Arkansas Razorbacks Might be Without Two Key Players Against Mississippi State

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas has struggled over the years at Humphrey Colesium when playing Mississippi State on the road.

In fact, the Razorbacks are only 7-24 when facing the Bulldogs in Starkville with the last win coming in Feb. 2015 when Bobby Portis led the Hogs to a 61-41 victory on the strength of his 19 points and 11 rebounds. It doesn't seem to be getting any easier Saturday as key guards DJ Wagner and Karter Knox are considered doubtful, according to the SEC's availability report.

Each has experienced disappointing starts to the season after being instrumental pieces to Arkansas' run to the NCAA Tournament and Sweet 16 following a 1-6 start to SEC play last season. The Razorbacks are tied for No. 3 in the conference standings this season though, but have been a hard team to get a read on lately.

Arkansas Razorbacks guard DJ Wagner drives for a layup against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Sweet 16. | Michael Morrison-Hogs on SI Images

With double-digit losses on the road at Auburn and Georgia, the Razorbacks were in need of some form of veteran leadership that Wagner or Knox could've contributed. However, they combined for a total of 16 points and four turnovers over a total of roughly 77 minutes of playing time between the two.

On the season, Wagner's production has been slashed in half, averaging a shade over seven points, two assists, one rebound and one steal per game. He hasn't been as assertive without the ball in his hands as much since the offense began flowing through freshman guard Darius Acuff early in the season.

Selflessly, Wagner has allowed Acuff to flourish even if his personal game has taken a setback. He is averaging just five points, two assists and one rebound in SEC play while making just 38% of his attempts from the field and only 23% from three.

For Knox, the sophomore's struggles have been well documented by coach John Calipari this season. He was expected to take a massive leap forward, which simply hasn't happened.

Although his stat line mirrors what he averaged last season, Knox played at a much higher level in the latter of 2025 when he was arguably one of the Razorbacks' go-to option for offense alongside Nelly Davis.

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Karter Knox talks with coach John Calipari on the sidelines against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Ark. | Ted McClenning-allHOGS Images

He scored in double figures in 9-of-12 games down the stretch while averaging 12 points on 56% from the field and a scorching 42% from three on 14-of-33 attempts from deep.

With both Wagner and Knox likely missing Saturday's game, that limits Calipari's rotation significantly, especially in the Razorbacks' backcourt. That will force Acuff and fellow freshmen guard Meleek Thomas to play a heavy load of minutes with Billy Richmond being inserted into the starting line-up to cover for Knox.

Another true freshman who hasn't played a whole lot in SEC play will be small forward Isaiah Sealy. The Springdale native has played just 10 minutes across three appearances in SEC play, scoring just one bucket against Auburn in January.

One other backcourt option for the Razorbacks includes sophomore Jaden Karuletwa. The 6-foot-5 former walk-on has only appeared in two SEC games this season during garbage time in wins over Vanderbilt and South Carolina.

If the Razorbacks plan on notching their first win in Starkville since 2015, they will need a perfect game played by a limited rotation. That type of soul searching is something Calipari has been searching for in his team seemingly all season.

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