MBB Preview: Arkansas at Ole Miss

Who: #15/15 Arkansas Razorbacks (11-3, 1-0 SEC) at Ole Miss Rebels (8-6, 0-1 SEC)
What: Hogs play the first of two SEC road games on Wednesday.
When: Wednesday – Jan. 7 – 8:00 pm (CT)
Where: Oxford, Miss. • Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss / Craddock Court (9,500)
How (to follow):
– TV/Stream: SEC Network / Watch ESPN (Kevin Fitzgerald and Rodney Terry)
– Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
– Sirius/XM: Sirius: 139 || XM: 191 || SXM App/Online Channel 961

– Razorback Gameday App
– Live Stats

– Arkansas Game Notes   
– Ole Miss Game Notes
– SEC Men’s Basketball Release/Stats

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas will play just its second true road game this season when the #15 Razorbacks face Ole Miss on Wednesday (Jan. 7). Tipoff in Oxford is set for 8 pm and the game will be televised on SEC Network.

Arkansas is coming off an SEC opening win over nationally-ranked Tennessee at Bud Walton Arena. However, three of the Hogs’ next four games will be played on the road. After Ole Miss, Arkansas travels to Auburn (Jan. 10), hosts South Carolina (Jan. 14), and then travels to Georgia (Jan. 17).

NOTES:

• This will be the 89th meeting between Arkansas and Ole Miss. Arkansas owns a 52-36 advantage all-time in the series but has lost three straight in the series and the Rebels are 21-10 versus the Hogs in Oxford.
• Since Arkansas joined the SEC, the Razorbacks and Rebels are tied, 30-30. Even though Ole Miss has won three straight, Arkansas has won 9 of the last 13 in the series.
• Ole Miss swept Arkansas last season, winning 73-66 in Bud Walton Arena and 83-80 at last year’s SEC Tourney in Nashville.
• Razorback head coach John Calipari now has 888 on-court wins and is 12 shy of reaching 900 wins as head coach of an NCAA Division I program. Currently, only four coaches have at least 900 on-court wins as head coach while at NCAA Division I programs: Mike Krzyzewski (1,202); Jim Boeheim (1,116); Roy Williams (903) and Bob Knight (902). (Note: Bob Huggins, Jim Calhoun and Cliff Ellis reached at least 900 career wins, but not all came as head coach at DI programs.) St. John’s Rick Pitino (894 wins) and Coach Cal (888) are on pace to reach the 900-win milestone this season.
• Darius Acuff Jr. has been on an absolute heater the last eight games as he is averaging 21.4 points while shooting 44.4% from 3-point range and handing out 7.3 assists per game. Over the last four weeks, Acuff has been tabbed Dick Vitale’s Diaper Dandy of the Week twice (12/5 and 1/5) and SEC Freshman of the Week four straight weeks. He is the fifth SEC player to accomplish the feat, joining John Calipari-coached John Wall (2009-10), Nerlens Noel (2012-13), Devin Booker (2014-15) and TyTy Washington (2021-22). After his dominating performance versus Tennessee, Acuff added Naismith National Player of the Week honors and NCAA March Madness National Freshman of the Week honors.
• Did you know, despite shooting its second-worst percentage of the season versus Tennessee (30.4%) from 3-point range, Arkansas actually improved two spots to 13th in the NCAA ranking and remained first in the SEC with a season 3-point percentage of 39.1%. Arkansas is shooting 43.9% from deep over its last six games and has seen its national rank jump from 121st to 13th.
• D.J. Wagner is helping the 3-point shooting of late as he has made 8 of his last 13 (61.5%) over the last four games.
• Did you know, Meleek Thomas matched Acuff’s impressive week last week? Take a look at the stats for the two:
  ACUFF:      23.0 ppg (46 total) • 57.1% FG (16-28) • 45.2% 3PT (6-13) • 8-9 FT
  THOMAS:  23.0 ppg (46 total) • 48.3% FG (14-29) • 64.3% 3PT (9-14) • 9-10 FT

For more­­ information on Arkansas Men’s Basketball, follow @RazorbackMBB on X, Instagram and Facebook.