TV: ESPNU
RADIO: Sirius 113, XM 191
Ole Miss (10-6, 1-2 SEC)
Arkansas (13-3, 2-1 SEC)
After suffering a home loss to LSU full of defensive lapses and what Andy Kennedy called lethargic play, Ole Miss needs to recapture the energy it displayed against Kentucky and South Carolina. The good news is the Rebels play well on the road, having lost only twice. The bad news is that Arkansas is a tough opponent. The Razorbacks have an RPI of 16 on the NCAA index and just three losses on the season.
While lethargic play may have been an issue against LSU, shots not finding the basket was the killer for the Rebels that night. Simply put, scorers Jarvis Summers, Stefan Moody and Snoop White were off, shooting a combined 14 of 45 from the field.
For Ole Miss to beat Arkansas those three guys have to shoot better.
The Rebels obviously don't need to be in a 1-3 conference hole. A win is critical for the Rebels to stay relevant in the conference standings. It would also be a quality road win that would help Ole Miss, and with an RPI of 68, the Rebels must take advantage of opportunities like this one.
Fortunately, Kennedy's teams usually play Arkansas well. Ole Miss has won 9 of the last 11 against the Razorbacks.
GAME NOTES