Sam says he his pretty sure he will have most of his players back next year, with that being said who do we think( real contributors) will look to move on and who do y’all think stays?

When was the last time we played a game in the snow? I can’t remember one

Looks like Tennessee and Vandy is all but over. Ohio St mich is tight as is Sc and Clemson, Kentucky finally scored on looneyville
They are gonna need one heck of a comeback Not likely to happen.
For some unknown reason I find myself pulling for South Carolina probably because I hate Clemson so much. Ohio State Michigan I don’t care either way. You got a favorite today

Talking about this on Game Day, Andrew Luck joining Stanford as GM of Football. With the Rev Sharing kicking off next year, trying to segregate the business side (NIL, maybe recruiting) from the coaching side. Really interesting concept.

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The Arkansas Razorbacks (6-5, 3-4 SEC) are set to finish their regular season schedule Saturday in the Battle Line Rivalry against the No. 24 Missouri Tigers (8-3, 4-3 SEC) on Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri.

Missouri knocked off Mississippi State, 39-20, last time out, while the Razorbacks earned a 35-14 win over Louisiana Tech on Saturday. The Hogs will be searching for their first ever win in Columbia, plus they'll be hoping to return home with the Battle Line Rivalry trophy.

"I think 7-5, 4-4 in the league and beating a top 25 team, a top five team, I think that would really help us in recruiting and recruiting through the portal," Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said Monday. "Obviously, we're going to a bowl either way, but I think it would be big, big to get that win. And so we're gonna try like hell to get that done."

Missouri leads the all-time series 11-4 against Arkansas, and the Tigers are a perfect 6-0 in games played in Columbia. The Razorbacks were embarrassed by Missouri and head coach Eli Drinkwitz in a 48-14 home loss in last year's regular season finale.

"We played them obviously four years and won one of them out here," Pittman said of the series during his tenure. "So that makes us 1-3. So, the first year we were out there, I think I went for two and we messed around and made it. There’s 30 or 40 seconds left and they kicked a field goal and beat us. We’ve had some good games, obviously last year was not. Was for them.

"So, it’s hard to win. You see how hard the team is playing at Missouri. I think they’re undefeated at home this year. It’s a hard place to play. They have really good fans. Just, on the road, lot of times it’s hard to go into an opponent and win. We’ve lost some games here, but Tennessee, it was hard for them to come in and win as well. It’s just hard."

BetSaracen lists the Tigers as a 3-point favorite over the Razorbacks, with the over/under on total points set at 53.5. Below are details on how to watch/stream/listen to Arkansas' game against the Tigers, plus more helpful links, betting odds, our picks and more...

How to Watch/Listen​

Who: Arkansas Razorbacks (6-5, 3-4 SEC) at No. 24 Missouri Tigers (8-3, 4-3 SEC)
When: Saturday, Nov. 30 at 2:30 p.m. CT
Where: Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field — Columbia, Missouri
TV/Stream: SEC Network/Watch ESPN (Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, Alyssa Lang)
Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Chuck Barrett, Quinn Grovey and Geno Bell)

ML/SPREAD/TOTALS:​

Money Line:
Arkansas: +130
Missouri: -150

Spread:
Arkansas: +3, (-115)
Missouri: -3, (-105)

Total Points:
OVER 54.5, (-110)
UNDER 54.5, (-110)

Team Totals:
Arkansas OVER 24.5, (-110)
Arkansas UNDER 24.5, (-110)
Missouri OVER 28, (-105)
Missouri UNDER 28, (-115)

(Alternate lines, spreads and team totals are available on the BetSaracen mobile app.)

Double-R Props:​

~ Arkansas team 1st quarter scoring OVER 6.5: -110
~ Andrew Armstrong OVER 9.5 total targets: +175
~ Arkansas offense game opening drive - touchdown: +180
~ Devin Bale OVER 3.5 punts and longest punt OVER 52.5 yards: +125
~ Isaac TeSlaa OVER 2.5 receptions and OVER 34.5 receiving yards: +135
~ Luke Hasz OVER 3.5 receptions and OVER 27.5 receiving yards: +175
~ Rashod Dubinion OVER 9.5 rush attempts and OVER 59.5 rush yards: +200
~ Andrew Armstrong OVER 8.5 receptions and OVER 84.5 receiving yards: +300
~ Arkansas offense game opening drive - field goal: +350
~ Ja'Quinden Jackson OVER 11.5 rush attempts and OVER 74.5 rushing yards: +350

HAWGBEAT'S PICK​

Each week, HawgBeat will list a few picks that look favorable based on trends and statistics throughout the season.

Devin Bale OVER 3.5 punts and longest punt OVER 52.5 yards (+125)​

Say what you want about Arkansas' special teams as a whole, but Devin Bale has been on a tear this season.

The former Northern Colorado transfer has punted 34 times this year for 1,518 net yards, good for a 45.8 average. He's punted at least four times in only four games, but he's done so in the Razorbacks last three outings. Not only that, but he's punted for a long of over 52.5 yards in seven games.

With the possibility of snow Saturday and because Missouri boasts a top-25 total defense (314.0 yards allowed per game), plus Arkansas' recent offensive struggles, I believe Bale will have his opportunities to punt and I think he has the leg to get the yardage.

The No. 19 Arkansas Razorbacks (5-2, 0-0 SEC) got down early and never recovered in a 90-77 loss to the Illinois Fighting Illini (6-1, 0-0 SEC) on Thanksgiving Day at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

Arkansas got off to a slow start offensively and quickly found themselves down 11-0 to the Illini, who hit nine threes in the first half and finished 15-of-31 in the game. The Razorbacks didn't connect from deep until the second half, as they missed all seven in the first half.

"I mean, we did some good stuff, but you can’t give up 16 threes and expect to win a game, you can’t," Arkansas head coach John Calipari said after the game. "You’re not going to. And I even said prior to the game, a team that’s willing to shoot 30, 35 threes, if they make 20, you’re losing. Then there may be a game they make five and they’re losing. And today, leaving corners and stuff that my teams don’t do, we did a bunch of it today."

The Hogs made several attempts to cut into the Illini lead in the second half, but every time they did, Illinois countered with a punch of its own and the Razorbacks could never recover. In the second half, the closest the game got was nine points (80-71 with 4:13 remaining).

Adou Thiero was, as he has been in most games this season, electric for the Razorbacks. He led all scorers with 26 points on 53.8% (7-of-13) shooting. He added six rebounds, an assist and a steal to his stat line and went to the free throw line 21 times in the game.

Here's some of HawgBeat's takeaways from the loss...

Box Score:

Big Z loses the brotherly battle with Tomislav​

Arkansas center Zvonimir Ivisic got the chance to face off against his twin brother, Tomislav, who is in his first season with the Illini. Big Z is older by four minutes, but it was Tomislav who got the better of his sibling.

Tomislav — who was a 28% three-point shooter coming into Thursday's game — was unconscious from deep, as he hit six threes in the game. He had a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, blocked three shots and recorded two steals.

Zvonimir had a decent game himself, and scored 13 points with six boards (four defensive and two offensive), two blocks and two steals, and it's worth mentioning he kept the turnover numbers low for a second-straight game with just two. He was also the first Razorback to hit a three and the only one to hit multiple in the game as he drained three from beyond the arc.

Still, in the matchup with his brother, it was Tomislav who got the better of Zvonimir.

Arkansas has no response for Illinois three-point shooting​

After they hit 15 threes against Maryland-Eastern Shore on Monday, Arkansas came back down to earth on Thursday. The Hogs missed their first seven threes and didn't hit one until Big Z drilled one at the start of the second half.

Illinois, on the other hand, was on fire from deep. The Illini hit nine in the first half and six in the second half, which was the primary difference in the game.

The aforementioned Tomislav Ivisic was the driving force behind the Illini's strong three-point shooting as he drilled six in nine attempts. Whether the Hogs thought they didn't have to guard him as heavily as other guys or not, he made Arkansas pay by leaving him open time and time again.

Adou Thiero is electric yet again​

Another game, another chance for Arkansas forward Adou Thiero to show what he's capable of. The third-year forward was all over the floor and made effort play after effort play to keep the Hogs in the game.

Thiero led all scorers with 26 points and went to the free throw line 21 times. He could have been better there, as he only hit of those, but you can't fault his motor. He was a consistent source of energy for an Arkansas team that seemed sluggish at times.

Even when the game was mostly out of hand in the final minutes of the game, Thiero was hustling for rebounds and trying to will his team to a win as he scored eight of Arkansas' final 12 points in the last six minutes of the game.

​

Billy Richmond probably needs more minutes​

Speaking of motor and energy, it's probably time for Billy Richmond to see more time on the floor. The true freshman saw 31 minutes of action and made the most of every one of them with multiple effort plays.

Richmond's energy was evident in most aspects of his game. Whether it was chasing down rebounds, diving on the floor for loose balls or putting the ball in the basket, Richmond continued to show the effort he has through the start of the early season.

He was one of three Razorbacks to score in double figures, as he finished with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting. He had four rebounds, two of which were offensive and two of which were defensive.

"All Billy did was do whatever he could to help us win," Arkansas head coach John Calipari said postgame. "Not trying to get more shots, he just did what he had to. He flies up and down the court, he passes up jump shots and gets to the rim. Our gameplan...was to play how we did in the second half, which is to come at the rim...Billy did that, and that's why we left him in."

Arkansas redshirt freshman wide receiver Davion Dozier plans to enter the transfer portal, according to a report from the College Transfer Portal page on X.

Dozier is a former four-star recruit out of Moody High School in Moody, Alabama. The 6-foot-4, 204-pound pass catcher caught one pass — a 14-yard touchdown against Western Carolina — as a freshman in 2023. He has just one catch for 13 yards this season, and that came Aug. 29 in the 70-0 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Across his two seasons in Fayetteville, Dozier appeared in just 24 combined snaps on offense and 10 snaps on special teams, according to Pro Football Focus.

Dozier chose the Razorbacks over schools like South Carolina, Tennessee, Duke, Maryland and others. He caught 59 passes for 1,325 yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior for Moody High School in 2022.

Make sure to stay tuned to The Trough premium message board for the latest transfer portal news regarding the Razorbacks.

Dozier's Arkansas Bio​

2024 (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN): Tallied one reception, courtesy of a 13-yard pass from Malachi Singleton during the third quarter of a win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Aug. 29).

2023 (FRESHMAN): Redshirted in his first season, playing in three games … Caught one pass for 14 yards and a touchdown in his collegiate debut vs. Western Carolina (Sept. 2).

HIGH SCHOOL: A four-star prospect according to Rivals and On3 … Rated the No. 22 player in Alabama and the No. 43 wide receiver in the country by Rivals … Played for head coach Jake Ganus at Moody High School in Moody, Ala. … As a junior, caught 51 passes for 833 yards (16.3 ypc) and 12 touchdowns … Also returned five kicks for 113 yards (22.6 avg) … As a senior, posted 59 receptions for 1,325 yards (22.5 ypc) and 19 touchdowns … Had one kickoff return for 65 yards … Selected to play in the 2022 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Football Classic … Son of Jettie Dozier … Has two sisters, Anyrie Smith and Mariah Smith … Birthdate: March 3, 2005 … CHOSE OVER: Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, South Carolina, Tennessee and others.

The Arkansas Razorbacks (6-5, 3-4 SEC) will finish the regular season Saturday against the No. 24 Missouri Tigers (8-3, 4-3 SEC) in the latest edition of the Battle Line Rivalry at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri.

It's been well-documented that the Razorbacks have never won a game in Columbia, as they sit with an 0-6 mark all-time against the Tigers there. With bowl eligibility already secured and 34-point loss to the Tigers last year fresh on the mind, the Hogs could generate momentum while also playing with a chip on their shoulder Saturday.

"We’re playing for a trophy," Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said Monday. "We’re playing Missouri. They’re a rivalry game for us. They beat hell out of us last year. That should motivate us. The problem is a lot of the kids that are on the team and playing weren’t on the team last year too. So you have to find different ways to motivate. That’s my job. Instead of just going well, it’s Missouri. It’s a rival."

Arkansas is a 3-point underdog to the Tigers, according to BetSaracen odds. Here is how the HawgBeat staff is predicting Saturday's game, which will be streamed live on SEC Network:
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More Arkansas at Missouri Preview Content​

- How to Watch, BetSaracen Picks: Arkansas at Missouri
- What Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz said about Arkansas
- VIDEO: Arkansas players press conference - Missouri week
- Razorbacks remember last year's loss to Missouri
- Nico Davillier to have surgery, will miss Missouri game
- VIDEO: Sam Pittman press conference - Missouri preview
- Arkansas' official depth chart for Missouri game
- Arkansas rises in ESPN FPI after Louisiana Tech win

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Mason Choate - Publisher​

With some expected winter weather, a Missouri team that has performed below expectations and an Arkansas team with really nothing to lose, this could end up being the perfect spot for a Razorback win. Realistically, how many Hog fans do you think are picking their team to win this game? Not a lot.

It's been a one-sided rivalry for too long now, but it's going to take some extra effort from the Arkansas side to change that. We will see if they have it in them to play with enough passion, but I don't see it happening. If it does, let's hope the bowl destination becomes much more appealing.

Missouri 19, Arkansas 17

​

Riley McFerran - Managing Editor​

This Arkansas team hasn’t looked “good” in all phases of the game since the Mississippi State matchup, and we all know the Bulldogs weren’t much competition.
For the Hogs to overcome what has been an awful losing streak in Columbia, Missouri, they NEED to play well offensively, defensively and on special teams to have a chance.

Similar to the Texas A&M series, until Arkansas figures out how to beat the Tigers away from Fayetteville, I’m simply not picking them to do so.
It’s close until the fourth quarter, but the Razorbacks lose in heartbreak fashion on a two-point conversion.

Missouri 29, Arkansas 28

​

Daniel Fair - Staff Writer​

The Razorbacks have had bad luck when they play in Columbia, but they need to buck that trend in this year’s edition of the Battle Line Rivalry. Manufactured rivalry or not, this is a trophy game and the Hogs have always struggled against the Tigers.

Missouri is ranked headed into this matchup, but they’re very much a beatable team. It just depends on what kind of Arkansas team shows up to play. Will they fold as they’ve done multiple times this season? Or are they locked in and ready to prove this game actually means something to them?

I correctly predicted the score last weekend so we’ll see if I can do it again. Arkansas wins in a close, low-scoring game.

Arkansas 21, Missouri 17

​

Jackson Collier - Basketball Recruiting Analyst​

Missouri has outclassed Arkansas in this game for a decade now, and unfortunately for Razorback fans, there’s not much to indicate that changing this year.

While this Missouri team might not be as talented as last year’s, and the game might be closer than recent matchups between the two programs, I don’t have a ton of confidence in this coaching staff to win a big game to close out the season.

There’s not a ton of momentum or excitement within the program at all, and Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz has clearly properly motivated his team for this game each year he’s been at Missouri. The only good news for Arkansas fans is that the game isn’t in Fayetteville, since for whatever reason Pittman teams seem to perform better on the road in conference play.

Missouri 28, Arkansas 24

​

RECORDS (Overall, Against the Spread)​

Mason Choate: 7-4 overall, 5-6 ATS
Riley McFerran: 7-4 overall, 6-5 ATS
Daniel Fair: 6-4 overall, 4-6 ATS (did not pick Texas game)
Jackson Collier: 7-4 overall, 6-5 ATS

Shitty post play and no shooting.

Nm

Arkansas added a commitment Friday from 2026 athlete Jack Duckworth out of Rockwall High School in Rockwall, Texas. Duckworth is the seventh commitment in the 2026 recruiting class for the Razorbacks.

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Duckworth chose the Hogs over offers from programs such as Wisconsin, SMU, Pittsburgh, Arizona State and others. It looks like Duckworth was recruited by secondary coach Deron Wilson and co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson, so it's likely he's being recruited as a defensive back.

According to a Nov. 25 post on X, Duckworth tallied 34 receptions for 472 yards and six touchdowns for Rockwall this season. He also added one interception as a defensive back on the year and he had 718 all purpose yards.

Click here to view the 2026 recruiting class for Arkansas and click here to view the 2025 recruiting class.

The Arkansas Razorbacks added to their 2026 class with the addition of Braylen Williams out of Nettleton, Mississippi on Friday afternoon.

Williams went public with his decision with a post on X on Friday afternoon.

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Williams plays both quarterback and defensive back for Nettleton High School. Arkansas was the first program to offer him and he took a gameday visit to Fayetteville on Nov. 2, when the Razorbacks played Ole Miss.

Arkansas is Williams’ lone offer, but he’s garnered interest from Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Southern Miss and others.

With Williams’ commitment, Arkansas now sits at nine in the class of 2026. He’s the second commit of the day and joins athlete Jack Duckworth, who committed on Friday morning.

Click here to view the 2026 recruiting class for Arkansas and click here to view the 2025 recruiting class.

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not much to say besides we got are ass kicked

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The No. 19 Arkansas Razorbacks (5-1) are set for a major non-conference matchup against the Illinois Fighting Illini (5-1) on Thanksgiving Day at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

Members of the "Turkey Throwdown" multi-team event, Arkansas and Illinois have each faced Little Rock and Maryland-Eastern Shore in their two previous games with both teams going 2-0 in that stretch.

Arkansas and Illinois last met in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, a game the Razorbacks won, 73-63. It's the seventh time the two programs have battled on the court, with Illinois holding a 5-1 advantage all-time.

Linking the Hoop Hogs and Illini together are the Ivisic brothers, as Zvonimir averages 12.0 points per game for Arkansas in his second collegiate season while Tomislav averages 15.5 points per game for Illinois in his first year in the collegiate ranks.

“There’s no friends on the basketball court, so he’s my brother, but your mentality should be ‘I’m going to try to beat him,’” Arkansas associate head coach Chin Coleman said Monday. “I’m sure (Tomislav’s) mentality is the same, but it’ll be fun for them.

"I’m sure it’ll be fun for their parents, if they’re not at the game, in Croatia to look at the game, whatever time it is, 2 in the morning, 3 in the morning and love on both of their sons and see them competing. But for us, we don’t have any love for Z’s brother. We’re trying to win.”

Arkansas forward Trevon Brazile returned to the court Monday during Arkansas' win over Maryland-Eastern Shore after missing the previous two games and played 12 minutes, but the status of center Jonas Aidoo is still up in the air.

Following the win over the Hawks, Coleman said Aidoo was “day-to-day” in terms of his recovery, so it’s possible he's able to make his return Thursday.

“Having (Aidoo) at all, is going to give us a different dynamic in terms of our defense and our rebounding and our toughness,” Coleman said. “Someone who is a proven SEC all-league player. So we need Jonas, as well as we need (Brazile), we need all of our guys. We need the sum of all our parts to be good.”

Below are details on how to watch, links to stream and links to all of our coverage leading up to the game...

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How to Watch/Listen​

Who: No. 19 Arkansas Razorbacks (5-1, 0-0 SEC) vs.Illinois Fighting Illini (5-1, 0-0 Big 10)
When: Thursday, Nov. 28 at 3:00 p.m. CT
Where: T-Mobile Center — Kansas City, Missouri
TV/Stream: CBS/WatchCBS
Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Phil Elson and Bubba Carpenter)
--------------

Catch Up On HawgBeat Arkansas Basketball Coverage​

— HawgBeat Hoops Mailbag: 11/27/24
— Postgame Grades: Looking at Arkansas’ win over Maryland-Eastern Shore
— Hoop Hogs analytics update - 11/26
— Johnell Davis, Karter Knox have breakout games in blowout win
— Takeaways from No. 19 Arkansas' win over Maryland-Eastern Shore

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As we will do throughout this football season, HawgBeat went behind enemy lines to gain insight on the Missouri Tigers with MizzouToday Senior Editor Kyle McAreavy.

Missouri hasn't quite had the year it hoped for entering the season, but the Tigers still sit with a 9-3 (4-3) overall record with wins over teams like Boston College, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Oklahoma and Mississippi State.

Under Drinkwitz's leadership, Missouri has accumulated a 36-24 (21-20 SEC) overall record in five seasons. This year, the Tigers boast the No. 61 total offense (393.4 YPG) and No. 73 passing offense (224.6 YPG) in the country.

Here is what McAreavy had to say about Saturday's matchup, which is set to kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri...

1. Who are the key playmakers to know on both sides of the ball for Missouri?​

McAreavy: "Offensively, it’s quarterback Brady Cook, receiver Luther Burden and running back Nate Noel. Cook has looked much better since returning from his wrist injury two weeks ago and has the offense humming pretty well. Burden is likely going to be one of the first receivers taken in next year’s draft, though this season has been a bit disappointing for him stat wise because the offense just wasn’t functioning at its expected level through the early part of the year. Noel has been very good when given enough opportunity. He was dealing with some injuries, too, that lowered his output for a few weeks, but has been back to his top overall performance the past two weeks.

"Defensively, edge rusher Johnny Walker Jr. is definitely one to keep an eye on. He’s by far the best pass rusher of the group and has been one of the most consistent parts of Mizzou’s defense. Linebacker Corey Flagg has been a key piece, too, and safety Daylan Carnell is the leader among the main coverage group who has been projected to possibly leave early after this season."

2. What are Missouri's biggest strengths? Biggest weaknesses?​

McAreavy: "Offensively the strength has been the run game most of the season, and the focus on running the ball the past few games has opened up the pass game in a way the Tigers were struggling with early in the season. The offensive weakness is red zone execution. The Tigers have stalled out within the 20 a lot this year and the kicking game hasn’t been good enough for that to be a viable way to win games.

"Defensively, the pass coverage has been consistently good, though has had trouble allowing big plays. It was a definite problem early in the season with a handful of long touchdowns in the first few big games, but seemed to be under control until popping back up throughout the game against South Carolina two weeks ago."

3. Where do you think the Battle Line Rivalry ranks for Missouri compared to its other rivals?​

McAreavy: "Mizzou’s No. 1 rivals is Kansas. That’s not going to change, the hatred runs deep between those schools. I definitely think Mizzou fans care more about the rivalry with Arkansas than with South Carolina out of the two yearly trophy games Mizzou plays, and having the matchup consistently be rivalry week at the end of the season has added something extra to it. But I think it’s still too young for there to be the type of animosity from Mizzou’s older Big 8 or Big 12 rivalries."

4. Are there any notable injuries to know for Missouri, and if so, how will that affect the game Saturday?​

McAreavy: "A lot of the key injuries, Brady Cook and Nate Noel especially, are far enough along in recovery to not be big issues.The Tigers lost starting center Connor Tollison for the year about three weeks ago, but Drake Heismeyer has done an admirable job filling in. And Mizzou officially lost third receiver Mookie Cooper for the rest of the year when he had surgery on Tuesday, but he hasn’t played in a month. With the question on Cooper answered, I don’t think there’s any major open injury questions right now."

5. How do you see this game playing out and can you give a score prediction?​

McAreavy: "With the projected weather forecast, there’s definitely room for weird variance, especially with the way the Tigers have struggled to tackle big runners the past couple of weeks. But I have a feeling Mizzou is going to do everything it can to have an undefeated home record for the first time since 2010 and send Brady Cook off with a senior day win.

Score Prediction: 35-24, Missouri

Jon Rothstein seems to think so

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The No. 19 Arkansas Razorbacks (5-1, 0-0 SEC) will be center stage when they take on the Illinois Fighting Illini (5-1, 0-0 Big 10) on Thanksgiving Day at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

Arkansas is coming off a blowout 109-35 win over Maryland-Eastern Shore on Monday, while the Illini did some damage of their own with a 92-34 dismantling of Little Rock on the same day.

The game is set to tip off at 3 p.m. CT and will air on CBS following the Chicago Bears-Detroit Lions NFL game, which will likely draw eyes from across the country.

HawgBeat sat down with Orange and Blue News Publisher Doug Bucshon and asked him some questions to better understand the Razorbacks’ next opponent…

Illinois has looked good through the first six games this season, but got punched in the mouth by Alabama last week. What went wrong in that game, and is it something that Arkansas can exploit Thursday?​

Bucshon: "Alabama is a better team right now and much more experienced. Illinois rolls out 10 newcomers, including four freshmen who play integral roles, so it’s going to take some time for them to fully gel. The Illini are particularly raw on the defensive end, and Alabama’s quickness rattled them. Illinois got sped up on the offensive end.

"The Tide scored 50 points in the paint, and most of those buckets were on straight line drives. Illinois was okay offensively and they had their moments, but every time they had an opportunity to cut into the Bama lead they couldn’t get a key stop, or they made “freshman” mistakes like a rushed shot or bad pass."

Illinois has been a great team offensively so far this year. Who are the main weapons and where are they most effective?​

Bucshon: "I would qualify that by saying the offensive numbers – and defensive for that matter – are skewed at this point because of the quality of the opponents. Alabama has been the only quality opponent through the first six games. Kenpom.com ranks Illinois #32 nationally in offensive efficiency.

"The spread-motion attack that Brad Underwood uses is designed to get shots from 3-point range or shots at the rim. Other than Will Riley, they don’t take many mid-range shots. They are most effective when the threes are going down, obviously, but the offense has the best flow when they get good spacing and have a balance between threes and points in the paint.
"It may not be a good measuring stick because of the opponent, but Illinois was strong on the offensive glass on Monday night against Little Rock. Illinois had 23 second chance points on 19 offensive rebounds.

"Though multiple players are capable of putting up double-digit points, three first-year players have been the most consistent scorers. Riley comes off the bench to score 17 points per game (more on Riley below). He can go on game-changing heaters. Big man Tomislav Ivisic has an inside-outside game that makes him hard to guard. Point guard Kasparas Jakucionis has mostly scored on drives and in transition, but he’s now starting to heat up from long range."

Speaking of Riley, he has been on a tear to start the season. What can Arkansas do to slow him down?​

Bucshon: "You have to get physical with Riley. If you let him operate in space, he’s a natural scorer at all three levels and a knock-down jump shooter with unlimited range. If you close hard on him, he can put It on the floor going either direction and score on mid-range pull ups. At 6-foot-8, he scores over the top of smaller wings.

"Defenders who have disrupted Riley have put a body on him without fouling and made him try to score through contact. He has a thin build and not a ton of lower body strength, so you can knock him off balance and force him to make tough shots."

​

The Illini have been a great rebounding team, one of the best in the country so far. What makes them so effective on the boards?​

Bucshon: "Size, bulk, and the ability to change directions and track down the basketball. Ivisic and freshman Morez Johnson are the best rebounders, though they have different styles. Ivisic is long at 7-foot-1, he gets good position, and yanks down rebounds against smaller players. Johnson is a bulky space eater who is tenacious tracking down the ball and jumps really well off of two feet.

"Underwood wants his guards to crash the board, so that emphasis has been working well for them. Jakucionis and starting wing Tre White are particularly strong rebounders. White has 19 rebounds in the last two games."

Arkansas and Illinois have a familial connection in the Ivisic brothers. What does Tomislav do well on the floor, and which brother do you think has the better game?​

Bucshon: "All I’ve really seen from Zvonimir is his YouTube highlights, so I’m not intimately familiar with his game. Still, judging by that limited viewing and the stats, the brothers appear to have similar games. Both can score in the post or step out and hit jumpers. They are both excellent passers out of the high post.

"Big Z is stronger at this point and a much better shot blocker; He tops the SEC in block rate. I think Tomislav has a little better footwork on post ups and a smoother baby hook. I would give the edge to Z because he’s more advanced on the defensive end."

How do you see this game playing out?​

Bucshon: "Fans are going to get a good show. It’s going to be a very competitive game that could go either way. It probably simply comes down to which team makes shots. Illinois has a better offense. Arkansas has a better defense.

"Points off of turnovers favor Arkansas. The Illini have been loose with the ball at times. Illinois has the advantage when it comes to rebounding and second chance points. The Hogs are 12th in the SEC in rebounding margin, and Illinois opponents are only rebounding 22% of their misses."

“I’ll be a homer and pick Illinois by a bucket.

Score Prediction: 80-78, Illinois

Showed a pic of Italian Arkies post about the AD.

People are ridiculous and yeah I’m talking to you, the fool on here that did it.

Here ya go @Trips32_10_44

The No. 19 Arkansas Razorbacks (5-2) were served a three-point shot reality check on both ends of the court in a 90-77 loss to the Illinois Fighting Illini on Thanksgiving Day in Kansas City, Missouri.

Three days after cruising to a 109-35 victory over Maryland-Eastern Shore behind 15 three-point makes, the Hoop Hogs shot a measly 5-of-17 from distance against the Illini.

It wasn't until the 17:31 mark in the second half that Arkansas — thanks to 7-foot-2 big man Zvonimir Ivisic — sunk its first three.

"I’ll be honest, getting hit in the mouth like this, you’ve got to play a certain way, and it’s winning basketball," head coach John Calipari said after the game. "We didn’t create enough threes because we didn’t find people, because we’re trying to do it ourselves, and there were opportunities. But when I watch the tape tonight, I’ll have a better idea."

Arkansas' lack of three-point acclaim was a question mark dating back to the offseason, as guard DJ Wagner never found consistent success at Kentucky a year ago and freshman Boogie Fland came in unproven at the collegiate level.

Even Johnell Davis, who cashed in threes at a 41.4% rate for Florida Atlantic in 2023-24, has looked like a shadow of himself to start the season.

That trio shot just 16.7% from three on six attempts against Illinois.

"They played in a way that they stayed out on (Johnell)," Calipari said. "They played that way, but he had six assists because of how they played him, so he played the way the game was being played. There’s going to be games where he has five and six threes because we’re flying up-and-down the court, we’re creating rotations, and he’s the guy that’s open.

"This team played to take away threes, and he did a pretty good job of it. We wanted to go middle pick-and-roll, but they stayed out, and they were saying, I think, the same thing we were saying, ‘you stay on him. Stay out there. You can stunt, but you’re not leaving him’. We left some guys. We’ve just got a lot to… The maturity. The playing, with one thought in mind, how are we playing to win this game. I’m not sure we’re there yet."

The Razorbacks' three-point woes weren't relegated to the offensive side of the ball alone, however, as Illinois bombarded Calipari's club with 15 triples on 31 attempts. Those 15 makes are the most by an Arkansas opponent since Northern Iowa's 17 in 2021.

Time and time again, Arkansas tried to claw back into the game just for the Illini hit a dagger from deep. Illinois big man Tomislav Ivisic, the twin brother of Zvonimir, finished an incredible 6-of-9 in the department.

"We were supposed to be rotating to (Tomislav), and there were two or three times that we do something, he’s there and you’re guarding this guy and you got to rotate up and he’s got to rotate over and we really didn’t," Calipari said. "So again, we got work to do and it’s recognizing that, the biggest thing again is you have a mentality, you get hit in the head, you’re playing to win. You settle down, you don’t shoot threes, you go to the rim, you get fouled."

What makes matters worse is that Illinois' shooting prowess was known coming into the game. Head coach Brad Underwood's squad ranked ninth nationally in three-point makes per possession entering Thursday's bout, but the Razorbacks could never make enough adjustments to cool off the Orange and Blue.

"I mean, we did some good stuff, but you can’t give up 16 threes and expect to win a game," Calipari said. "You can’t. You’re not going to. And I even said prior to the game, a team that’s willing to shoot 30, 35 threes, if they make 20, you’re losing. Then there may be a game they make five and they’re losing. And today, just leaving corners and stuff that my teams don’t do, we did a bunch of it today."

Up next, Arkansas will travel to Coral Gables, Florida, for the SEC-ACC Challenge against the Miami Hurricanes. That game will tip off at 6 or 6:30 p.m. CT and will air on ESPN or ESPN2.

Updates to come ITT. We will see if Cal actually shows up this time.