AMES, Iowa -- It's been 14 years since Arkansas played in a matchup of nationally ranked teams.
That drought ends when the No. 18 Razorbacks (6-0) play No. 20 Iowa State (4-1) at 8 tonight in Hilton Coliseum. ESPN2 is televising one of the marquee games of the SEC-Big 12 Challenge.
No. 18 Arkansas men at No. 20 Iowa State
WHEN 8 p.m. Central
WHERE Hilton Coliseum, Ames, Iowa
RECORDS Arkansas 6-0. Iowa State 4-1
SERIES Iowa State leads 3-1
RADIO Razorback Sports Network
TELEVISION ESPN2
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
IOWA STATE
POS. NAME, HT, YR PPG RPG G Bryces Dejean-Jones, 6-6, Sr. 14.2 7.8 G Naz Long, 6-4, Jr 12.6 3.2 G Monte Morris, 6-2, So. 9.6 3.2 F Georges Niang, 6-8, Jr. 18.2 6.6 F Dustin Hogue, 6-6, Sr. 11.6 3.2 COACH Fred Hoiberg (94-48 in five seasons at Iowa State)
ARKANSAS
POS. NAME, HT, YR PPG RPG G Ky Madden, 6-5, Sr. 11.2 3.2 G Anthlon Bell, 6-3, Jr. 13.2 1.2 G Michael Qualls, 6-6, Jr. 15.3 5.2 F Bobby Portis, 6-11, So. 14.5 6.2 F Jacorey Williams, 6-6, Jr. 8.7 3.2 COACH Mike Anderson (65-39 in four seasons at Arkansas, 264-137 in 13 seasons overall)
TEAM COMPARISON
Iowa State Arkansas
83.4 Points for 90.0
69.0 Points against 70.8
+1.4 Rebound margin +3.5
+5.0 Turnover margin +7.3
47.5 FG pct. 47.0
34.4 3-pt pct. 46.1
75.2 FT pct. 71.6
CHALK TALK Arkansas senior forward Alandise Harris, who missed Sunday’s 94-77 victory over Iona because of a bruised foot, may be ready to play tonight. He’s averaging 6.8 points and 3.2 rebounds as a starter in the first five games. … This is the first Arkansas game between two ranked teams since Dec. 23, 2000, when No. 18 Oklahoma beat the No. 25 Razorbacks 88-79 in overtime in Norman, Okla.
Arkansas last played in a matchup of ranked teams Dec. 23, 2000, when No. 18 Oklahoma beat the No. 25 Razorbacks 88-79 in overtime in Norman, Okla.
Mike Anderson was an Arkansas assistant at the time. Now he's in his fourth season as the Razorbacks' head coach and 13th season overall.
Anderson is familiar with the Cyclones from his Big 12 days at Missouri.
"They like to get up and down the floor and we like to get up and down the floor, so it should be a good matchup," Anderson said. "There's a tally going SEC vs. Big 12."
The Razorbacks didn't play in the Challenge series last season when the Big 12 had a 7-3 edge.
"Last year it didn't go well," Anderson said. "Hopefully, we can represent the SEC in a positive way."
Arkansas and No. 1 Kentucky are the SEC's only ranked teams, so the Razorbacks are carrying the banner for a much-maligned conference nationally.
"Any time you go up against another power conference school, you represent not only your school but the whole conference," Razorbacks sophomore guard Manny Watkins said. "I think for sure we've got to come out and let people know what the SEC is really all about -- that it's hard-nosed, tough basketball."
The Cyclones, who beat Lamar 96-59 Tuesday night, are 1-0 against the SEC with an 84-74 victory over Alabama last week in Kansas City, Mo. They also have something to prove after losing to Maryland 72-63 in Kansas City.
"We can't wait," Iowa State sophomore guard Monte Morris said of playing the Razorbacks. "We want to show the nation that game against Maryland was a fluke. We'll be well-prepared. It should be a good show."
The Cyclones are 50-4 the last four seasons in Hilton Coliseum, where they have won 23 consecutive nonconference games.
"It should be nuts," Iowa State junior forward Georges Niang said. "The fans will be crazy. We're really excited to get back and play a [power conference] school and show what we can do."
The Razorbacks, who are ranked for the first time in seven years, are playing their second road game after winning 78-72 last week at SMU, which opened the season as a nationally ranked team.
"We have a ton of confidence right now in ourselves going up there," Arkansas sophomore forward Bobby Portis said. "All the guys will come out confident and ready to play."
Iowa State Coach Fred Hoiberg, a former Cyclones and NBA player, faced Anderson's last Missouri team twice during the 2010-11 season before Anderson returned to rebuild Arkansas.
"Mike has done a terrific job getting really good players in there that fit that style of ball," Hoiberg said. "They're shooing the heck out of the ball."
Arkansas is playing at Iowa State for the first time, but Anderson is used to beating the Cyclones on the road. His Missouri teams were 8-2 against Iowa State, including 4-1 at Hilton Coliseum with a 76-70 victory on his last visit in 2011.
"I'm at Arkansas now," Anderson said. "This is going to be some unchartered water for our guys."
Sophomore forward Bobby Portis said he's looking forward to being on the first Arkansas team to play at Iowa State.
"I like playing on the road actually, just because it's us versus everyone else," Portis said. "It's a mind-set."
Iowa State has struggled with slow starts in most of its games. The Cyclones started 7 of 24 from the field against Lamar before pulling away. They never got going against Maryland and shot 29.7 percent from the field.
"We have to get off to better starts," Hoiberg said. "If we get off to the same type of start against Arkansas, it's not going to be very pretty."
Anderson said he expects Hilton Coliseum to be packed tonight.
"They're into basketball," Anderson said. "I mean, it's cold up there and basketball's an indoor sport, so I think they enjoy being indoors."
Anderson said he hopes the Razorbacks' depth will be a determining factor, as it has in all of their victories season.
"We've got to go and play with confidence, play together and play with poise," he said. "There's going to be some adversity, trust me, because they're a good basketball team.
"This is going to be another test for us. I think it's a bigger test on a bigger stage."
Sports on 12/04/2014