Arkansas vs Samford: Razorbacks Look to Continue Dominance

The college basketball world turns its attention to Bud Walton Arena this Friday night as the #21 Arkansas Razorbacks (2-1) host the Samford Bulldogs (2-1) in a non-conference showdown. This matchup promises intriguing storylines, from John Calipari's pursuit of another coaching milestone to Samford's high-scoring guard Jadin Booth's quest to continue his torrid start to the season.

Game Details

Tipoff is set for 7:00 PM CT at the 19,200-seat Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville. The game will be televised on SEC Network+, accessible through WatchESPN.com and the ESPN app (subscriber login required). Razorback fans can also listen to the action on the Razorback Sports Network with Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman calling the game.

Team Previews

Arkansas Razorbacks

Under second-year head coach John Calipari, the Razorbacks have shown flashes of brilliance this season. They began with a convincing 109-77 victory over Southern, suffered a narrow 69-66 loss at then #22 Michigan State, and followed that with a dominating 93-56 win over Central Arkansas. Arkansas enters this game ranked #21 in the AP Top 25 and #26 in the KenPom ratings.

The Razorbacks boast a balanced attack with three players averaging double figures, led by freshman Darius Acuff Jr. at 19.7 points per game. What's particularly impressive is that Arkansas is the only school in the nation with two freshmen among the top 15 in total points scored. Acuff ranks fourth with 59 points, while Meleek Thomas is tied for 13th with 54 points in just three games.

Arkansas is favored by 25.5 points according to FanDuel, but they'll need to be at their best as they face a Samford team that has proven capable of pulling off surprises. Forward Trevon Brazile (questionable with minor back spasms) will be a key factor if he can go.

Samford Bulldogs

First-year head coach Lennie Acuff brings his Bulldogs to Fayetteville with a 2-1 record after a challenging start to the season. Samford dropped an 85-72 decision to Tulane but responded with wins over South Carolina State (82-72) and Texas Southern (93-90).

The Bulldogs are led by graduate guard Jadin Booth, who is averaging a nation-best 27.7 points per game. Booth has been incredibly efficient, shooting 48 percent from the field and over 91 percent from the free-throw line. He's also a threat from beyond the arc, making 18 of 37 three-point attempts (48.6%). Against Texas Southern, Booth scored 23 points to go along with nine rebounds.

Booth isn't alone in the backcourt. Keaton Norris had a career-best performance against Texas Southern, finishing with 22 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Freshman Isaiah Campbell-Finch also showed promise with 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting. Samford has hit double-digit threes in every game this season, showcasing their perimeter-oriented attack.

Key Matchups

Arkansas' freshman backcourt of Acuff Jr. and Thomas will face their sternest test yet against Booth and Norris. Can the Razorbacks' young guards contain the Bulldogs' high-scoring duo? On the other end, Samford's defense will be challenged by Arkansas' size and depth in the frontcourt.

Series History

This will be the fourth meeting between the two programs, with Arkansas holding a perfect 3-0 series advantage. The last meeting came on November 10, 2017, when the Razorbacks cruised to a 95-56 victory in Fayetteville. Interestingly, Arkansas is familiar with Samford's new head coach Lennie Acuff, as they defeated his Lipscomb teams in each of the last two seasons.

Coaching Milestone

With Tuesday's win over UCA, John Calipari recorded his 879th career win as an NCAA Division I coach, tying Dean Smith for sixth all-time on the all-time wins list. Coach Cal is just 21 victories away from reaching the 900-win plateau, a milestone only four coaches have achieved.

How to Watch

Fans can catch all the action on SEC Network+ or listen live on the Razorback Sports Network. With Arkansas heavily favored, the question is whether they can cover a large spread against a dangerous Samford team that has already proven it can compete with Power Five opponents.

As always, Bud Walton Arena is expected to be electric as Razorback faithful look to support their team on their quest toward SEC play.