Fresh off a pair of resounding victories, No. 21 Arkansas looks to avenge its most decisive loss of the season against slumping Auburn in Fayetteville, Ark., on Saturday.
The Razorbacks went “back to the basics” defensively in a 91-62 victory at LSU on Tuesday, according to coach John Calipari, in their second straight win by at least 20 points.
Arkansas (18-6, 8-3 SEC) could benefit from a similar effort in the rematch against Auburn, which shot 56.7% from the field in a 95-73 home victory Jan. 10.
“We were so bad defensively two-three weeks ago that some of this stuff is going back to the basics,” Calipari said. “How do I get us to take unbelievable pride defensively. We’ve just got to get there.
“We go from here. We’ve got seven (SEC) games (remaining). We could lose all seven. We’ll see if we are getting better.”
The Razorbacks are one game behind SEC-leading Florida and tied with Kentucky for second, one game ahead of five 7-4 teams that are fighting for the four double-byes in the league tournament.
Auburn (14-10, 5-6) has lost three in a row after a four-game winning streak that included victories over then-No. 16 Florida and Texas. The Tigers fell to Vanderbilt 84-76 at home Tuesday.
“People are going to be panicking right now,” first-year Auburn coach Steven Pearl said. “While the results haven’t been there, this team has continued to get better.”
NCAA Freshman of the Year candidate Darius Acuff Jr. scored 28 points and five assists in the win at LSU, four days after contributing 24 points and eight assists in an 88-68 victory at Mississippi State.
Acuff tied a season high with 13 field goals against LSU, and his 22 attempts were a season high. He was 1 of 4 from distance.
“Which meant either a mid-level shot, which I like him to shoot because he can make them, or he shot layups,” Calipari said. “You don’t have to live and die with the threes.”
Forward Trevon Brazile had 14 points and 12 rebounds against LSU, his fifth double-double of the season. He has averaged 16.3 points and 9.3 rebounds in the last three, his best stretch in SEC games.
“It makes us different,” Calipari said of Brazile’s impact. “For him, it’s a mindset.”
DJ Wagner (ankle) and Karter Knox (knee) have missed the last two Arkansas games, tightening Calipari’s rotation and providing more minutes for Billy Richmond III, who has scored in double figures in four of his last five games.
Reserve center Malique Ewin took four stitches in his forehead after being struck by an elbow late in the LSU game but is expected to play.
Auburn established control early in the first meeting, opening a 14-point lead with nine minutes left in the first half. The Razorbacks were never closer than 13 in the second half.
Tigers’ leading scorer Keyshawn Hall (20.7 points) scored 32 points in the first meeting, tying a season high. He was 11 of 14 from the field and 4 of 5 from deep.
Hall was not a factor against Vanderbilt, going 3 of 13 from the field and playing only 26 minutes. He sat the final 12:38 as Auburn cut the Commodores’ lead to 70-66 on Tahad Pettiford’s layup with 2:42 left.
“I just went with the guys that I thought put us in the best position to get back in the game,” Pearl said. “Our offense wasn’t really in sync when he was on the floor, so wanted to give us a different look.”
Pettiford, who averages 14.1 ppg, has scored 46 points the last two games, 21 against Vanderbilt and 25 in a 96-92 loss to Alabama last Saturday.
