Arkansas Slides to No. 20 After Another Split Week: A Tale of Two Razorback Teams
Arkansas basketball continues to ride the rollercoaster. After splitting games for the second straight week, the Razorbacks dropped three spots in the latest AP Top 25, settling in at No.
- The USA Today Coaches Poll echoed that ranking, reflecting a team that’s still searching for rhythm in the heart of SEC play.
Let’s break it down: Arkansas showed flashes of dominance midweek, then stumbled on the road over the weekend. It’s been that kind of stretch for the Hogs-a team with top-tier talent but still trying to put the full puzzle together.
Midweek Magic: Razorbacks Dominate South Carolina
On Wednesday night in Bud Walton Arena, Arkansas looked every bit like a top-10 team. The Hogs dismantled South Carolina, 108-74, behind one of their most complete offensive performances of the season. They played fast, shared the ball, and simply overwhelmed the Gamecocks from the jump.
Six Razorbacks finished in double figures, but it was Meleek Thomas who stole the show. The freshman guard was nearly flawless, dropping 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting, including a perfect 5-for-5 from deep.
That kind of efficiency is rare at any level, and Thomas made it look effortless. The ball movement was crisp, the pace was relentless, and the energy inside Bud Walton felt like a team starting to hit its stride.
But that momentum didn’t make the trip to Athens.
Road Woes Return: Georgia Pounces Early, Hogs Can’t Recover
Saturday’s matchup at Georgia was a different story entirely. The Bulldogs came out swinging, opening up a 19-3 lead before Arkansas could catch its breath. That early hole proved too deep, and despite multiple comeback attempts, the Razorbacks never fully recovered in a 90-76 loss.
Turnovers were the Achilles’ heel. Arkansas gave the ball away too often, and Georgia capitalized, turning those miscues into easy points. Combine that with a sluggish offensive showing-especially compared to the South Carolina game-and it was a recipe for frustration.
Head coach John Calipari didn’t shy away from accountability after the game.
“Just disappointing that the start of the game, the stuff that we talked about … we went over it, we can’t do that, and then you start down 7, 8, 9-0,” Calipari said. “I got to call a timeout.
On us. On me.
Obviously, if they’re not responding, then I’m not communicating as well as I need to in that situation.”
It’s been a theme for Arkansas this season: strong starts at home, slow ones on the road. And in a conference as deep as the SEC, those early lapses can be brutal.
SEC Standings: Razorbacks Still in the Mix
Despite the dip in the rankings, Arkansas remains one of the SEC’s top contenders. They’re currently the fourth-highest ranked team in the conference, trailing No.
15 Vanderbilt, No. 16 Florida, and No.
17 Alabama. Georgia, fresh off their win over the Hogs, climbed to No.
The SEC is a gauntlet this year. There may not be a runaway favorite, but the league is stacked with teams hovering in that No. 12-to-30 range nationally. That creates opportunity-and danger-for a team like Arkansas.
On the bright side, the Razorbacks are still firmly in the mix. Their ceiling is high, and when they’re clicking, they can run with anyone in the country. But the inconsistency-especially away from Fayetteville-has kept them from breaking into that next tier.
What’s Next?
For Arkansas, the path forward is clear: clean up the turnovers, bring that home-court energy on the road, and find a way to string wins together. The talent is there.
The coaching is there. Now it’s about execution-especially early in games.
In a conference this tight, every possession matters. Every lapse is magnified. And if the Razorbacks want to climb back up the rankings-and stay there-they’ll need to start stacking consistent performances, not just highlight-reel wins.
The pieces are in place. The question now is whether Arkansas can put them together before the SEC race leaves them behind.