Dennis Gates’ Missouri Tigers men’s basketball team looks to stay hot against Arkansas
The Mizzou and Arkansas men’s basketball teams are currently going in opposite directions.
While this statement wouldn’t have been much of a shock to fans of either squad heading into the season, the respective directions in which the Tigers and Razorbacks are moving would be.
Arkansas was considered a top-20 squad heading into the season, with the hiring of legendary former Kentucky coach John Calipari on April 10 seen as a major upgrade for the Razorbacks. For Mizzou, the Tigers were coming off a disappointing 2023-24 campaign that saw them finish 0-18 in Southeastern Conference play during the regular season.
But heading into Saturday’s game in Columbia, it’s Missouri that so far has put together a memorable 2024-25 season. The Tigers (14-3, 3-1 SEC) enter Saturday’s contest on a three-game winning streak, with their most recent win an 83-82 nail-biter over fifth-ranked Florida on Tuesday in Gainesville, Florida. Earlier in the season, on Dec. 8, Mizzou also upset then-No. 1 Kansas 76-67.
Meanwhile, Arkansas (11-6, 0-4) is winless in conference play and is riding a four-game losing streak.
The Razorbacks have fallen to Tennessee, Ole Miss, Florida and LSU. Despite the losses, Arkansas still has a chance at qualifying for the NCAA Tournament, but a loss to the Tigers would significantly damage its hopes of making the Big Dance.
Leading the scoring effort for the Razorbacks this season are forward Adou Thiero and guard Boogie Fland, and they will be the players to keep an eye on against MU.
Thiero leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.7 points and adding 6.0 rebounds per game. The junior has been connected to Calipari since his freshman season in 2022-23, when he was playing with the Wildcats under the four-time SEC Coach of the Year.
Fland has been a big contributor for the Razorbacks as a true freshman, averaging 15.7 points and 5.7 assists a game this season.
Calipari enters the game with an all-time 866-269 record at UMass, Memphis, Kentucky and Arkansas.
He carries quite the résumé: a three-time Naismith College Coach of the Year and six appearances in the Final Four, including a national championship in 2012 with Kentucky. He has appeared in 23 NCAA Tournaments, secured six SEC Tournament titles and has won the NIT once.
The Missouri-Arkansas hoops series dates to Dec. 18, 1950, when the Tigers prevailed 54-32 in their first meeting. However, Arkansas leads the all-time series 35-27.
MU will play host to the Razorbacks at 5 p.m. Saturday at Mizzou Arena. The game airs on the SEC Network.
Tigers fans are encouraged to wear black, and the first 1,000 students to enter the arena will get a black Missouri replica jersey.
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