FAYETTEVILLE , Ark. — Arkansas basketball will try and move past Saturday’s catastrophe against No. 16 Auburn on the road against one of the SEC’s most surprising teams.
The Razorbacks (9-5) will face Georgia Wednesday night (8 p.m. CT, ESPNU) in their second league game of the season. The Bulldogs (11-3) were picked 11th in the Preseason SEC Media Poll in their second season under Mike White, but Georgia is already surpassing expectations and in the midst of a nine-game winning streak that represents the program’s longest winning run since the 2010-11 season.
Dec 4, 2023; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Khalif Battle (0) shoots during the first half against the Furman Paladins at Bud Walton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
The Bulldogs opened their SEC schedule Saturday with a 75-68 road win over Missouri, outscoring the Tigers 12-3 over the final five minutes. Meanwhile, Arkansas is coming off an 83-51 loss to Auburn that represented the worst home loss in Razorbacks history.
Wednesday also represents the first true road game of the season for Arkansas.
Here is a look at three things to watch and a score prediction for the Hogs’ second game of 2024.
Jabri Abdur-Rahim is the focal point
Abdur-Rahim is a Virginia transfer who leads Georgia in scoring, posting 12.9 points per game on 39.6% shooting. When he’s at his best, Abdur-Rahim is hurting defenses from three-point land.
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The senior swing man is shooting 43.2% from long range and has made at least three three-pointers in seven games this season. Arkansas has had trouble guarding sharp-shooting forwards all season, so Abdur-Rahim will present a big challenge.
Bench battle will be key factor
Arkansas has had one of the best scoring benches across the country this season, ranking 10th nationally and second in the SEC at 34.9 points per game. However, the Razorbacks second unit was overwhelmed by Auburn Saturday, with the Tigers’ reserves sporting a winning margin of 46-9.
The Hogs need a bounce-back performance Wednesday night. The Bulldogs average 29.7 points per game off the bench, which ranks 28th in the country. Two of Georgia’s top-four scorers — RJ Melendez and Justin Hill — come off the bench.
Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman said Monday his rotation might get shortened, but the Hogs still need a better game from Khalif Battle and whoever else comes off the bench to counter Georgia.
Can Arkansas force turnovers?
Georgia has been relatively steady in the turnover department this season. The Bulldogs rank 135th in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.13) and 95th in total turnovers per game.
But Georgia had more turnovers than assists in each of its three losses this season. If Arkansas can speed the Bulldogs’ up and create some havoc that leads to transition opportunities, the Hogs will have a great chance at picking up their first SEC win of the season.
Prediction: Arkansas 75, Georgia 68
Simply put, this feels like a must-win game for Arkansas. The Hogs can’t afford to let Saturday’s drubbing turn into a downward spiral, and despite a hot start to the season, Georgia probably isn’t an NCAA Tournament team. If the Hogs want to play on the national stage in March, they need to win games like this, and I think Arkansas bounces back with desperation after the Auburn embarassment.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas basketball vs. Georgia: Score prediction, scouting report
