Arkansas to host several top recruits for Kentucky game

A basketball sits in a rack at Bud Walton Arena in this undated photo.

— Arkansas basketball signees, commits and targets are all looking forward to either being on hand for the Razorbacks’ battle with visiting Kentucky on Saturday or looking on from afar.

Arkansas 2020 signee Davonte Davis (6-4, 175) and a pair of Razorbacks pledges in 2020 big man Jaylin Williams (6-10, 235) and 2021 small forward Duncan Powell (6-8, 200) of DeSoto, Texas, are all slated to be in Bud Walton Arena for the game.

“It’s a big-time game and a great way for Arkansas basketball to set a tone for the rest of the season,” Powell said. “The win over Kentucky will show that we can compete with anybody and make a deep run in the (NCAA) Tournament.”

Arkansas (14-2, 3-1) is hosting No. 10 Kentucky (12-4, 3-1) in a 3 p.m. game that will be nationally televised by ESPN.

“I’m ready to see them play,” Williams said. “I really do believe they can beat them.”

Arkansas guard commits Moses Moody (6-6, 190) of Montverde Academy in Florida and Khalen Robinson (6-1, 170) of Oak Hill Academy hope to catch the game on television.

Davis, Williams, Moody and Robinson combine to give Arkansas a recruiting class that ESPN ranks sixth nationally behind Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina, Michigan and Tennessee.

“Arkansas has been playing really well and Kentucky is coming off a big upset (at South Carolina),” Moody said. “The opportunity is definitely there. I feel like Arkansas can compete with any team in the country.”

Robinson, who attended Arkansas’ 69-59 win over Texas A&M on Jan. 4, is playing this weekend in the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo.

Also expected to attend the game are 2020 Russellville guard Taleon Porter (6-4, 180) and 2021 prospects Jaxson Robinson (6-5, 175) of Ada, Okla., and Terran Williams (6-4, 170) of Marianna along with 2022 guard Javion Guy-King (6-4, 180) of Little Rock Mills.

“I’m just coming in with an open mind,” noted Jaxson Robinson, an ESPN top-50 junior nationally who will be making his second Arkansas home game in two weeks and his fourth unofficial visit to Fayetteville in six months.