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Arkansas' five keys for survival at top-ranked Tennessee

John Calipari's Arkansas Razorbacks face monumental task of taking down top-ranked Tennessee in SEC basketball opener at Tompson Bolding Arena

ByPatrick Geans|
Feb 28, 2023; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; General view during Tennessee Volunteers players introductions before the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Thompson-Boling Arena. The 2025 No. 23 ranked Razorbacks aim to come away with an upset win in their third-straight trip to unbeaten and top ranked Tennessee in Saturday's SEC tip off. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images
Feb 28, 2023; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; General view during Tennessee Volunteers players introductions before the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Thompson-Boling Arena. The 2025 No. 23 ranked Razorbacks aim to come away with an upset win in their third-straight trip to unbeaten and top ranked Tennessee in Saturday's SEC tip off. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | Randy Sartin-Imagn Images
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""We just have to simulate how the game is going to be played — meaning they are going to hit you," Payne said. "They are going to set good, hard, strong screens. You have to be able to deal with it and we have to do the same. We have to play tougher around the basket. We have to hit first and not be hit and then go attack balls.""
Arkansas assistant Kenny Payne

Keys for survival: Arkansas basketball vs Tennessee

1. Cal's old Pal

As two of college basketball's most distinguished and successful coaches, Arkansas' John Calipari and Rick Barnes go back a long ways. "Him and coach Barnes have been friends for quite some time and they are very familiar with each other," said long-time Calipari assistant Kenny Payne to the Razorback media on Thursday.

"It's not like there is no familiarity with Tennessee and what coach they have...We know how the game is going to be played. We know how good they are. We know what they are going to bring to the table."

When the two last squared off in Knoxville during last year's SEC regular-season finale, Calipari came away with the victory. Barnes and the Vols walked away with an outright SEC title however while Cal's Cats finished in a four-way tie for second place.

Overall, Barnes holds a one-game edge at 11-10 since Barnes came into the SEC in 2016 from Texas. An upset of Barnes' No. 1 ranked Volunteers and a second-straight victory in one of the most implacable places to win in all of college basketball with an old frienemy would be a perfect way for Calipari to pull even and signal all his critics that he's in it to win it at Arkansas this year.

Next: Who's taking the point?

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