The No. 8 Arkansas Gymbacks are gearing up for a challenging road test against the No.
7 Missouri Tigers this Sunday in Columbia. With both teams eager to notch another victory as the regular season winds down, this matchup promises to be a nail-biter.
In the SEC standings, Missouri holds a 2-3 record, while Arkansas stands at 2-2-1. Historically, these two teams have been neck-and-neck, with Arkansas leading the all-time series by a single win at 18-17.
However, Missouri has the upper hand when competing at home, boasting a 6-4 record in Columbia. The last time Arkansas visited, though, they set a program record with a team score of 197.650 on March 3, 2024.
When you break down the numbers, the rivalry gets even more intriguing. The Tigers have a slight edge in the National Qualifying Score (NQS) on bars and floor, as well as overall team score.
On the flip side, the Gymbacks excel on vault and beam. The margin between the two is razor-thin, with the smallest difference being a mere 0.004 on beam.
Missouri's biggest lead comes on the floor, but even there, it's just over a tenth.
Missouri is riding high after a first-place finish in a quad meet against Air Force, Illinois, and Ball State, where they posted a season-high score of 197.550. Meanwhile, Arkansas hosted Kentucky and ended in a thrilling tie, 197.125-197.125, highlighted by Morgan Price’s historic Perfect 10 on vault-the first in the program’s history.
The action kicks off at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 1, and fans can catch all the excitement live on SEC Network+ with scoring updates available via Virtius.
Key Stats to Watch:
Missouri (NQS and ranking | Top individual NQS)
- Vault: 49.246, 8th | Hannah Horton, 9.870
- Bars: 49.275, T-9th | Kimarra Echols, 9.915
- Beam: 49.296, 8th | Railey Jackson/Amy Weir, 9.865
- Floor: 49.438, 5th | Kennedy Griffin, 9.915
- All-Around: 197.163, 7th | N/A
Arkansas (NQS and ranking | Top individual NQS)
- Vault: 49.333, 4th | Lauren Williams, 9.910
- Bars: 49.213, 13th | Morgan Price, 9.915
- Beam: 49.300, 7th | Joscelyn Roberson, 9.930
- Floor: 49.329, 12th | Joscelyn Roberson/Lauren Williams, 9.895
- All-Around: 197.150, 8th | Hailey Klein, 39.325
For the latest updates on Arkansas Gymnastics, visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com and follow them on social media. This showdown in Columbia is set to be a pivotal moment in the season for both teams.