FAYETTEVILLE — For the first time since Arkansas joined the SEC for the 1991-92 basketball season, the Razorbacks will have a conference home opener with both teams nationally ranked.
Arkansas has been ranked all season and Missouri, which plays the Razorbacks at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Bud Walton Arena, is ranked for the first time in two years.
The Razorbacks (11-2, 0-1 SEC) fell to No. 13 from No. 10 in the latest Associated Press released Monday after losing at LSU 60-57 last week.
Missouri (12-1, 1-0) is ranked No. 20 after opening SEC play with an 89-75 victory over Kentucky last week at home.
It’s the first ranking for the Tigers since the 2020-21 season, when they peaked at No. 12.
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Razorbacks Coach Eric Musselman said he doesn’t take the rankings into consideration for Wednesday night’s game, just as he didn’t pay attention to LSU being an unranked team when the Tigers improved to 12-1 by beating Arkansas.
LSU just missed being ranked for the first time this season. The Tigers are the first team in the “others receiving votes” category of the AP poll, which makes them No. 26.
“I didn’t look at the LSU game like it was a ranked or non-ranked team,” Musselman said. “I looked at it like they had lost one game all year.
“And I look at Missouri, regardless of their ranking, and think this is a really well-coached team that has an identity that they’ve created.
“A style that they’ve created on both sides of the floor with their transition baskets, with their ability to make threes, with their ability to get to the cup and with their disruptive defense.
“Playing the 1-3-1, also playing a bit of a matchup zone and picking up full court.”
Musselman praised Dennis Gates, in his first season as Missouri’s coach, for creating a style that’s making the Tigers successful.
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“Which is the hardest thing to do as a coach, let alone a coach in Year One,” Musselman said. “So, tremendous respect for them regardless of if we’re ranked, they’re ranked. A team that’s 12-1 and playing great basketball, especially their last two games.”
Missouri beat then-No. 16 Illinois 93-71 in St. Louis before taking down Kentucky, which was ranked No. 19 when the teams played.
Illinois and Kentucky are not ranked in the latest AP poll.
Missouri’s only loss was at home 95-67 to Kansas, which is No. 3 in the AP poll after being No. 6 when the Jayhawks beat the Tigers.
Arkansas and Missouri are among five ranked SEC teams along with No. 7 Alabama, No. 8 Tennessee and No. 22 Auburn.
The Razorbacks play at Auburn (11-2, 1-0) and face Alabama (11-2, 1-0) in Walton Arena in their next two SEC games, so their first four conference games are against teams with a combined 46-6 record.
“I think every game is tough in this league. I really do,” Musselman said. “And I think that when you look at our league right now … some of the teams have just improved so much, that maybe didn’t get the preseason recognition.
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“So every game is hard. We had a road game to start off. LSU had a great crowd. It’s one possession, could have gone either way. They won the game.
“And now you have a really confident Missouri team that’s playing at a high, high level that has beaten two really good teams in their last two games and won a big game on the road against Central Florida [68-66].”
Auburn beat Florida 61-58 last week to extend the Tigers’ home winning streak to 26 games while Alabama won 78-67 at Mississippi State, which was ranked No. 21 at the time.
“So yeah, it’s hard because we all know what Auburn’s done on their home floor, and their record is incredible there,” Musselman said. “And then Alabama’s playing great basketball.
“Really difficult four-game stretch. We knew that coming into the season, and it won’t get any easier after that.”
Up next
No. 20 Missouri at No. 13 Arkansas
WHEN 7:30 p.m., Wednesday
WHERE Bud Walton Arena, Fayetteville
RECORDS Arkansas 11-2, Missouri 12-1
TELEVISION SEC Network
RADIO Razorback Sports Network