Arkansas Basketball team enters final, most important stretch of season
The Razorback basketball team, fresh off an upset of No. 16 Tennessee at home Feb. 19, currently enjoy a record of 21-6 this season.
The team has greatly beefed up its resume in the second-half of the season, earning wins over No. 12 LSU, No. 1 Auburn and No. 16 Tennessee.
The only blemishes on the team’s record are a stretch of games in which they lost 5 of 6 games. They did, however rattle off nine consecutive wins after the atrocious mid-season downward spiral.
However, it’s the team’s final four games of the season that will perhaps be the most important of the season.
How the team finishes the final four regular season games will have a drastic impact on how the team might be seeded in the upcoming March Madness tournament.
Let’s take a quick look at each of those games and what Arkansas basketball fans can expect.
Arkansas at Florida, Feb. 22
This will be the first meeting between the Hogs and the Gators this season. Florida is 17-10 this season and earned a huge upset Feb. 19 when they upset No. 2 Auburn 63-62.
The Hogs are going to have to find a way to account for Colin Castleton, one of the most talented big men in the SEC. The 6’11” senior is averaging 15.7 ppg and 9.1 rpg all while shooting 56% from the field this season.
Arkansas wins this one if they can shut down Castleton. Florida lost five of their 10 games this season when Castleton was not their leading scorer.
Arkansas vs Kentucky, Feb. 26
The Kentucky Wildcats, currently ranked No. 4 in the country with a record of 22-4, will travel to Fayetteville to take on the Razorbacks.
Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky’s 6’9″ junior from Congo, is a double-double machine. He averages 16.4 ppg and 15.2 rpg and is a big reason why the Wildcats are one of the best teams in all of college basketball.
Four of Kentucky’s five loses this season have come against ranked opponents. Arkansas will have a chance in this game. The home crowd inside BWA may be the difference maker.
Arkansas vs LSU, March 2
A rematch of the Jan. 15 game that saw the Hogs upset then-ranked No. 12 LSU will have in more stakes on the line than in the earlier-season meeting.
Coming off what will surely be a tough game against Kentucky, hopefully the Razorbacks will have had enough time to regroup and recover to take on the Tigers.
Arkansas has the blueprint to defeat LSU, will it be enough this time?
Arkansas at Tennessee, March 4
Arkansas just dispatched the No. 16 Volunteers Feb. 19, but will have their work cut out for them when they travel to Knoxville for the rematch.
Having a ranked road win to end the season will give the Razorbacks momentum heading in to the SEC Tournament.