Fresno St. @ Arkansas preview
Bud Walton Arena
Senior-laden Arkansas is off to one of the most impressive starts in the program’s recent history. The Razorbacks will look to add to that Friday night when they wrap up their season-opening three-game homestand by hosting Fresno State.
In overwhelming Samford (95-56) and Bucknell (101-73), Arkansas has opened a season with consecutive wins of at least 28 points for the first time in 70 years. The Razorbacks also have topped 95 points in their first two games for the first time in 21 years, and they’ve done it with on-target shooting (55.2 percent) and a disruptive defense which has forced 37 turnovers. “It’s early on – I caution that,” Razorbacks coach Mike Anderson said following Sunday’s thumping of Bucknell. “… When you make shots – and we’ve been making some shots – it energizes your defense. What happens when you don’t make those shots? That’s what I want to see.” The Bulldogs, meanwhile, also opened with a pair of double-digit home wins and now are making a quick trip to Fayetteville before heading further south next week for the Cancun Challenge.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, SEC Network+/ESPN3
ABOUT FRESNO STATE (2-0): The Bulldogs have topped 20 wins in three of the last four seasons and are off to a strong again with wins over UC Santa Cruz (96-65) and Cal State Northridge (89-73). Guards Deshon (17.0 points) and Jahmel Taylor (15.5) are the team’s leading scorers and also are averaging a combined 7.5 assists, seven 3-pointers and three steals per outing. Jaron Hopkins, a 6-foot-6 swingman, is averaging 15 points, a team-most 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists while sophomore Bryson Williams has stepped in to fill some frontcourt voids so far in averaging 15 points and six rebounds.
ABOUT ARKANSAS (2-0): Senior backcourt mates Jaylen Barford and Daryl Macon have picked up where they left off and then some, averaging a combined 40 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and three steals while connecting on 11-of-21 3-point attempts. Fellow starters Anton Beard (12.5 points) and Adrio Bailey (11.0) are also averaging double figures while forward Trey Thompson is the team’s top rebounder with 9.5 per outing. Despite fouling out in both contests so far, 6-11 freshman Daniel Gafford has been Arkansas’ most impressive newcomer and is contributing 12.5 points and 3.5 rebounds off the bench.
TIP-INS
1. Arkansas is 57-1 against unranked visiting opponents under Anderson.
2. The Razorbacks had 28 assists in the season opener but that total slipped to 12 vs. Bucknell.
3. Fresno State is shooting better from the field (57.3 percent) and nearly as well from 3-point range (53.7) as it is at the free-throw line (53.8).
PREDICTION: Arkansas 92, Fresno State 74