Arkansas Eyes Defensive Reset Ahead of Road Test vs. Mississippi State
The message coming out of Fayetteville is clear: Arkansas needs to tighten up on the defensive end if it wants to stay on track in the SEC. After an 85-77 loss to Kentucky, head coach John Calipari didn’t sugarcoat it - the Razorbacks have to get better defensively. And the numbers back him up.
At 16-6 overall and 6-3 in SEC play, No. 21 Arkansas has held its own in the standings, but the advanced metrics tell a deeper story.
According to KenPom, the Razorbacks rank 66th nationally in defensive efficiency, and within the SEC, they sit 10th. For a team with postseason aspirations, that’s a red flag - and one they’ll look to address quickly with a pair of winnable matchups on the horizon.
It starts Saturday morning in Starkville, where Arkansas will face Mississippi State in an early tip. The Bulldogs, sitting at 11-11 (3-6 SEC), may not look imposing on paper, but they’ve got one of the league’s most explosive scorers in Josh Hubbard. The freshman guard is averaging 20.8 points per game and doesn’t shy away from the spotlight - he takes nearly a third of Mississippi State’s shots when he’s on the floor.
Arkansas knows what it’s up against. Hubbard dropped 17 points on them last season in an overtime loss, and he’s only grown more confident since. Assistant coach Chuck Martin isn’t taking him lightly.
“He’s a good player, man… an elite, elite scorer,” Martin said. “We can learn from last year’s film, but it’s a different team now. Different personalities.”
And it’s not just Hubbard. Mississippi State has additional weapons in Jayden Epps and Shawn Jones, and under fourth-year head coach Chris Jans, the Bulldogs have built a reputation for physicality - especially in the paint. That’s an area where Arkansas can’t afford to get pushed around, particularly given its own struggles defending inside.
In SEC play, the Razorbacks rank second-to-last in effective field goal defense and third-worst when it comes to guarding inside the arc. That’s a troubling combination, especially when facing a team that thrives on contact and isn’t afraid to grind it out.
The silver lining? Mississippi State’s offense has been far from efficient.
The Bulldogs rank 117th nationally in offensive efficiency and dead last in the SEC. This is the kind of matchup Arkansas needs - a chance to recalibrate its defense against a team that’s been scuffling.
Mississippi State has dropped six of its last seven games and, like Arkansas, didn’t play a midweek game. That extra time off gave both teams a chance to reset.
Jans used the break to refocus his squad. “We just worked on ourselves,” he said on his weekly radio show. “It’s a nice reset for everybody… a lot of teams use it to get healthier, and we’re pretty good that way.”
For Arkansas, the challenge is clear: use this stretch - Saturday at Mississippi State and Tuesday at LSU - to build a more consistent defensive identity. That means sharper closeouts, better recognition of opposing personnel, and stronger execution in ball screen coverage - all areas Martin says the team is emphasizing.
“Closing out hot hands on shooters, a little bit more focused on personnel - knowing who are drivers, who are shooters, who are slashers,” Martin said. “And then as always, late in the shot clock, it’s going to come down to ball screen offense versus ball screen defense. We can always improve there.”
It’s not unfamiliar territory for the Razorbacks. They improved defensively down the stretch last season and are in better position now than they were a year ago.
But improvement won’t come automatically. It’ll take focus, execution, and a sense of urgency - especially in a league where the margin for error is razor thin.
“In this league, every single night, anyone can beat anyone,” Martin said. “That’s been proven this season alone.
So we’re not overlooking the other guys on a roster at all. There’s a reason why they’re in the SEC.”
Arkansas has the opportunity to turn a weakness into a strength - or risk letting it become a liability. Saturday’s game in Starkville will be telling.