Razorbacks Tested Rest, Now Time to Face College Basketball’s Best
Arkansas faces its toughest test of the season Wednesday for two reasons. To overcome the first and earn a dramatic victory, the Razorbacks will surely have to nullify the second.
They’ve played seven of the other nine Top 10 seeds for next month’s NCAA Tournament, as revealed Saturday by the Division I Men’s Selection Committee. They’re an impressive 5-2 in those games.
Auburn, the committee’s top overall seed, will play the other two from that group of Top 10 seeds in road games at Kentucky March 1 and Texas A&M March 4. On March 8, they’ll face No. 2 Alabama for the second time after winning on the Crimson Tide’s court last weekend.
Tigers coach Bruce Pearl has plenty of weapons on his best Auburn team, which is 23-2 for the season and 11-1 in the powerful SEC. The Tigers have six guys averaging at least 10 points per game.
All six reached double digits in points in the 94-85 win Saturday at No. 2 Alabama. That group included Denver Jones (16), Chad Baker-Mazara and Miles Kelly (15 each), Chaney Johnson (14) and Tahaad Pettiford (13).
Oh, and there was one more, which brings us to…
Broome averages 18.1 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. That’s just the beginning.
He also leads Auburn in assists (3.4) and blocks (2.7). He shoots the three, too, but only drains 18-of-60 for 30%.
Quite simply, Broome is the best player in the SEC and is in consideration for all national awards. He’ll certainly be a first-team All-American.
To hang with the Tigers, the Razorbacks will have to find a way to slow down Broome, who seems relatively healthy after suffering through an ankle injury a few weeks ago.
Arkansas post defenders Zvonimir Ivisic and Jonas Aidoo will draw the bulk of the defensive assignment against Broome, while Trevon Brazile could also play a role. Broome will have a decisive strength advantage against both Ivisic and Brazile.
Auburn’s two losses are to a pair of teams considered among the nation’s best by the Selection Committee. They lost by six at No. 3 Duke and by nine at home to No. 4 Florida.
Now here comes Arkansas, owner of a disappointing 15-10 record, 4-8 in the ultra-tough SEC. Surely, the mighty Auburn Tigers are not overly concerned about handling the Hogs.
That’s Arkansas’ best chance at victory if the Tigers look past them. It’s a distinct possibility since the game is just four days after Auburn bested archrival Alabama on the Crimson Tide’s home floor.
Tip off in “The Jungle,” the nickname for Auburn’s home arena, is at 8 p.m. on ESPN. Coach John Calipari and the Hogs hope to bring their “A” game and pray the Tigers settle for a lethargic “C” effort which could surprisingly put this game up for grabs.
