South Dakota @ Arkansas preview

A pair of unbeaten teams will square off on Friday night when South Dakota visits Arkansas for a non-conference clash. The Razorbacks have won four straight - all at home - capped by Tuesday's 82-51 rout of Texas Southern, while the Coyotes enter having won five straight, including Monday's 71-56 victory over SIU-Edwardsville.

South Dakota thrives from the perimeter, leading the nation with its 51 percent shooting beyond the arc. Senior forward Tyler Hagedorn paces the Coyotes in scoring at 19.4 points and is the top 3-point shooter in the nation, hitting 84 percent this season. Arkansas has scored the ball as well, but the biggest story of the Razorbacks' start is their defense, which is holding opponents to 45.8 points and 32.1 percent shooting. Sophomore guard Isaiah Joe has been great offensively for new coach Eric Musselman, ranking third in the SEC with 20.5 points while averaging four 3-pointers per game.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA (5-0): The Coyotes showed against SIU-Edwardsville that they can play a little defense as well, which was needed on a night when they shot just 5-of-17 from 3-point range. South Dakota limited the Cougars to just 37.5 percent shooting from the field, including 28.6 percent from 3-point range, and held the Cougars to their lowest offensive output of the season. South Dakota is forcing opponents into 9.4 turnovers this season - ranked 344th of 350 Division I teams - but they were able to get the Cougars to cough up the ball 11 times, leading to 10 points.

ABOUT ARKANSAS (4-0): It will certainly be a clash of strengths on Friday night, when the Coyotes and their Division I-best 3-point shooting percentage take on the Razorbacks, who rank third in the country in 3-point defense, allowing opponents to hit just 11.6 percent. Musselman's squad will certainly be focused on the 6-10 Hagedorn, but he's not the only shooter to worry about, as three other South Dakota players are averaging more than one 3-pointer per game. Still, the Razorbacks have yet to allow a team to make more than two 3-pointers in a game, as opponents are a combined 8-of-69 from long range.

TIP-INS

1. Hagedorn is coming off a career-high 14-rebound performance Monday, and the Coyotes have outrebounded all five of their opponents this season.

2. Arkansas junior G Mason Jones has been hot this season, averaging 18.3 points while also extending his consecutive made free throw streak to 32.

3. Razorbacks senior F Adrio Bailey leads the team with 7.3 rebounds and two blocks per game while playing just 24 minutes per contest.

PREDICTION: Arkansas 82, South Dakota 68