Head basketball coach Mike Anderson discusses the upcoming road game against Auburn this Wednesday at a press conference, Monday, Feb. 11. (Photo by Addison Morgan)

The first full week in February could not have been more of a roller coaster ride for Arkansas basketball.

A monumental high in beating No. 2 Florida was short lived after another tough road loss at Vanderbilt. Mike Anderson and the Hogs can only focus on the future, which happens to be another road game at Auburn Wednesday.

The two teams met once so far this year Jan. 16 in a double-overtime thriller, the Hogs eventually prevailing 88-80. That game was a turning point in the Tigers’ season, as they went on to lose six of their next seven and now sit at 9-14 (3-7) in the SEC.

Arkansas’ loss at Vanderbilt was as puzzling a loss the team has had all season. The Hogs saw a season low in points with 49, a season low in field goal percentage at 30 percent and Marshawn Powell being a non-factor because of foul trouble. All against a Vanderbilt team they beat by 23 points in Bud Walton Arena nearly a month ago.

Another loss is now in the past, and Mike Anderson made it clear what he wants to see from his team Wednesday.

“More than anything else, you’ve got to be consistent for 40 minutes,” Anderson said.

Defense and taking care of the basketball have been focal points in road game preparation, two things the Hogs have done well in Bud Walton Arena but somehow aren’t capable of on the road.

For the Hogs to get their first road win, Powell needs to play a substantial role in Arkansas’ game plan. Powell only played 17 minutes against Vanderbilt after early foul trouble, and finished with five points on only four field goal attempts. Powell had his second best scoring night of the season against Auburn in January, finishing with 28 points and 11 rebounds.

As the Razorbacks’ most dependable scoring threat, Powell needs to play well and show leadership at Auburn to improve the team’s confidence. As the Hogs fought back against Vanderbilt in the second half, Powell reached in on a drive to the basket to pick up his fourth foul, sending him back to the bench and taking the wind out of Arkansas’ sails for the rest of the game.

“He’s got to be smart enough to know when and when not (to foul) especially with the kind of fouls he’s getting,” Anderson said.

BJ Young also needs to show more consistency, after going scoreless in the second half against Vanderbilt. He has good competition at Auburn with Frankie Sullivan and Chris Denson, two upperclassmen guards leading the Tigers’ scoring threat.

Auburn’s second leading scorer Denson missed the first matchup against the Hogs this season with a stress fracture, but has proved he’s a threat with a 15 point performance against Kentucky Feb. 9.

“He gets to the free throw line, and he’s very aggressive,” Anderson said. “He gives them more depth.”

The only road win for the Razorbacks last season was at Auburn Feb. 25, 2012, as Arkansas ventured into Auburn Arena and came away with a 77-71 victory. Anderson made it clear that the two teams facing off this year aren’t the same as in the past, but hopes that last year’s win gives the guys a confidence advantage.

“Maybe those guys can reach back on those memories,” Anderson said.

According to Anderson, consistency on both ends of the court can put the Hogs over the hump and get their first road victory at Auburn.

Michael Qualls dunks the ball at the Arkansas v. Florida game, Tuesday, Feb. 5 at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas defeated Florida 80-69. (Photo by Logan Webster)

Payback was in order as Arkansas upset the No. 2 team in the country in Bud Walton Arena Tuesday for the first time in 14 years.

As the Hogs protected their home turf to remain undefeated at home in SEC play, Florida was handed their first conference loss of the season 80-69. The Hogs win over Florida was the team’s first victory over a No. 2 ranked team in 14 years.

Revenge was on the mind of the Razorbacks, who got throttled by Florida in Bud Walton Arena last season 98-68. This year’s matchup couldn’t have been more of an opposite outcome, as the Hogs were the better team in almost every aspect.

The Gators didn’t trail by more than 11 points all season, but trailed by 27 at one point against the Hogs. The energy was electric with the No. 2 team in the nation in the building, and head coach Mike Anderson said his players fed off of that energy. The crowd presence was felt after three Hogs three pointers to start the game, and Arkansas never let off the gas pedal from there.

“The game ball goes to our fans, this place was lively tonight, and it brought back a lot of memories for myself. Just seeing our fans so engaged in the game,” Anderson said.

Florida had plenty of good looks on offense, but for a team shooting 49 percent from the field on the year just didn’t make enough down the stretch to come back against Arkansas. Gators’ leading scorer Kenny Boynton struggled after exploding for 25 points against the Hogs last season, virtually being a non-factor this year and finishing with 10 points.

The Hogs simply played their style of basketball, a style with lots of energy on the defensive side that led to easy points on the other end. Florida only had seven players play significant minutes and all the running exhausted the Gators and showed their issues with depth, making a comeback highly unlikely.

Florida had beaten conference opponents by an average of 25 points per game, and had the nation’s second best total defense, only giving up 51 points per game. The Gators had no chance of stopping Arkansas’ attack, eventually surrendering a season high 80 points on 49 percent shooting.

“Clearly we did not play the level of defense that we have played; they made some shots early in the game that got themselves going,” said Florida head coach Billy Donovan.

It was a collaborative effort on offense for the Razorbacks, as eight players finished with seven or more points, including a 13-point performance from BJ Young and 11 points from both Marshawn Powell and Michael Qualls.

Arkansas came into this matchup being the undersized team, but held their own on the boards against a Florida team that rebounds very well.

“Coach has put so much emphasis on rebounding in the game and practice,” Powell said.

With Anderson and the Razorbacks earning their signature win of 2013, the team now goes back on the road Saturday against Vanderbilt. Arkansas (14-8, 5-4 SEC) is still looking for its first road win of the season.

The Gators are coming off a 78-64 victory over No. 16 Ole Miss Saturday and are 8-0 in SEC play, outscoring opponents by an average of 26.5 points per game.

“They are arguably the best team in the country,” Anderson said. “We get the ultimate challenge of playing them here at Bud Walton Arena.”

Last season, Florida came to Fayetteville and beat the Razorbacks 98-68, led by Erving Walker, who had 31 points and five assists.

“Last year’s game wasn’t a fun game,” Anderson said. “Hopefully we can perform a little better. I think we’re a better team than we were last year.”

While Walker graduated after last season, the Gators still have a deep roster, with four players averaging more than 10 points per game.

Senior guard Kenny Boynton leads the way with 13.4 points per game and 3.4 assists per game. Senior forward Erik Murphy, senior guard Mike Rosario and junior center Patric Young also average double figures, with 12.9, 12.1 and 11.1 points per game, respectively.

“When you’re talking about their basketball team, you’re talking about their total team,” Anderson said. “We have our hands full, but our guys are looking forward to it.”

Of those four players, Anderson is most impressed with Murphy.

“He can go in and post up, throw up some nice hook shots and can also step away from the basket and really shoot the ball well,” Anderson said.

For Arkansas to have a chance against Florida, their “defense has to be at an all-time high,” Anderson said.

“You have to pick your poison,” Anderson said. “What are you going to cut off? We can’t let them have open shots.”

“Our defense has been good sometimes, but it needs to be really good all the time against Florida,” Anderson said.

Another key for the Razorbacks will be their bench play. Tonight will be their third game in six days. Thursday they fell to Alabama 59-56 and Saturday they beat Tennessee 73-60.

“With so many games in six days, I think it’s going to be important that guys come off the bench and give us great energy,” Anderson said.

Despite coming off the bench to score 25 points against Tennessee, sophomore guard BJ Young is still “considered a starter,” Anderson said.

Arkansas is 4-0 at home in SEC play this season, winning by an average margin of 17.5 points per game.

“(Playing Florida) is an opportunity to showcase our basketball team and showcase Bud Walton Arena,” Anderson said. “We want to come out and defend our home court.”

The Razorbacks face the Gators tonight at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

Rashad Madden pressures the Tennessee defense at the Arkansas v. Tennessee game, Saturday, Feb. 2. The win over the Vols pulled the Razorbacks to 4-4 in the SEC, with each win coming in Bud Walton Arena. (Photo by Ryan Miller)

After two consecutive road losses, the Arkansas Razorbacks returned to the ever-friendly confines of Bud Walton Arena to beat Tennessee with ease, 73-60.

The Hogs were led by sophomore BJ Young, who had 25 points on the night.

Tennessee and Arkansas look the same on paper: teams that are winless on the road but play a higher level of basketball on their home court. The Hogs proved they were the better team, scoring 46 bench points and playing their successful style of up tempo basketball.

Michael Qualls earned his first start of the season, and the freshman guard didn’t disappoint. After a good outing against Alabama, the 6 foot 5 inch Qualls was a mismatch for the Vols, playing bigger than his actual size by grabbing 11 rebounds and scoring seven points in 32 minutes of playing time.

“I thought the injection of Michael Qualls into the lineup really gave us a high energy level, his energy was contagious,” head coach Mike Anderson said.

With Qualls and Coty Clarke in the starting lineup, typical starters Hunter Mickelson and Young were able to provide a big impact off the bench.

Mickelson was 5-8 from the field with 10 points and five rebounds, and Young finished with 25 points, including 2-3 shooting from beyond the arc. Having only made two three pointers in SEC play prior to playing Tennessee, Young was confident in his game against the Vols.

“I was able to go back to my role from last year and just come in and do my thing and play with a chip on my shoulder, our whole team played with a chip on their shoulder,” Young said.

Tennessee was able to keep within 10 most of the second half, thanks to sophomore Jarnell Stokes’ play around the basket. Stokes, a former five star recruit who infamously chose Tennessee over Arkansas last winter, finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds against the Hogs in his first game at Bud Walton Arena.

However, the Vols’ leading scorer Jordan McRae had a tough outing, shooting 2-11 from the field and finishing with six points before fouling out.

“When (McRae) shot it, we were right there with him. Our guys were linked up defensively,” Anderson said.

Marshawn Powell finished with 12 points in limited minutes because of foul trouble, and the Razorbacks as a whole were able to dominate a bigger Tennessee team in the paint, outscoring the Vols 42-28 in the box.

Pushing the ball down the court was key late in the first half, as the Hogs were able to force turnovers and finish at the rim on the other end of the court. Anderson preached the more shot attempts the better in the “fastest 40” that the Hogs play, and the hogs shot nearly 50 percent from the field.

Arkansas is 10-0 when shooting above 45 percent from the field, and that high-percentage take-it-to-the-basket mindset will be key for the Hogs moving forward.

Next up, the Hogs host No. 4 Florida Tuesday, their third game in six days. Florida has been dominant so far in SEC Play, going a perfect 8-0 while beating conference foes by more than 25 points per game on average, while Arkansas will look to stay undefeated in conference play at Bud Walton Arena.

“They’re a real good team and we just want to go out and execute against them,” Qualls said.

Men’s basketball head coach Mike Anderson met with the media Tuesday to discuss Thursday’s matchup with the Alabama Crimson Tide. (Photo by Mary McKay)

The men’s basketball team is winless outside the state of Arkansas, but head coach Mike Anderson said he thinks his team can get their first road win tomorrow night in his home state.

Anderson, a graduate of Jackson Olin High in Alabama, will lead Arkansas against the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa for a rare Thursday night game.

The Crimson Tide have the same overall record as the Razorbacks, 12-7, but are one game ahead in SEC play, with a 4-2 record.

“Alabama is a team that’s playing pretty good basketball right now,” Anderson said. “It’s going to be a big challenge for our basketball team.”

They are led by a pair of guards, junior Trevor Releford and sophomore Trevor Lacey. Releford is averaging 16.1 points per game and Lacey is averaging 12.1 points per game.

“(Releford) is a real key to their basketball team, as well as a guy like Lacey, who has really hit some incredible shots for them,” Anderson said.

In order to have success against them, Arkansas must keep Releford out of the lane, Anderson said.

“He’s a real clever basketball player and he’s like a little coach out on the floor,” Anderson said. “It seems like when he’s playing well, they play well.”

Despite early struggles, Alabama has started to “find their niche” offensively, Anderson said. In SEC play, they are shooting 40.2 percent from three-point range.

Last season, senior guard Andrew Steele accumulated 26 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists in two games against Arkansas, proving to be an “x-factor,” Anderson said.

For the Razorbacks, junior forward Marshawn Powell is averaging 16.7 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game, but Anderson said the rest of the team needs to step up.

“Powell has been a one-man wrecking force for us,” Anderson said. “He’s had career highs in scoring and in rebounds, so he’s showing that leadership we talk about. Now it’s important for other guys to help him. He can’t do it by himself.”

Junior Coty Clarke and freshman Jacorey Williams will also be returning to their home state. Both forwards played high school basketball in Birmingham.

“They’re going to be excited,” Anderson said. “The key is to make sure we funnel that energy in the right way.”

Anderson said he thinks Williams will play a lot more during this six-day stretch in which the Razorbacks travel to Alabama and play at home against Tennessee and No. 4 Florida.

“I think he’s a tough matchup,” Anderson said. “His versatility can cause problems for people.”

Arkansas must be prepared to face Alabama’s “mid-tempo” style of play, as well as their pressure defense, Anderson said.

“We have to make plays and make shots,” Anderson said. “If we do that and play for 40 minutes, we’ll be in a good position.”

The game is set to tip-off at 8 p.m. and will air on ESPN2.

The Razorbacks handily defeated the Missippi State Bulldogs Thursday before falling on the road to the South Carolina Gamecocks. (Photo by Mary McKay)

The road woes continued for the Hogs Saturday, as they fell 75-54 to the South Carolina Gamecocks at Colonial Life Arena.

“It was a tough day at the office today,” head coach Mike Anderson said. “South Carolina did what they had to do. We didn’t shoot well and didn’t rebound well and they were a little bit tougher. You have to score on the road and you have to have good ball movement, and I thought that we settled for jump shots.”

Junior Marshawn Powell led the team with a game-high 22 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in the losing effort. Powell also recorded another game-high three blocked shots and one steal to assist Arkansas’ defensive effort.

Junior guard Rickey Scott also finished the game with nine points off a 3-of-9 shooting effort. Arkansas went into the game winning three of its last four games, although it had dropped both league contests on the road.

Arkansas forced South Carolina into 18 turnovers, while only committing nine of their own and was able to score 26 points off the 18 forced turnovers. Arkansas also picked up 10 steals in the loss.

Arkansas’ leading scorer coming, BJ Young, was held to seven points, nine fewer than his average, on 3 of 12 shooting.

The Hogs got off to a quick start jumping out to a 15-3 lead by the 15:29 mark. Scott hit a deep 3-pointer to push the Arkansas lead to 12. The Gamecocks roared back in a big way scoring 40 points in the latter portion of the first half.

Arkansas only managed 11 points during the same stretch, and entered the locker room with a 17-point deficit. The Gamecocks were 7-of-10 behind the three point line and also shot 58.6 percent from the floor. Arkansas struggled mightily from three, only managing a 2-of-16 afternoon.

In the second half, the Razorbacks were unable to convert a 4-point run by Powell into momentum against the Gamecocks who were shooting 57 percent from the field. The Gamecocks advanced their 14-point lead to close out the game by a margin of 21.

South Carolina was led by Brian Richardson, who finished with 20 points, six rebounds and two assists. The Gamecocks ended up 7-of-12 from three, 57.7 percent from the field, and pulled down 36 boards to the Hogs 26.

It was South Carolina’s first 20-point SEC victory since beating Mississippi State 83-61 on Feb. 11, 2006. The Gamecocks were 2-14 in the SEC last year, leading to the dismissal of coach Darrin Horn and the hiring of Martin from Kansas State. Martin displayed his intense nature on the sidelines of the court Saturday, guiding his team to a relatively easy victory over the Hogs.

The Razorbacks will look to end their road woes as they continue play Thursday against the Alabama Crimson Tide. The game will be carried on ESPN2 at 8 p.m.

“We played as a unit tonight, and at times it felt like there was more than five of us out there,” said junior Fred Gulley.

There was certainly a mismatch from the start, as the Bulldogs only played eight players on a depleted roster. The Razorback’s depth was key to putting them away, as Marshawn Powell, BJ Young, Coty Clarke and Jacorey Williams were all able to score in double figures against Mississippi State.

The Hogs started off the game in an up tempo attack, and never really let off the gas pedal. The starting lineup played well for the first few minutes of the game, despite BJ Young not being in the starting lineup for the first time this season. Rashad Madden started in place of him, and the starters were able to jell and make good passes to get open shots early. The team finished with 27 assists, tying their season high in that category.

“Offensively we were unselfish and defensively we were unselfish,” said head coach Mike Anderson.

The point guard Gulley had five of those assists, as well as five points and two steals. Gulley got the start for the fourth game in a row, showing good ball movement and a steady hand at the point that helped the offense flow.

“He is just kind of finding his niche with the basketball team,” Anderson said.

Mississippi State was able to keep it 23-21 with around seven minutes in the first half, but eventually wore down and simply couldn’t handle Arkansas in the paint. BJ Young took some time to heat up, but had seven straight points late in the first half to pad the lead to 42-33 by halftime.

Freshmen MSU guards Fred Thomas and Craig Sword played well early, but ultimately had trouble with the Arkansas pressure. The two finished with a combined 27 points, but also had 15 turnovers between them.

“We can’t give up 96 points in a ball game and expect to have any success,” said MSU head coach Rick Ray.

The second half was more of a dunk contest for the Hogs, as they continued to force turnovers that led to fast break points. Time after time, Arkansas was able to convert turnovers into fast break points. Powell and Young, the Hogs’ scoring leaders, played limited minutes in the second half, opening the stage for some of the younger guys. Coty Clarke played well as usual off the bench, shooting 5-5 from the field for 13 points.

Anderson talked in his press conference Monday about how he wanted to get freshmen Michael Qualls and Anthlon Bell more involved, and was able to do so against the Bulldogs for most of the second half. Qualls finished with five points in 15 minutes of play, including a highlight-reel dunk in the second half. Bell, a long range specialist, finished 3-5 from beyond the arc for five points. Forward Jacorey Williams also played well in the second half, finishing with 10 points.

The Razorbacks are now 12-6 (3-2 in the SEC) and hoping for much of the same on Saturday at South Carolina, where they will hope to come away with their first SEC road win of the season.

“We are looking forward to what we did tonight and taking it on the road,” Gulley said.

Head coach Mike Anderson met with the media Monday to talk abou the upcoming matchup against the Mississippi State Bulldogs 8p.m. Wednesday at Bud Walton Arena. (Photo by Mary McKay)

After last Saturday’s loss at Ole Miss, Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson is trying to make sure all areas of his basketball team are squeaky clean.

“Its amazing, we clean up one area in terms of defending and rebounding and then we didn’t take care of the ball, and I think that really cost us in the Ole Miss game,” Anderson said.

Indeed, the Hogs were able to hang in the rebounding and field goal percentage categories with Ole Miss, but gave away a season-high 19 turnovers to the Rebels. Arkansas was able to hang close at some points, but ultimately couldn’t get defensive stops down the stretch against red-hot Ole Miss, who prevailed 76-64 to go 4-0 in conference play for the first time since the 1936-37 season.

“Even with seven minutes to go it was a seven-point game, and at that time we got to make stops, and we didn’t make the appropriate stops,” Anderson said.

Despite another aggravating road loss, Southeastern Conference play continues on as Arkansas hosts Mississippi State in Bud Walton Arena on Wednesday. The Bulldogs are 7-9 (2-2 in SEC play) and have been undermanned and undersized all season. They have only 10 players on the roster, none of whom stand above 6 feet 9 inches. Junior Jalen Steele is the Bulldogs leading scorer at 11.1 points per game, and freshman Gavin Ware is their biggest post player and leading rebounder, averaging 7.1 rebounds a game.

Marshawn Powell talked about how getting MSU’s big men in foul trouble would be a priority for the Razorbacks early in the game.

“The quicker we do that the better, it gives us more advantage we would have on the inside for the rest of the game,” said Powell.

Powell and Hunter Mickelson both had success in the paint against Ole Miss, combining for 26 points and 12 rebounds on Saturday. Keeping up that level of play could be the determining factor against undersized MSU, who will have to rely mostly on outside shooting as it is.

Anderson made it clear that the team has the chance to play guys off the bench against Mississippi State. Jacorey Williams, Coty Clarke, Ky Madden and Kikko Haydar continue to see increased minutes, and Anderson feels that the Hogs bench depth will be a strength heading further into SEC play. Michael Qualls and Anthlon Bell are also two options Anderson would like to see going forward.

“I want to see more guys get involved to really get that tempo up and hopefully get the point production up,” Anderson said.

Anybody who has watched the Hogs play this year know that, like last year, they have struggled on the road, where they have been unable to play the same level of basketball that they do in Bud Walton Arena.

“That’s part of the progression of this team, you try and fix certain areas,” Anderson said.

Playing a more wholesome style of basketball is all that the Razorbacks need, and Anderson is making sure the team is constantly taking steps toward the goal of doing everything the right way.

Junior Marshawn Powell scores against an Auburn defender in the double overtime win Wednesday night. Powell scored 28 of the Razorbacks’ 88 points. It was the first double overtime in Bud Walton Arena and the first for Arkansas in an SEC game. (Photo by Logan Webster)

It took two extra periods to decide, but the Arkansas Razorbacks men’s basketball team were able to hold off Auburn in double overtime to win 88-80.

Marshawn Powell finished with 28 points and 11 rebounds, while BJ Young added 22 points on 8-16 shooting, including a clutch three in the second overtime period to seal Auburn’s fate. The game goes down as the first ever double overtime game at bud walton arena, and Arkansas’ first one to participate in since joining the SEC.

The two teams went back and forth for the majority of the game, with nine different lead changes in 50 minutes of basketball. Arkansas played very good defense in the first half, forcing 10 turnovers in the well-executed full court press by getting Auburn to make poor passes. Those turnovers were enough to Give the Hogs a 34-27 lead at halftime.

However, the Tigers were able to make second half adjustments to help beat the full court pressure, thus resulting in many open looks on the perimeter. Auburn ended up shooting a very accurate 11 for 25 from beyond the 3-point line, matching their best effort of the season in that category.

Arkansas was able to keep up, as Marshawn Powell also was able to heat up in the second half scoring 21 of his 28 points in the second half and overtime periods.

Auburn forward Rob Chubb was greeted by Arkansas students holding prints of his mugshot, and responded to the hostility pretty well. The senior Chubb finished with 12 points after going 0-5 for zero points last season against the Hogs in Fayetteville.

Auburn’s other impact senior Frankie Sullivan had a great night as well. Sullivan, their leading scorer, averaging 17.2 points per game, only scored three points in the first half. But he went on a tear early in the second, making three after three to keep Auburn very much in the game. Sullivan cooled off late in overtime, but finished with 26 points.

“He was hitting deep shots, he was taking two or three steps back and taking them. That’s what big time players do for their team.” said Wade about Sullivan.

Both teams struggled from the charity stripe, as Arkansas missed a few at the end of regulation and the first overtime that were costly. The Hogs finished 20 for 33 from the free throw line, while Auburn shot 7 for 17.

The Hogs were able to keep it interesting by not hitting free throws, as Mardracus Wade missed two with 13.4 remaining to keep it a one-possession game. On the next auburn possession, the Tigers were able to get a rebound off a missed three that set up an Allen Payne trey by Auburn that sent the game to overtime.

Aside from those free throws, Wade was a key contributor in the overtime periods, making three free throws and a three that helped extend the game into the second overtime. Wade took the majority of the minutes late in the game at a guard spot in place of Ricky Scott, and finished with 12 points in 35 minutes.

“Hes starting to find his rhythm, the quicker he finds his rhythm the better we’re gonna be,” said Marshawn Powell about Wade.

The game was sealed with a 3-pointer by Young that put the Hogs up by six with 26 seconds remaining in the second overtime. Young finished with 22 points and was a key component late in the game.

The win moves Arkansas to 11-5 (2-1) in the SEC, as Auburn drops to 8-8 (2-1) in the SEC.

“Typically we say 40 minutes, it took 50 minutes tonight,” head coach Mike Anderson said.

“We want to build some momentum and continue to play that harassing style of defense,” head coach Mike Anderson said at a press conference, monday, Jan. 14. (Photo by Ryan Miller)

After defeating Vanderbilt 56-33 for the first Southeastern Conference victory of the season last Saturday, UA head coach Mike Anderson  wants to focus on shutting down key players in the home matchup against Auburn Wednesday.

The Tigers will come into Bud Walton Arena with an 8-7 overall record and a perfect 2-0 record in SEC play.

“They’re putting it together at the right time,” Anderson said. “In basketball, there are no surprises to me anymore. Fans may look at a team’s nonconference schedule, but as coaches, we look at the personnel they have.”

Senior guard Frankie Sullivan leads the Tigers with 17.2 points per game. Last season, Sullivan scored 25 points in two games against Arkansas.

“We’re very familiar with Sullivan,” Anderson said. “He’s a dynamic scorer and a fifth-year senior, so his leadership is important for his team.”

Rob Chubb has also been “playing extremely well” for Auburn down low, Anderson said, averaging 9.7 points per game and a team-leading 7.9 rebounds per game.

While Anderson is not happy with his team’s recent offensive performance, he is not worried about it. Despite only scoring 51 points and 56 points against Texas A&M and Vanderbilt, respectively, he believes they will turn it around.

“We just haven’t made shots,” Anderson said. “I thought we’ve had some good looks; we just haven’t knocked them down.”

Sophomore guard BJ Young is averaging 17.1 points per game and junior forward Marshawn Powell is averaging 14.3 points per game. However, no other player is averaging over 7.4 points per game.

“We have to have a third and fourth scorer,” Anderson said. “Our team is built on balance, so we have to have some guys step up.”

He points to freshman guard Anthlon Bell as a player who could step into a larger scoring role. Bell is only averaging 4.3 points per game, but Anderson said he has been practicing well and needs to transfer it into games.

“I think Anthlon Bell is a guy that’s about to burst onto the scene,” Anderson said. “He puts himself in position to take good shots.”

Defensively, the Razorbacks are coming off of their best defensive performance of the season, holding Vanderbilt to only 33 points, their fewest points allowed in a game since joining the SEC.

This bodes well for Arkansas, as Auburn plays a similar “mid-tempo” style of basketball, Anderson said.

“We want to build some momentum and continue to play that harassing style of defense,” Anderson said.

Although only 11,526 fans attended the Vanderbilt game, Anderson expects the crowd for the Auburn game to be larger because UA students are back in class.

“More than anything else, I like the energy of the crowd,” Anderson said. “They’re very vocal.”

The Razorbacks and Tigers tip off at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Bud Walton Arena.