Arkansas Looks to Break the Win-Loss Cycle Against Struggling LSU
FAYETTEVILLE - Win. Loss.
Win. Loss.
Win.
That’s not just a quirky pattern-it’s the current rhythm of Arkansas basketball. And while the Razorbacks are racking up victories, the inconsistency is starting to wear thin, especially for head coach John Calipari.
After a dominant 93-68 win over No. 15 Vanderbilt on Tuesday, Calipari didn’t mince words about his team’s rollercoaster tendencies.
“It looks like I’ve got two teams,” he said. “Why do we get arrogant, win a game, play well, and then go and just act like the other team is going to lay down? Are we looking for the easiest way?”
Translation: Arkansas has to find a way to string wins together.
The Razorbacks (14-5, 4-2 SEC) have shown flashes of brilliance-three wins in their last five games have come by an average margin of 22 points. But the two losses?
They’ve been rough, with an average deficit of 18. That kind of swing doesn’t cut it in a conference as deep and competitive as the SEC.
Saturday presents a prime opportunity to stabilize when Arkansas hosts LSU (13-6, 1-5) at Bud Walton Arena. Tipoff has been moved up to 4 p.m. due to severe winter weather expected in Fayetteville, where forecasts are calling for 8 to 12 inches of snow. Several SEC games have been rescheduled for earlier in the day as a result.
While Arkansas is trying to stay in the SEC title hunt, LSU is simply looking to stay afloat. The Tigers have dropped five of their last six and are currently tied for last in the conference standings with Oklahoma. And while the Razorbacks are still very much in the NCAA Tournament picture, LSU is on the outside looking in.
The pressure is mounting in Baton Rouge. LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry recently hinted at a potential coaching reevaluation if Matt McMahon can’t guide the Tigers to the postseason. That makes Saturday’s matchup more than just another conference game-it’s a chance for both programs to pivot their seasons in very different ways.
One potential spark for LSU? The return of guard Dedan Thomas.
The UNLV transfer, who has started 13 of the 14 games he’s played this season, returned to action Tuesday in a 79-61 loss at Florida. He finished with just 2 points and 3 assists, but McMahon believes Thomas will find his rhythm soon.
“He's a huge part of what we've been able to do this year,” McMahon said. “We need to get him back and get him rolling here.”
Meanwhile, Arkansas may have found something that works in its own backcourt. Calipari made a notable tweak to the starting lineup against Vanderbilt, inserting freshman Meleek Thomas in place of D.J.
Wagner. The result?
A more balanced, energized attack.
Thomas came out firing, hitting his first four shots and finishing with 13 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds. Wagner, coming off the bench for just the second time in his college career, thrived in his new role as the lead ball handler for the second unit, tallying 11 points and 3 assists.
The early spark from both players helped Arkansas jump out to a 17-point lead in the first half-a welcome change after falling behind early in both SEC losses.
Calipari said the move was designed to maximize Wagner’s impact, and assistant coach Chuck Martin echoed that sentiment.
“It worked out really well,” Martin said. “We’ve got a bunch of unselfish guys who root for one another.
So it was good. It was good to see.”
That kind of selflessness and adaptability could be key if Arkansas wants to shed its Jekyll-and-Hyde routine and make a serious push in the SEC.
For now, both teams are chasing consistency-but for very different reasons.
Arkansas is looking to build momentum toward a regular-season title and solidify its NCAA Tournament résumé. LSU is trying to rediscover the form it showed in nonconference play and claw back into postseason relevance.
“[LSU has] been in every game,” Martin said. “That’s not a surprise because the league is so good and has been so good for a number of years. They’re playing hard, they run really good action… They’re better than what their record indicates.”
Saturday’s matchup may not be a clash of SEC titans on paper, but make no mistake-there’s plenty at stake in Fayetteville. For Arkansas, it’s a chance to break the pattern. For LSU, it’s a shot at survival.