Arkansas Razorbacks Have More Than Themselves Standing in Way of First SEC Road Win

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas Razorbacks will attempt to put a rest to their road woes when they travel to the frozen tundra of Norman, Oklahoma for a Tuesday night SEC showdown.

Coach John Calipari's Hogs have been far from perfect on the road this season. His team has failed to show up much at all when it comes to road games.

An Arkansas team that fiercely defends the ball, plays lose with high energy and runs opponents to the brink has yet to do that on the road consistently enough to win away from Bud Walton Arena. When his team returned home to dominate Vanderbilt last week 93-68, Calipari questioned his team's inconsistent nature.

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. during game against the LSU Tigers at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. | Arkansas Communications

“I don’t know what to tell you,” Calipari said Jan. 20. “Why do we get arrogant, win a game, play well, and then go and just act like the other team’s going to lay down? Are we just looking for the easiest way?

"I don’t want to come in every day ready to play. When you have a chance to be a special team, and individually you have a chance to change your life forever, and you just, ‘I didn’t feel like it today.’ I don’t get it, I don’t understand it.”

Calipari has tinkered with his line-up a bit with veteran guard DJ Wagner coming off the bench while freshman Meleek Thomas, who's come off the bench in the first 18 games, inserted into a starting role.

Then, on a Saturday where No. 21 Georgia fell victim to a second half collapse on the road to Texas, and Auburn pulled of a upset of No. 16 Florida, it certainly made Calipari appreciate the Razorbacks' grit in an 85-81 victory over a fully healthy LSU squad.

"As we were walking down the hall, they told me, 'This team lost, that team lost,'" Calipari said. "A lot of people lost today, because this league is that way. There are no gimmes. And you go on the road, games are hard. Like the next game we have, Oklahoma on the road [Tuesday night] is a really hard game."

Oklahoma Sooners guard Xzayvier Brown (1) drives around South Carolina Gamecocks forward Myles Stute (10) in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

The Sooners have losses to teams such a Gonzaga, Nebraska, and Arizona State in non-conference play, starting SEC play with a 10-3 record. While Porter Moser's team got off on the right foot with a home victory over Ole Miss is the SEC opener, his team is mired in a six-game losing streak after an overtime loss to Missouri where the Tigers hit back-to-back buzzer beaters to come out victorious.

Arkansas will have the challenge of defending St. Joseph's transfer guard Xzayvier Brown, who's one of the best scorers in the SEC. Since the start of conference play, he's upped his game by averaging 18.4 points per game on 45% from the field and 35% from three.

Oklahoma ranks in the Top 60 in college basketball, averaging 84.7 points per game on the season, but score nearly 90 points per game at home. Calipari knows his defense must travel Tuesday night to secure a 6-2 start in SEC play, which would be the Razorbacks best start since 2008 under John Pelphrey.

If the Razorbacks can push the issue with some changes, Calipari's team can come out of the Lloyd Noble Center victorious.

“All I’m talking to these guys about is mindset,” Calipari said on his radio show Monday night. “You are so talented and can chase your dreams but not if you’re not in the right mindset."

Hogs Feed: