CSU Bakersfield @ Arkansas preview
Bud Walton Arena
Arkansas is on a roll and will look to wrap up the December portion of its nonconference schedule with a win when it hosts Cal State Bakersfield on Wednesday night. The Razorbacks have won four straight, winning by an average margin of 25.5 points, but hasn’t played since a 104-69 rout of Oral Roberts on Dec. 19.
In its 9-2 start, Arkansas joins No. 3 Duke and No. 24 Creighton as the only teams to rank in the top-10 nationally in scoring (ninth with 89.5 points per game) and assist-to-turnover ratio (sixth at 1.7). Still, despite wins over Oklahoma (92-83), Connecticut (102-67) and Minnesota (95-79), the Razorbacks have yet to crack the top-25 national rankings. They are sitting 11th, though, in the post-Christmas NCAA RPI. “I think we’re (among the 25 best teams),” senior guard Jaylen Barford said in a post-game news conference following the win over Oral Roberts. “… I don’t see (anybody) else who plays like we do, this fast paced and getting in lanes and just tenacious on defense.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, SEC Network
ABOUT BAKERSFIELD (7-7): The Roadrunners have had a week off since a 76-62 loss at Delaware on Dec. 20, and then will have another 10-day break between Wednesday’s contest and their Western Athletic Conference opener on Jan. 6. Bakersfield is only averaging 66.9 points (312th nationally), and is paced by four players in double figures: freshman guard Jarkel Joiner (11.6 points), guard Damiyne Durham (10.7), forward Shon Briggs (10.6) and guard Rickey Holden (10.6). The 6-foot-6 Briggs is averaging a team-best 5.4 rebounds while Holden is paces the squad with 3.4 assists.
ABOUT ARKANSAS (9-2): Led by Barford’s 18.5 points, the Razorbacks are the only SEC team to feature five double-digit scorers. The 6-foot-3 Barford is shooting 50.7 percent from the field, including 45.1 percent from 3-point range, and is the only player in the nation with eight games with at least 15 points, two rebounds, two assists and fewer than three turnovers. Fellow senior Daryl Macon is averaging 15.3 points and a team-best 3.8 assists while 6-foot-11 freshman forward Daniel Gafford is contributing 12.2 points and a team-leading 5.7 rebounds.
TIP-INS
1. Arkansas has won 20 straight nonconference home games and is looking to start 7-0 at Bud Walton Arena for the fifth time in seven seasons under coach Mike Anderson.
2. Bakersfield is averaging 13.5 turnovers and that could be an issue against the Razorbacks who are forcing 16.2 per contest, including a season-most 27 in last outing against Oral Roberts.
3. Baskersfield owns a plus-1.1 rebound margin while Arkansas is negative-0.5.
PREDICTION: Arkansas 83, Bakersfield 66