Kentucky @ Arkansas preview
Bud Walton Arena
Last Meeting ( Mar 12, 2017 ) Arkansas 65, Kentucky 82
Arkansas looks to extend the SEC’s longest active winning streak and stay in position for a top-four seed in the conference tournament when it hosts Kentucky on Tuesday. The Razorbacks have won four straight to move into a four-way tie for third place in the SEC, one game ahead of the Wildcats.
Kentucky snapped a four-game skid – its longest in nine seasons under coach John Calipari – with an 81-71 victory over Alabama on Saturday but has lost its last three road games. The Wildcats are heading into a difficult environment Tuesday, as Arkansas is 14-1 at home with an average margin of victory of 17.2 points. The Razorbacks have won their last four games by double digits, including a 94-75 rout of visiting Texas A&M on Saturday. Kentucky has won five straight meetings with Arkansas, all by at least 14 points.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN
ABOUT KENTUCKY (18-9, 7-7 SEC): The Wildcats rely on freshmen for 87.2 percent of their scoring, and all five starters fit the bill. Swingman Kevin Knox (15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds) is a major matchup problem as a 6-9 wing who can shoot from the outside and handle the ball. Point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (12.7 points, 4.5 assists) has turned it on during conference play, leading the team with an average of 14.7 points in SEC contests.
ABOUT ARKANSAS (19-8, 8-6): The Razorbacks are nearly the opposite of Kentucky in that four of their five starters are seniors. The only exception is Daniel Gafford (11.7 points, 6.1 rebounds), who earned his third SEC Freshman of the Week honor on Monday. Jaylen Barford (18.6 points) and Daryl Macon (17, four assists) make up one of the conference’s top backcourt duos, and both love to shoot from long distance, combining for 138 3-pointers as Barford is hitting 44.6 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc while Macon makes 43.4 percent.
TIP-INS
1. Arkansas has outscored opponents by 130 points in the first half of its 15 home games.
2. Kentucky ranks third nationally in 3-point defense, holding opponents to 28.9 percent from beyond the arc.
3. The Razorbacks have won 36 straight games when leading at halftime.
PREDICTION: Arkansas 77, Kentucky 75