As unbelievable as it may seem, when the #1 Tennessee Volunteers welcome the #23 Arkansas Razorbacks to Knoxville on Saturday, it is one of three SEC matchups featuring a pair of teams ranked in the Top 25. In fact, this showdown between Rick Barnes’ undefeated squad and John Calipari’s uber-talented bunch might prove to be even better than the incoming Oklahoma-Alabama and Kentucky-Florida games.
Undefeated Tennessee Is the Most Dominant Force in the Country
It is a testament to both the talented roster and head coach Rick Barnes that few are shocked to see Tennessee at the top of the rankings as we enter 2025. Powered by veteran point guard Zakai Zeigler, senior leaders Jahmai Mashack and Jordan Gainey, and top transfers Chaz Lanier and Igor Miličić Jr., there is no doubt that Tennessee has a roster built for a championship run.
Zeigler, the undersized dynamo from Long Island, might be in the middle of the best season of his illustrious career. While maintaining his average of around 12 points and 2 steals per game, he has elevated his playmaking to over 8 dimes per contest as well.
ZZ → POTW
• 17 PTS / 15 AST vs. Middle Tennessee
Zakai’s double-double vs. MTSU was the SEC’s first 15-point, 15-assist showing in a regulation non-conference game in the last 20 seasons
— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) December 30, 2024
Lanier was one of the crown jewels of the transfer portal. Coming off of a stellar season with North Florida, Lanier has found the transition to the SEC seamless, putting up gaudy numbers in Volunteer orange. He leads the team in scoring (19.6 points per game), usage rate (26.4), and three-point percentage (45.9%). In their latest game against Norfolk State, Lanier put up 24 points. While not known for being a great defender or terrific playmaker, Lanier can flat-out score at a rate that few players in the country can rival.
Lastly, Miličić is one of the most uniquely-talented players in the nation. From Croatia, he is a model European big complete with ball skills, a deep offensive bag, and ability to score from both inside and out. Although his three-point percentage is down, he is a good jump shooter in addition to being an excellent rebounder. His ability to distribute the ball and also attack off the dribble makes Miličić very difficult to match up with.
emphasis on the Euro
📺 SEC Network+
📲 https://t.co/Yj3ctshVpw pic.twitter.com/YCBYXdjLnW— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) December 31, 2024
While Tennessee poses so many matchup problems on offense, their defense is even better. Rick Barnes always fields stout defensive teams, but this year’s squad is notably great. The Vols are second in the nation in both defensive efficiency and opponent three-point percentage as well as near the top in free throw attempts allowed and offensive rebounds allowed.
The New Era at Arkansas is Off to a Superb Start
When long-time Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari left Lexington for Fayetteville, the expectations for the program were sky-high. So far, Calipari has delivered, amassing a quality roster and off to a winning start.
Calipari’s influence was immediately felt when the Razorbacks stacked up an incredible amount of talent via the transfer portal, including former Wildcats Adou Thiero, DJ Wagner, and Zvonimir Ivisic, Florida Atlantic star Johnell Davis, and, particularly notable for this weekend’s matchup, ex-Tennessee Volunteer Jonas Aidoo. He is returning from an ankle injury but will be ready to go on Saturday. Both Barnes and Zeigler have expressed that they feel no ill-will towards Aidoo, but both parties will certainly be hoping for a memorable night against their old compatriots.
Outside of the transfer portal, Arkansas added another special player this year in the form of freshman Boogie Fland. The 18-year-old has been fantastic, showing standout playmaking chops, creativity in finishing over bigs despite his smaller frame, and excelling on catch-and-shoot opportunities. Widely considered a 1st round selection in the upcoming NBA Draft, Fland is living up to the hype in a big way.
Boogie Fland vs Oakland Tonight…
22 PTS (8-15 FG, 5-8 3PT)
6 AST
2 REBSIs he NBA ready RN, if so what pick we thinking? pic.twitter.com/wj7Tsjrkgt
— Frankie Vision (@Frankie_Vision) December 31, 2024
Arkansas clearly has offensive firepower, but just as Tennessee is, the Razorbacks are a strong defensive team. They are also near the top of three-point percentage against and have three legitimate rim protectors in Aidoo, Ivisic, and Trevon Brazile. Defending the painted area has been a point of pride for Arkansas all season, and Calipari will be hoping his bigs will continue their strong play against Tennessee’s plethora of slashers and inside scorers.
Tennessee and Arkansas Have Handled Ranked Opponents Differently
Interestingly, both Tennessee and Arkansas have faced Baylor and Illinois this year. Currently ranked #25, the Bears defeated the Razorbacks before losing to the Volunteers. The Illini, currently ranked 22nd, were also able to overcome Arkansas but not Tennessee.
Baylor was able to achieve a wire-to-wire win over Calipari’s team, something that rarely happens to the legendary coach. The Bears started strong and controlled the pace and flow of the game throughout, something they were unable to do against UT. After a lightning start from Lanier in particular, the Vols led by as many as 27 and cruised to victory.
Chaz Lanier had himself a night against Baylor. 🔥🔥
– 25 PTS
– 7-10 3PM (70%)
– 4 REB
– 2 STL pic.twitter.com/kbO75k1MOD
— CBB Analytics (@CBBAnalytics) November 23, 2024
Where Illinois had an excellent offensive performance against the Razorbacks, scoring 90 points on almost 53% from the floor as a team, they were stifled by the Volunteers, shooting a miserable 29.4%. Outside of superstar freshman Kasparas Jakucionis, few players were able to get going. Despite the offensive struggles, the team from Knoxville needed a game-winner from Gainey to defeat Illinois by a score of 66-64. In the defensive battle, Tennessee was able to generate enough easy baskets late to win despite shooting under 30% from the floor as a team. Meanwhile, in a high-scoring affair, Arkansas found themselves unable to buckle down on the defensive end and generate enough stops to get the score close.
Illinois NEVER trailed Arkansas today 👀
Freshman Kasparas Jakucionis went for 23-6-5 🔥pic.twitter.com/EiV7HlnYPL
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) November 28, 2024
These two results show us what might be the keys to the game on Saturday: starting fast will be paramount for both sides, and despite both teams having plenty of playmakers to score tough shots, whichever team can keep it simple and efficient on offense down the stretch will be favored to come out on top. The SEC will continue to serve up amazing games throughout the year, but this opening weekend of conference play is sure to be an unmissable afternoon.
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