FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas will make its annual trip to North Little Rock to face Valparaiso on Saturday (Dec. 21). Tip-off is set for 7 pm.
The Arkansas women’s team will face UALR on Saturday in North Little Rock as well with that game t starting at 1 pm. Simmons Bank Arena will be cleared between games and fans must purchase separate tickets for both contests.
This will be the first time Arkansas has ever faced Valpo.
This will be the 21st time since 1999 Arkansas has played in North Little Rock. The Razorbacks are 11-9 in the previous 20 contests, have won three straight and won six of the last seven.
Arkansas will not play again until Dec. 29 when the Razorbacks are at Indiana. Tip-off for that contest is set for 5 pm (CT).
#23 in First NCAA NET, But #12 RPI, #10 Seed in Bracketology
• Arkansas’ NET was 23 in the first official NCAA NET rankings (Dec. 16).
^ Arkansas’ NET is 2nd-best among SEC schools behind Auburn (7).
^ The rest of the SEC in the NET: 25 Tennessee; 26 LSU; 46 Ole Miss; 58 Kentucky; 73 Missouri; 76 Georgia; 78 Florida 6-3; 90 Mississippi State; 96 Alabama; 99 Vanderbilt; 145 South Carolina and 281 Texas A&M.
• Arkansas has an RPI of 12, up two after a 19-point win over Tulsa. Arkansas’ RPI is better than 10 teams in the top 25, including Virginia, Arizona, Oregon, Tennessee, Butler, Penn State, Memphis, Washington, Michigan and Michigan State.
• ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has the Hogs as a #10 seed, facing Indiana in Spokane of the West Region of the 2020 NCAA Basketball Tournament.
So Far, This is the Worst and the Best Rebounding Year in History
• Arkansas knew all along with the loss of Daniel Gafford (8.7 rpg last season) and no size returning, rebounding was going to be an issue.
• Arkansas ranks 314th NCAA/14th SEC in offensive rebounds per game (7.7 avg).
• Arkansas ranks 271st NCAA/13th SEC in rebounds per game (34.2 avg).
• Arkansas ranks 276th NCAA/13th SEC in rebound margin (-2.2 avg).
• Arkansas ranks 151st NCAA/8th SEC in defensive rebounds per game (26.5 avg) ... BUT SEE BELOW
• THIS IS THE WORST OFFENSIVE REBOUNDING YEAR DATING BACK TO 1986-87*
^ Arkansas gets 7.7 offensive boards while opponents get 26.0 defensive boards.
^ Arkansas gets a program worst 22.9% of available rebounds on the offensive end.
• THIS IS THE BEST DEFENSIVE REBOUNDING YEAR DATING BACK TO 1986-87*
^ Arkansas gets 26.5 defensive boards while opponents get 10.4 offensive boards.
^ Arkansas gets a program-best 71.8% of available rebounds on the defensive end.
* - stat courtesy of HogStats.com - offensive/defensive boards not separated prior to 1986-87
Whitt and Jones Among Guards in NCAA for FG%
• Jimmy Whitt Jr., ranks fifth in the SEC (100th in the NCAA) in field goal percentage (52.9%).
^ Whitt ranks 24th in the NCAA among guards in overall FG% (52.9%).
• Mason Jones ranks ninth in the SEC (131st in the NCAA) in field goal percentage (50.5%).
^ Jones ranks 39th in the NCAA among guards in overall FG% (50.5%).
• However, Jones is shooting an impressive 68.6% (35-of-51) inside the 3-point arc this season.
^ To put his 2-point shooting in perspective, #6 on the NCAA FG% leaders list is 68.6% by 6-11 forward Zeke Nnaji (Arizona).
Joe – in Just 44 Games – is 6 3’s From Career Top 10
• Isaiah Joe went into several record books last season. He set four school records for 3-pointers, two SEC freshman records (while being just the fourth SEC frosh to lead the league 3PT%) and made the fourth-most 3-pointers by a freshman in NCAA history.
• Joe is on the verge of entering the Arkansas career record for 3-pointers made.
^ Joe has made 147 career triples — six shy of 10th (153 by Jonathan Modica (2003-06).
^ Joe has made 147 treys in 44 career games. By comparison, Modica needed 118 games to make his 153.
^ Joe made 113 triples as a freshman and entered the season needing to make just 40 3’s to enter the career top 10.
• Joe makes 39.4% percent of his 3-pointers. At that pace, he would rank ninth in school history.
Isaiah Joe on Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Watch List
• Arkansas sophomore Isaiah Joe was named to the 2020 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award watch list, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today.
• FANS CAN VOTE FOR THEIR FAVORITE PLAYER AT: http://www.hoophallawards.com/men/vote.php
For more information on Arkansas Men’s Basketball, follow @RazorbackMBB on Twitter.