Arkansas @ Tennessee preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 15, 2019 ) Arkansas 87, Tennessee 106

Tennessee looks to begin making a move toward the top third of the SEC when it takes on two other teams populating the middle this week, starting with a visit from Arkansas on Tuesday night. The Volunteers have lost four of their last five games to fall into a three-way tie for seventh in the conference, one game ahead of Arkansas, after dropping a 77-64 decision against Kentucky at home Saturday.

Coach Rick Barnes’ team, which plays at South Carolina on Saturday, had won four of five and gave Kansas all it could handle on the road before suffering a five-point home loss to Texas A&M on Jan. 28 that began a 1-3 slide in league play, but Tennessee has shown it is capable with a win at Alabama last week. “I don’t think anybody thinks we will be an easy out,” Barnes told reporters after the Kentucky loss. “. … Our guys think we can win every time they walk on the floor. There is no doubt they thought we could win this game today. We do look at the big picture. We are like a lot of people, bunched up right there. We will see if we can get some (wins) coming down the stretch.” Arkansas sprinted to a 14-2 start this season, but has struggled to just two wins in the past seven contests and is expected to be without second-leading scorer Isaiah Joe (knee) again after dropping the last two in overtime - including Saturday’s 83-79 setback at Missouri. The Razorbacks are led by junior guard Mason Jones, who tops the SEC in scoring among active players (20.5) and managed 17 points against Missouri after scoring at least 30 in three straight games.

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: SEC Network

ABOUT ARKANSAS (16-7, 4-6 SEC): Jones also tops the Razorbacks in rebounds (6.1), assists (3.4) and steals (1.8) after averaging 25.7 points in the past seven games - three-plus without Joe on the floor. Senior guard Jimmy Whitt Jr. is the only other player averaging in double figures (14.7), but is just 6-of-25 from the field in the past two contests, while sophomore guard Desi Sills (9.8) has stepped up to average 13 points in the same span. Sophomore forward Reggie Chaney registered a career-high 17 points and added 11 rebounds to go along with two blocks for his first double-double in two seasons Saturday.

ABOUT TENNESSEE (13-10, 5-5): Senior Jordan Bowden has averaged 16 points over the last five games to boost his team-leading mark to 13.1, and the 6-5 senior hauled in a total of 16 rebounds in the past two contests. Junior forward John Fulkerson scored 16 against Kentucky and is contributing 12.2 points per game on 63.2 percent shooting from the floor while leading the Volunteers in rebounding (6.0). Freshman guard Josiah-Jordan James, who averages 7.8 points and 5.7 rebounds, could miss his fourth straight game due to a groin injury and Barnes told reporters: “He hasn’t been healthy all year.”

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Arkansas senior F Adrio Bailey is 8-for-9 from the field in the last two games, averaging 10.5 points and five boards in that span.

2. Tennessee junior G/F Yves Pons averages 11.1 points and leads the SEC in blocks (2.7) after swatting seven in the past two games.

3. Bowden scored 19 as the Volunteers beat the Razorbacks 102-87 at home last season, and they will visit Arkansas on Feb. 26.

PREDICTION: Tennessee 76, Arkansas 70