Arkansas women faced with another tough test

Jessica Jackson (00) and Melissa Wolff (33) of Arkansas walk off the floor against Florida Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016, after overtime in Bud Walton Arena. Visit nwadg.com/photos to see more photographs from the game.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Late January into early February has been a rough stretch so far for Arkansas women's basketball. Tonight, the Razorbacks look to reverse the trend back in their favor when they host Vanderbilt at 6 p.m. in Bud Walton Arena.

Like most opponents from the Southeastern Conference, however, the Commodores present another big test.

Vanderbilt at Arkansas

WHEN 6 p.m.

WHERE Bud Walton Arena

RECORDS Vanderbilt 15-7, 4-5 SEC; Arkansas 9-14, 4-6

SERIES Vanderbilt leads 23-6

RADIO KABZ-FM 103.7 in Little Rock; KQSM-FM 92.1 in Fayetteville; KFPW-AM 1230 and KFPW-FM 94.5 in Fort Smith; KURM-AM 790 and KURM-FM 100.3 in Rogers.

ONLINE ArkansasRazorbacks.…

TELEVISION SEC Network

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS

VANDERBILT

POS^NAME^HT.^YR.^PPG^RPG

G^Rebekah Dahlman^5-9^So.^9.3^3.7

G^Rachel Bell^5-10^So.^9.7^1.7

G^Minta Spears^5-10^Jr.^5.6^2.5

G^Christa Reed^5-11^So.^11.0^3.2

F^Marqu’es Webb^6-1^Jr..^6.5^5.4

COACH Melanie Balcomb (306-152 in 14th season at Vanderbilt)

ARKANSAS

POS^NAME^HT.^YR.^PPG^RPG

G^Kelsey Brooks^5-9^Jr.^6.8^2.0

G^Devin Cosper^5-10^So.^9.0^3.4

F^Jessica Jackson^6-3^Jr.^17.0^6.8

F^Melissa Wolff^6-0^Sr.^6.1^7.7

P^Alecia Cooley^6-3^Jr.^7.1^5.2

COACH Jimmy Dykes (27-28 in second season at Arkansas)

TEAM COMPARISON

Vanderbilt^Arkansas

64.4^Points Scored Per Game^60.8

52.9^Points Allowed Per Game^62.3

34.3^Rebounds Per Game^40.6

16.5^Turnovers Per Game^16.1

.463^FG pct.^.364

.361^3-pt FG pct.^.269

.714^FT pct.^.687

CHALK TALK Both teams look to end losing streaks in tonight’s game. Arkansas has lost four straight and Vanderbilt has lost two consecutive games coming into tonight’s matchup. … The Commodores have won the last three meetings in the series. Arkansas’ last win vs. Vanderbilt was a 69-47 victory on Jan. 19, 2012 in Fayetteville. … Vanderbilt ranks in the top 15 nationally in field goal percentage, three-point percentage and field goal defense.

Vanderbilt, under 14th-year coach Melanie Balcomb, enters the game 15-7 overall and 4-5 in the SEC, just one half game better than Arkansas (9-14, 4-6) in the conference standings. But look closer at this Vanderbilt team and there's plenty that appears imposing.

The Commodores lead the SEC in defensive rebounding and rank second in the SEC in total defense, allowing just 52.9 points per game. On the offensive end, sophomore guards Christa Reed and Rachel Bell lead a unit that ranks second in the SEC in both total field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage.

Vanderbilt has also been a tough out on the road, posting a 4-5 record in away games this year. That record includes a 2-3 mark in SEC games with victories at Alabama and Kentucky.

Arkansas has lost four consecutive games entering tonight's matchup. Last Thursday, the Razorbacks battled with No. 23 Tennessee for the better part of three quarters before dropping a 75-57 decision in Knoxville. Now Arkansas seeks to avoid its second five-game losing streak of the season and will look to Bud Walton Arena for help. Arkansas is 6-3 at home this season with three of those wins coming against Top 25 teams.

While Vanderbilt does read like a top SEC team in some categories, the Razorbacks might be catching the Commodores at a good time. Vanderbilt enters tonight on a two-game losing streak themselves, dropping games at home to Georgia and at Auburn.

Sports on 02/08/2016