Coming off back-to-back blowout wins, No. 21 Arkansas is heating up at just the right time - and they’ve got a shot at redemption this weekend. The Razorbacks are set to host Auburn on Saturday in Fayetteville, with a chance to erase the memory of their most lopsided loss of the season.
Arkansas (18-6, 8-3 SEC) is rolling after a 91-62 dismantling of LSU on the road Tuesday night, their second straight win by 20-plus points. Head coach John Calipari credited the resurgence to a renewed focus on fundamentals, especially on the defensive end.
“We were so bad defensively two-three weeks ago that some of this stuff is going back to the basics,” Calipari said. “How do I get us to take unbelievable pride defensively? We’ve just got to get there.”
They’re getting there - and quickly. With seven SEC games left, Arkansas sits just one game behind league-leading Florida and is tied with Kentucky for second.
That puts them in prime position for one of the four coveted double-byes in the SEC Tournament, but the margin for error is razor-thin. Five teams are right behind at 7-4 in conference play, so every game matters.
Saturday’s matchup offers more than just standings implications. It’s a shot at payback.
Auburn handed Arkansas a 95-73 loss back on Jan. 10, torching the Razorbacks’ defense with 56.7% shooting from the field. That game was a wake-up call - and Arkansas appears to have answered it.
Freshman phenom Darius Acuff Jr. has been a major reason why. He’s playing like a man on a mission and making a serious case for NCAA Freshman of the Year.
Acuff poured in 28 points and dished out five assists at LSU, just days after dropping 24 points and eight assists in a dominant win at Mississippi State. He tied his season high with 13 made field goals in Baton Rouge, taking a season-high 22 shots - and while he only hit one three, most of his damage came from midrange and at the rim.
“Which meant either a mid-level shot, which I like him to shoot because he can make them, or he shot layups,” Calipari said. “You don’t have to live and die with the threes.”
And it’s not just Acuff. Forward Trevon Brazile is playing his best basketball of the season.
He posted a 14-point, 12-rebound double-double against LSU - his fifth of the year - and is averaging 16.3 points and 9.3 boards over his last three SEC games. His presence in the paint has given Arkansas a new dimension.
“It makes us different,” Calipari said. “For him, it’s a mindset.”
The Razorbacks are still missing key pieces - DJ Wagner (ankle) and Karter Knox (knee) have both been out the last two games - but the shortened rotation has opened the door for freshman Billy Richmond III. He’s stepped up in a big way, scoring in double figures in four of his last five games and bringing energy on both ends.
Even reserve center Malique Ewin, who took an elbow to the forehead late in the LSU game and needed four stitches, is expected to be available Saturday.
As for Auburn (14-10, 5-6), the Tigers are trending in the opposite direction. After a four-game win streak that included victories over then-No.
16 Florida and Texas, they’ve now dropped three straight. Their latest setback came Tuesday night in an 84-76 home loss to Vanderbilt.
Still, first-year head coach Steven Pearl is preaching patience.
“People are going to be panicking right now,” Pearl said. “While the results haven’t been there, this team has continued to get better.”
They’ll need to show it quickly. Auburn’s offense has been inconsistent, and their top scorer, Keyshawn Hall (20.7 ppg), has been a microcosm of that.
He lit up Arkansas for 32 points in the first meeting, hitting 11 of 14 shots and going 4-for-5 from three. But against Vanderbilt, he managed just 3-of-13 shooting and sat the final 12:38 as the Tigers tried to claw back.
“I just went with the guys that I thought put us in the best position to get back in the game,” Pearl said. “Our offense wasn’t really in sync when he was on the floor, so wanted to give us a different look.”
That “different look” included Tahad Pettiford, who’s been Auburn’s most consistent offensive threat in recent games. The freshman guard has scored 46 points over the last two contests - 25 in a narrow loss to Alabama and 21 more against Vanderbilt. He’s averaging 14.1 points per game and has become a key piece in the Tigers’ backcourt.
When these teams met in January, Auburn jumped out early and never looked back, building a 14-point lead midway through the first half and never letting Arkansas get within 13 the rest of the way. But this Arkansas team looks different now - sharper, tougher, and more connected.
Saturday’s rematch has all the ingredients of a statement game. For Arkansas, it’s about showing how far they’ve come. For Auburn, it’s about stopping the slide and proving they still belong in the SEC conversation.
One thing’s for sure - both teams have plenty to play for.