Arkansas coach John Calipari joked in a postgame press conference after a home loss to Kentucky that his team probably could use two weeks off.
But one week will have to suffice before the No. 21 Razorbacks return to Southeastern Conference action on Saturday afternoon against Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss.
“It comes at a good time,” Calipari said of the break. “It would have been better after a win.”
The Razorbacks (16-6, 6-3) saw their season-opening 13-game home winning streak end with an 85-77 setback to the Wildcats on Saturday. Now Arkansas will go on the road against the Bulldogs (11-11, 3-6) looking to bounce back after falling six spots in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 poll.
Calipari said he likes what his team brings to the court despite the loss to the Wildcats.
“I like my team,” Calipari said. “We have had some stinkers like this. We’ve had three or four, but then at other times you look at us and we can beat anybody. We want to get back in that. There are some things defensively we have to figure out.”
Mississippi State also hasn’t played since an 84-79 road loss to Missouri last Saturday. The Bulldogs are seeking their first win over a ranked team after losing their previous three clashes this season.
Coach Chris Jans knows his team will have its hands full against Arkansas.
“Their guard out front (Darius) Acuff is one of the best freshman in the country. He’s obviously a high-level player, but they’ve got a bunch of them,” Jans said. “They’ve got two handfuls, or close to it, that are great players. They’re having a really good season, and unfortunately for us, they’re coming off a tough loss at home.”
Acuff is on the midseason Bob Cousy Award Watch List, and for good reason on the honor, which is given by the Basketball Hall of Fame to the top men’s point guard in Division I.
Acuff is averaging 20.3 points per game and an SEC-best 6.2 assists per contest.
The Bulldogs will try to counter with Josh Hubbard, who finished with 22 points in the loss to Missouri and has reached double figures 20 times this season.
Hubbard has scored 20 or more points 13 times and is closing in on moving into fifth all-time on the school scoring list. With 1,697 points, he needs 142 to pass Rickey Brown.
For the season, Hubbard is averaging 20.8 points per outing, and Jayden Epps ranks second on the team at 15.2.
Meleek Thomas (15.0) and Trevon Brazile (12.5) have been key contributors for the Razorbacks, who average 88.7 points per game and allow 77.6. Brazile scored 16 against Kentucky while Thomas was limited to 10.
Mississippi State is averaging 77.8 points per game and giving up 78.2.
The Bulldogs have lost six of their past seven games and have allowed 80 or more points in five of those games. That will have to change if the team is to climb into contention for an NCAA Tournament berth.
–Field Level Media
