Arkansas basketball is missing some of its top players with Nick Smith and Trevon Brazile out because of injuries, but the Razorbacks should still give Alabama basketball all it can handle this week.
“They’ve still got plenty of talent in there to compete with everybody,” Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats said. “Ricky Council is one of the best players in the league. So we’re going to have to do a good job. They do a good job on the scouting report.”
No. 4 Alabama (13-2, 3-0 SEC) faces No. 16 Arkansas (12-3, 1-2) on Wednesday (6 p.m., ESPN2) at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.
Here’s our scouting report of the Razorbacks and a score prediction.
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Projected starting lineup for Arkansas
Guard Davonte Davis (junior): 6-foot-4, 185 pounds. Averages: 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.1 blocks, 1.6 turnovers
Guard Ricky Council (junior): 6-foot-6, 205 pounds. Averages: 18.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.3 blocks, 2.4 turnovers
Forward Anthony Black (freshman): 6-foot-7, 198 pounds. Averages: 12.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.6 blocks, 2.9 turnovers
Forward Jordan Walsh (freshman): 6-foot-7, 205 pounds. Averages: 7.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.5 blocks, 1.1 turnovers
Center Mahki Mitchell (senior): 6-foot-9, 230 pounds. Averages: 7.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.5 blocks, 0.9 turnovers
This has been the lineup Arkansas has used the most over the past five games. Council is No. 3 in the SEC in points per game, while Alabama’s Brandon Miller is No. 1 at 19.1. Black is fifth in the conference in assists per game. Black and Walsh were both five-star McDonald’s All-Americans.
Arkansas’ rotation
Nick Smith, also a five-star McDonald’s All-American and the top prospect in the 2022 class according to the 247Sports Composite, is out with an injury. He was getting 23.4 minutes per game in five appearances and is second on the team in points per game (12.8).
Brazile is out for the season. Over the nine games he played, he was averaging 27.1 minutes per game, 11.8 points and six rebounds.
Kamani Johnson, Jalen Graham, Joseph Pinion, Makhel Mitchell all average at least seven minutes.
How Arkansas stacks up with Alabama in scoring, defense and tempo
KenPom tracks adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency, which are points scored and allowed per 100 possessions. Alabama has a sizable advantage on Arkansas on offense, but the Razorbacks are just ahead of the Crimson Tide defensively.
“They’re an elite defensive team,” Oats said. “Our offense is going to need to be good again.”
Similar to most matchups, Alabama also has the tempo lead over Arkansas. The Crimson Tide is going to try to play much faster than the Razorbacks will. That speed from Alabama can often be a problem for teams, especially if the Crimson Tide doesn’t turn the ball over. The number listed for tempo via KenPom is based on number of possessions per 40 minutes.
Adjusted offensive efficiency:
Arkansas: 110.2 (42nd nationally)
Alabama: 114.0 (18th)
Adjusted defensive efficiency:
Arkansas: 88.8 (7th)
Alabama: 89.1 (9th)
Tempo
Arkansas: 70.5 (54th)
Alabama: 74.1 (3rd)
Score prediction
Alabama 70, Arkansas 66: These are two of the best defensive teams in the country. That’s going to make each point tough to get, but Alabama comes out on top in what could be a battle on the road.
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