After the Arkansas Razorbacks (17-12; 6-10 SEC) delivered a pathetic performance Saturday against the South Carolina Gamecocks (12-17; 2-14 SEC), the worst team in the SEC, in Columbia, the Hogs have an even more challenging test as they will clash with the Vanderbilt Commodores (20-9; 8-8 SEC) tonight in Nashville. Arkansas fans expressed on social media how disgusted they were with the Razorbacks' performance against South Carolina. Therefore, John Calipari's team will look to restore Razorback Nation's faith in it.
ESPN BET Sportsbook indicates that the Arkansas Razorbacks are 7.5-point underdogs against the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville. According to ESPN Analytics, the Commodores have a 60.1% chance of defeating the Hogs and avoiding the upset. Although those odds are not promising for the Razorbacks, they have proven they can defy them. Just ask Kentucky, Texas, and Missouri. Therefore, Vanderbilt should not expect the Arkansas team that played against South Carolina. The Commodores should expect to see the Razorbacks who won an overtime thriller against the Texas Longhorns in Bud Walton Arena.
As was the case in that overtime thriller in Bud Walton Arena, the Arkansas Razorbacks will be without their leader in steals, scoring, and rebounding: Adou Thiero. According to the SEC Student-Athlete Availability Report, Thiero will not play in tonight's game in Nashville. He is healing from a left knee injury. Therefore, the Hogs must win without their best player. Arkansas, of course, is playing without its star freshman guard, Boogie Fland, who had season-ending hand surgery. Looks pretty grim for the Razorbacks, right? Well, Vanderbilt would be wise to ignore the odds in their favor.
While the odds in the Commodores' favor are significant and made even more significant by Thiero's inability to play for the Hogs, Arkansas will upset Vanderbilt if the team rises to the challenge of the three keys to victory.
3 Arkansas basketball keys to victory vs. Vanderbilt
Move the ball fluidly
Although readers may have grown weary with the present writer's insistence on moving the ball fluidly as a key to the Arkansas Razorbacks winning games, he will persist in asserting how essential such ball movement is for them to win. When Arkansas moves the ball fluidly, the team poses a threat to any team it faces.
Fluid ball movement is crucial in aiding the Hogs in putting themselves in positions to take quality shots. Arkansas can shoot the ball well when it takes quality shots. However, when the Razorbacks do not move the ball fluidly, they struggle to shoot well. Poor ball movement leads them to lengthy scoring droughts they cannot afford against SEC opponents. While fatigue was a significant factor in the Hogs' poor shooting against South Carolina, poor ball movement was equally crucial. If the Hogs move the ball well, they will upset Vanderbilt. D.J. Wagner must ensure the ball moves fluidly throughout the game.
Contain Jason Edwards and Devin McGlockton
According to ESPN, Jason Edwards averages 17.2 points a game and shoots 44.2% from the field. D.J. Wagner must pressure him all night and defend him without fouling. With only a 7-man rotation, the Razorbacks must defend without fouling to avoid further reducing that rotation. If the Hogs contain Edwards, they will limit what the Commodores can do offensively.
Devin McGlockton leads Vanderbilt in rebounds, averaging 8.0 a game. Therefore, Arkansas's big men must keep him off the offensive and defensive glass as much as possible. Given that he is second in scoring for the Commodores, the Razorbacks must limit his scoring. He averages 10.5 points a game and shoots 58.9% from the field.
Play with competitive fire
In the embarrassing loss to South Carolina, Arkansas lost the competitive fire they have demonstrated since defeating Kentucky in Rupp Arena. As an NCAA Tournament "bubble team," Arkansas must regain that competitive fire to produce another quality win for its resume. The Razorbacks must come into Nashville and be the aggressors; take the fight to Vandy.
Although Arkansas must be aggressive offensively and defensively, it must be smart aggression. With a seven-man roster, the Razorbacks cannot afford to expend energy by making silly decisions. When players show smart aggression, they understand how to balance it. They recognize when to slow the pace of play to conserve energy, which is necessary with a seven-man rotation.