Saturday gives quite the ranked matchup in East Lansing, as Arkansas gets an early road test against a strong Michigan State team looking to make more noise this year.
TV schedule: Saturday, November 8, 7:00 pm ET. FOX
Arena: Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan
Razorbacks Flash Star Power in Season Opener
The season started on the right foot for Arkansas (1-0), a program hoping year two under John Calipari is even better than his debut. Looking to build on that Sweet Sixteen success, the Razorbacks did what they needed to do on opening night with a solid win over Southern, winning by 32 points even without starter Karter Knox in the lineup.
The effort was certainly helped by returning senior Trevon Brazile, whose 25-point performance only demonstrates his importance for the Razorbacks. Beyond them, Southern gave a great opportunity for new freshmen to showcase their talent. In their collegiate debuts, Darius Acuff put up 22 points while Meleek Thomas filled the stats sheet with 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists in the win.
Arkansas debuted at #14 in the AP Top 25, though KenPom is much lower on this group at just 26th at the moment. The Razorbacks certainly have the raw talent to compete in this strong SEC again, especially if Acuff and Thomas are the real deal in this backcourt. Clearly getting this team at full strength will be key, while getting even more from D. J. Wagner and the rest of this deep lineup.
Spartans Seek Consistency After Uneven Start
Across the court, Michigan State (1-0) returns a decent amount of talent from a team that surprised many by winning the Big Ten title. The Spartans didn’t dominate on opening night, but still pulled out a double-digit win over Colgate in the end. Clearly the Spartans have a few things to work on moving forward, but have the talent to be a top contender in the Big Ten again.
We saw an excellent performance from senior forward Jaxon Kohler on opening night, as he had 16 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Spartans in that win. Let’s not ignore what Jeremy Fears Jr. showcased, as he had 15 points and 10 assists and is the focal point for the Spartans at the point. The returns of Carson Cooper and Coen Carr are also important in this lineup, as both hit double figures in the opener as well.
The current ranking is #22 in the AP poll for the Spartans, though they find themselves just 35th in KenPom and sitting similarly in other metrics. That performance against Colgate was certainly underwhelming, though the Spartans have a tough frontcourt that needs to be better defensively and on the glass, especially in these kinds of matchups.
Keys to the Game
A true road test in the first week of the season is a rarity for a program like Arkansas, but Calipari’s team is getting quite the test. If Knox is healthy and on the floor, you could certainly argue that the Razorbacks could be favored even in this hostile road environment. They have significant talent and those new freshmen are really looking solid after the first game of the season.
Let’s not jump to conclusions however. What Michigan State has is continuity in this lineup and even after a challenging opener will still be seen as the favorite at home. If the Spartans can hit their shots better than earlier in the week, then they should take care of business against an Arkansas lineup potentially down a starter. Be on the lookout for Acuff and Thomas, each of whom want their first game in the national spotlight to really stand out.