Commodores, Razorbacks Open SEC Tourney Tonight

The 2020 SEC Men's Basketball Tournament is now just hours away from tipoff as the Georgia Bulldogs and Ole Miss Rebels will start the proceedings at 6 pm, followed by the Vanderbilt Commodores and Arkansas Razorbacks 25 minutes after the conclusion of the first game of the session.

For the Commodores, winners of two straight to end a tough season, there is hope and optimism that they can find a third consecutive victory and advance to day two. To do so they will have to overcome an Arkansas team that defeated them 75-55 on Jan. 15, in Fayetteville.

Since that time, the Razorbacks have won just five games compared to the COmmodores three, as both teams have struggled down the stretch and both are hopeful of finding a way to play one more day.

Of the eight combined wins between the two teams, both hold victories over LSU and Alabama while the Razorbacks have wins over Missouri, Tennessee, and TCU in that time, while the Commodores have a win over South Carolina last Saturday in that same span.

Perhaps the biggest irony of these two teams is the fact that both teams defeated LSU by the exact same score or 99-90 in their respective wins over the Tigers.

Arkansas enters tonight's game 19-12 overall and 7-11 in SEC play while averaging 75.5 ppg and allowing 69.5 ppg for the season.

All-SEC first-team member Mason Jones leads the Hogs in scoring, tossing down an average of 22.0 ppg, 5.4rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.3 steals, all of which lead the team.

Those are some impressive numbers for a 6'5" guard who is just third in minutes per game for Arkansas, averaging 33.9n minutes per game for Eric Musselman's squad,

The Razorbacks are a guard-oriented team, meaning that the Commodores should matchup with them somewhat better than other teams who have dominating inside players.

Guards Isaiah Joe (16.8), Jimmy Whitt Jr. (14.1), and Desi Sills (10.3) all average double-figures for the Hogs and have the ability to spread teams out defensively and take advantage of their ability to drive to the basket and create easy scoring chances.

Forward Adrio Bailey (6.5 ppg) is the inside presence for Arkansas averaging 23.5 minutes per outing but struggles offensively to be a real factor on that end. He does lead the team in blocked shots, averaging 1.5 per contest.

Vanderbilt will counter with Saben Lee and Scotty Pippen Jr. who both proved they could handle a physical game in their win over South Carolina to cap the regular season. Arkansas is a similarly physical team, so how those two deal with that tonight will be key.

The Commodores must also have offensive production from Maxwell Evans, Dylan Disu and others along with Lee and Pippen Jr. as they must have a balance to have a chance to win and advance to a day-two rematch with South Carolina, who awaits the winner of this one on Thursday.

While the Commodores are an underdog-again- this is a game that with the right effort, some luck and balanced scoring from three or more players, they can win.

The question is, will they?

Playing another day depends on it.

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