AUBURN – Coming off a monumental win against then No. 2 Alabama, the top-ranked Tigers are set to host Arkansas on the front end of a three-game home stretch starting on Wednesday.
In his first year at the helm in Fayetteville, John Calipari has the Razorbacks sitting at 12th in the league with a 15-10 overall record. Arkansas finished its non-conference slate winning all but two games but has struggled in league play, winning only four games. However, two of those wins have come in its last three outings, and the Razorbacks have been competitive in most of their games—losing only three of their conference matchups by more than 10 points—while playing their most competitive stretch of basketball.
“They own wins over No. 14 Michigan and No. 12 Kentucky at Rupp – which was a great win for Coach Calipari returning back to Kentucky. Arkansas is talented enough, and good enough, to beat anybody in our league, and they've obviously proven it,” said Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl.
The biggest difference in the Razorbacks now after their 0-5 start to the conference? Pearl says it's the elite play of newly-appointed point guard DJ Wagner.
“With Boogie Fland out, all of a sudden Wagner gets to his best position,” Pearl said. “So you take out one great piece and they’ve got all that talent and now, all of a sudden, from a standpoint of chemistry, there’s more for everybody. And the kids have done a great job of responding.”
The Razorbacks are led in scoring by Adou Thiero with 15.8 points per game. Wagner and Johnell Davis are the other two double-digit scorers with 10.2 and 10.1 ppg, respectively. Fland was averaging 15.1 ppg until suffering an injury to his thumb, sidelining him indefinitely.
A big test – literally – for the Tigers will be keeping 7-foot-2 center Zvonimir Ivisic in check. Ivisic has scored 65 points in the Razorbacks’ last three outings and is one of only three players in the NCAA to have at least 40 made 3-pointers and 40 blocked shots.
“He's a unicorn. He's very unique, and he is their best 3-point shooter, both in makes and percentage,” Pearl said of Ivisic. “The other thing too is you could be up on him, but because he's 7-foot-2, if he's able to get that ball up in his carriage before you press up on him, he's getting a clean look. He's a real weapon.”
For the Tigers, starting point guard Denver Jones enters the week garnering National Player of the Week honors after posting 21 points in the Tigers’ win over Vanderbilt last Tuesday and 16 in Tuscaloosa, while holding Mark Sears to just 23% from the field.
“That's huge to be recognized as the – of all the teams in the country - National Player of the Week, it's tremendous,” Pearl said.
After putting up 94 points in their road win over Alabama – with 42 bench points – the Tigers now boast six players in double-digit figures as Chaney Johnson joins Johni Broome, Chad Baker-Mazara, Tahaad Pettiford, Miles Kelly and Denver Jones.
Though the Tigers continue to achieve magnificent feats, playing championship-caliber basketball is the top priority for Pearls’ Tigers.
“Obviously, a lot is on the line, and we're trying to continue to be in a position to win a championship,” Pearl said.
Tipoff for Wednesday night’s matchup is set for 8 p.m. on ESPN.
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