WACO, Texas — A couple of conference home victories have the Arkansas Razorbacks feeling better about themselves as they hit the road again to play No. 17 Baylor.
The University of Arkansas (14-6) and Baylor (15-5) play at 3 p.m. Central today in the Ferrell Center in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on ESPN.
After the Razorbacks suffered through a four-game losing streak, they beat Ole Miss 69-57 and LSU 60-40 in Walton Arena.
“It feels good, just now getting into a rhythm,” Arkansas junior guard Davonte Davis said. “But I think this team is destined for greatness.
“I think we’ll be fine. Just going to continue to get better every single day.”
Baylor has won five consecutive games, including 75-69 over No. 9 Kansas on Monday night at home.
“Arkansas has played two good games in a row and they’ve got momentum, too,” Baylor Coach Scott Drew said. “You’ve got two teams that are confident right now. Two teams that have been in the top 25 basically the whole year.”
The Razorbacks, who were ranked all season before falling out of The Associated Press poll this week, played four of their first six SEC games on the road and lost them all at LSU, Auburn, Vanderbilt and Missouri.
“A couple of those road games, we would love to play them again now, just because we’re gaining a little bit of rhythm maybe,” Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman said. “We’re a more confident team.
“I don’t think that our younger guys and maybe some of our newer guys really knew what to expect in the SEC going on the road. … I do think there’s an, ‘OK, now we kind of know what the expectations can be.’ Whereas I think there was a lot of unknown in those first few road games.”
The Razorbacks, ranked as high as No. 9 earlier this season, can make a national statement if they beat Baylor.
In addition to beating Kansas, the Bears have victories over No. 8 UCLA and No. 14 Gonzaga. All five of their losses have been to ranked teams — No. 5 Kansas State, No. 7 Virginia, No. 11 TCU, No. 12 Iowa State and No. 16 Marquette.
“When you have the opportunity to play in this Challenge with two of the best leagues in America, two of the best programs in our opinion, how could you not be excited?” Arkansas assistant coach Gus Argenal said. “We have guys that are from Texas, too. I think that adds to it.”
Arkansas freshmen Anthony Black and Jordan Walsh are Texas natives.
Black’s father, Terry, was an All-Big 12 basketball player for Baylor in the 2000-01 season and inducted into the Bears’ Sports Hall of Fame in 2015. His mother, the former Jennifer Cavelle, played soccer at Baylor.
“My parents went to Baylor, so that just adds a little bit of an edge to me on the game,” said Black, a 6-7 point guard. “It’ll be fun to be back in my home state.”
Black is averaging 12.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.8 steals. He’s the only Razorback to start every game.
“I know the family well,” Drew said. “Anthony’s someone we’re cheering for every game except for this one.
“Great athleticism. We’ve all seen his dunks. He definitely has those hops.
“He’s a great facilitator. He’s been a really good point guard and he’s somebody who is going to play this game a long time.”
The Bears are led by their three starting guards: Freshman Keyonte Green, averaging 16.9 points; senior Adam Flagler, averaging 16.0; and junior LJ Cryer, averaging 13.7.
Flagler is averaging 2.8 made three-pointers per game to rank first in the Big 12. Green’s average of 2.6 ranks second and Cryer’s average of 2.4 ranks sixth.
The Bears are shooting 74.2% on free throws (346 of 466) and their rebounding margin of plus-5.2 and average of 12.7 offensive rebounds lead the Big 12. They have five of the conference’s top 24 rebounders, led by junior forward Jalen Bridges at 5.7.
“They shoot the three as good as any team we’ll play,” Argenal said. “They get to the free-throw line as good as any team we’ll play. They offensive rebound as good as any team we’ll play.
“Those are three areas that we’ve got to be dialed into.”
Makhi Mitchell, a 6-9 senior, is averaging 7.3 rebounds in SEC play to lead the Razorbacks.
“It’s going to definitely be a big game for the SEC,” Mitchell said. “We’ve definitely got to put on, because the SEC is one of the best leagues in the country, if not the best.
“I think we’re feeling pretty confident. The coaches never lost faith. They’re always sticking with us and finding ways to win.
“We go back and look at film and clean up all the things we messed up. We’re just working at it every day.
“We’re never going to give up. As a team, that’s what I like about Arkansas.”
The Bears’ opponents have hit 248 of 354 free throws.
“They do foul a lot if you look at their statistics,” Argenal said. “So we have to get to the free-throw line and we have to run in transition.
“We can’t let our offense just be in the halfcourt.”
Black is from Coppell, Texas, and Green from Lewisville. The two suburbs of Dallas are 11 miles apart. They were McDonald’s All-American teammates last year.
“I think Anthony and Keyonte are really good friends,” Drew said. “A lot of our guys know their guys.
“They’ll know a lot about what we do and we’ll know a lot about what they do just because of the familiarity, even though we’re in different leagues.”
Arkansas and Baylor last met in a 2021 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight game when the Bears beat the Razorbacks 81-72 in Indianapolis en route to winning the national championship.
“These two teams played a couple years back in a huge game in the NCAA Tournament, so there is a history,” Argenal said. “This is going to be an NCAA Tournament-type game.
“It’s another barometer to see where we’re at. Not like the SEC doesn’t give us a lot of those barometers, having played Auburn, Alabama and all of these teams.
“But this is a game that you don’t often get to play. We need to play well on the road. That’s an area that we have to improve.
“There is no better place to start than doing it at Baylor, which will be a crazy crowd and a great opportunity.”