After beginning last season 1-5 in SEC play, the Arkansas basketball team was able to rebound on the back half of the conference slate to finish 8-10 and eventually make a third straight trip to the Sweet 16.
The Razorbacks (11-10, 2-6 SEC) wobbled out of the gate again this season with a 1-6 mark to start the conference schedule. But after showing more grit in Wednesday’s 91-84 victory at Missouri, the so-far underwhelming squad has at least a chance to get on another late-season roll.
Arkansas is now looking for it’s first conference win-streak of the season when the Hogs visit LSU Saturday in Baton Rouge.
Shooting for a fourth straight NCAA Tournament under fifth-year Head Coach Eric Musselman seems largely improbable at this point, but if the Razorbacks can show more of the offensive prowess and defensive teamwork they did against Mizzou, at least there is a chance.
“I thought we played great basketball,” Musselman after Wednesday’s win. “There was a renewed sense of urgency, a focus, a disposition pregame. It was a team that was ready to play. I’m proud of their toughness tonight, proud of the way that we defended in the first half.
“I thought our offense was really good, I mean, 91 points on the road is a large number and I thought we played consistently offensively both halves.”
Now its a matter of sustaining that elusive consistency, against the Tigers – the LSU Tigers, this time. Arkansas hasn’t won back-to-back games since wins over Abilene Christian and UNC Wilmington at the end of December, yet they have suffered a pair of three-game losing streaks since that point.
LSU (11-9, 3-4 SEC) has also looked feeble at times, but does have a pair of quality wins over Texas A&M and Ole Miss, a team that drubbed the Hogs by 26 points in Oxford just over a week ago.
In 77 previous games between the two school, Arkansas holds a 42-35 advantage in the series, and is 38-30 against the Tigers since joining the SEC in 1991. Although, LSU is 20-13 against the Hogs, south of the state line.
Saturday’s game will tip-off at 11 a.m. on ESPN2.