coin flip game which is why I won’t be stunned if the Razorbacks at home won.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

We’ve had 3 days off since UK, and I actually don’t think it’s that much of an adjustment to prepare for Arkansas. We’ll be ready. I think the TO margin is one of the keys to this game. And that’s one area we’ve improved significantly in lately

Yup…turnovers and 3pt% are the 2 things I’m watching, Arkansas has really turned teams over the last 10 games, they also allow a bunch of 3’s but have held opponents to low % from deep.

 

[firestorm]

I’ll be pretty happy if the Volunteers keep the game close even if they don’t win because I have no desire to watch a depressing undramatic game that the Razorbacks easily win.
The Volunteers still most likely make the March Madness Tournament which is why losing today Vs a good Arkansas team isn’t a bad loss or a terrible loss.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

I’ll be pretty happy if the Volunteers keep the game close even if they don’t win because I have no desire to watch a depressing undramatic game that the Razorbacks easily win.
The Volunteers still most likely make the March Madness Tournament which is why losing today Vs a good Arkansas team isn’t a bad loss or a terrible loss.

Yeah, I think we have a pretty good chance!

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

Yup…turnovers and 3pt% are the 2 things I’m watching, Arkansas has really turned teams over the last 10 games, they also allow a bunch of 3’s but have held opponents to low % from deep.

So many of their steals are point to wing first passes. I’m sure we’ve scouted that, but it’s a vulnerable spot for us.