Kentucky at Arkansas: Preview, Odds, How to Watch

Let’s try this again, shall we? The last one didn’t work out so well. Kentucky heads on the road for an SEC battle in a hostile environment, this time at Arkansas to take on the Razorbacks.

This one is a little different, though. South Carolina has had a major turnaround and is led by a legitimate SEC Coach of the Year candidate in Lamont Paris. Eric Musselman’s squad, however, is in a rough place. The Hogs are 10-9 overall and 1-5 in conference play, treading water and on the cusp of drowning.

Can the Cats respond in Fayetteville after a letdown in Columbia? Let’s preview the matchup.

How To Watch

No. 6 Kentucky (14-4) at Arkansas (10-9)
6 p.m. ET | Saturday, Jan. 27 | Bud Walton Arena

• TV: ESPN (Jay Bilas, Dan Shulman, Jess Sims)
• Streaming: WatchESPN
• Home Radio: UK Sports Network – 630 WLAP, iHeart Radio (Tom Leach, Goose Givens)
• Online Radio: iHeart
• Satellite Radio: Sirius 84 and on the SiriusXM App
• Live Stats: StatBroadcast

Last Five

Kentucky: NET 22, KenPom 20

• 1/9: 90-77 W vs. Missouri
• 1/13: 97-92 L (OT) at Texas A&M
• 1/17: 90-77 W vs. Mississippi State
• 1/20: 105-96 W vs. Georgia
• 1/23: 79-62 L at South Carolina

Arkansas: NET 126, KenPom 106

• 1/10: 76-66 L at Georgia
• 1/13: 90-68 L at Florida
• 1/16: 78-77 W vs. Texas A&M
• 1/20: 77-64 L vs. South Carolina
• 1/24: 77-51 L at Ole Miss

Series History

Kentucky leads the all-time series 34-14 including an overall record of 9-8 in Fayetteville while John Calipari is 11-7 vs. Arkansas and 2-3 vs. Eric Musselman. After opening with a 73-66 win over the Razorbacks in Musselman’s first season in 2019-20, the Cats lost three straight from 2021 through the first head-to-head battle of 2023.

The second? Antonio Reeves’ 37-point barrage, a game where Sahvir Wheeler and Cason Wallace were both out and CJ Fredrick played through a broken rib en route to a shocking 88-79 upset. Reeves went nuclear on 12-17 shooting, followed by Jacob Toppin — who brought the ball up the floor as a lead guard — added 21 points. Oscar Tshiebwe also finished with a 12-13 double-double to round out double-figure scorers.

Calipari is 4-4 in Fayetteville since taking over as head coach in 2009-10. He’ll split the tie on Saturday.

Kentucky at Arkansas Odds via FanDuel

Spread: Kentucky -5.5
Total: 166.5

One play from every win over Arkansas since 1995

Kentucky Projected Starters

(Starting lineup based on the last game)

#21 – DJ Wagner
6-4 • 192 • GUARD • FRESHMAN
12.2 PPG, 3.8 APG, 1.9 RPG

#12 – Antonio Reeves
6-6 • 195 • GUARD • SENIOR
19.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG

#1 – Justin Edwards
6-8 • 203 • FORWARD • FRESHMAN
8.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG

#4 – Tre Mitchell
6-9 • 231 • FORWARD • GRADUATE STUDENT
13.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.3 APG

#2 – Aaron Bradshaw
7-1 • 226 • FORWARD • FRESHMAN
7.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 0.9 BPG

Head Coach: John Calipari (32nd season, 15th at UK) – 846-257 overall, 401-117 at UK

Arkansas Projected Starters

(Starting lineup based on the last game)

#1 – Keyon Menifield Jr.
6-1 • 150 • GUARD • SOPHOMORE
7.9 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.9 APG

#4 – Davonte Davis
6-4 • 185 • GUARD • SENIOR
6.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.1 APG

#0 – Khalif Battle
6-5 • 185 • GUARD • SENIOR
11.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.1 APG

#7 – Denijay Harris
6-7 • 200 • FORWARD • SENIOR
0.9 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 0.3 APG

#8 – Chandler Lawson 
6-8 • 210 • FORWARD • SENIOR
4.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG

Head Coach: Eric Musselman (5th season at Arkansas, 9th overall): 105-51 at ARK, 215-85 overall

Statistical Comparison

(via Kentucky’s game notes)

Fun stats from UK’s game notes:

• Kentucky has not played a single game at full strength this season.
• Kentucky is 3-0 in games following a loss this season and 18-3 overall over the last three seasons under John Calipari.
• The Wildcats rank among the nation’s best in scoring (1st – 89.9), assist-to-turnover ratio (4th – 1.84), 3-point percentage (8th – .400), blocks per game (9th – 5.7), assists per game (10th – 18.3) and field-goal percentage (11th – .498).
• Per KenPom, Reed Sheppard leads the country in true-shooting percentage (74.7), effective field-goal percentage (72.7) and is second in 3-point field-goal percentage (54.8).

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Pregame Storylines

CATS ON TWO-GAME ROAD LOSING STREAK

Kentucky made statements in its first true road games of the season, winning back-to-back at Louisville and Florida. It’s been tough sledding ever since, falling in a track meet at Texas A&M before taking a beatdown at South Carolina — the first major offensive letdown of the season. The Razorbacks aren’t very good right now, but the matchup has become a rivalry under Coach Cal and Bud Walton Arena is among the toughest environments in the SEC. It’s an important one for the Cats to take advantage of before back-to-back NET top-50 matchups at home next week vs. Florida (No. 42) and Tennessee (No. 3).

INSULT TO INJURY

Arkansas was without its leading scorer, Tramon Mark, in the team’s blowout loss at Ole Miss on Wednesday due to migraines. The team’s leading rebounder, Trevon Brazile, missed the second half with knee soreness. Khalif Battle, the team’s second-leading scorer, went down with a brief knee injury before returning in the closing minutes, as well. As a result, 10 players played at least 12 minutes or more. “It’s got to be ‘next man up mentality,'” Musselman said after the game. “I don’t know what other way to say injuries are a part of what happens.” Will they play? Muss couldn’t confirm either way for Mark and Brazile ahead of the matchup, but the Hogs’ best talent is banged up.

HOGS HAVE A HISTORY OF SLOW STARTS IN THE SEC

Arkansas is a disaster right now, no other way to put it. At 10-9 overall and 1-5 in SEC play, it’s hard to point at a single thing the Razorbacks have going for them. Something to keep an eye on, though: 2-4 turned into 12 straight SEC wins in 2020-21, 0-3 turned into eight straight SEC wins in 2021-22 and 1-5 turned into five straight SEC wins and seven of nine in 2022-23. Back-to-back-to-back Sweet Sixteens, including two Elite Eights. This is kind of what the Hogs do under Musselman. Things are bad in Fayetteville and this time obviously feels different, but probably best to assume Arkansas won’t just roll over and die this season.

COLLEGE GAMEDAY HEADS TO FAYETTEVILLE

Arkansas has never hosted the ESPN College GameDay crew at Bud Walton Arena — until this weekend, at least. In its 20th season on the air, Rece Davis, Jay Bilas, Seth Greenberg, Jay Williams and Andraya Carter will be making their debuts in Fayetteville for the first road pregame show of the year. Doors open to the general public at 10 a.m. ET, just in case Big Blue Nation is looking to make its presence felt early. College GameDay will preview the matchup from 11 a.m. to noon ET on ESPN.

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