Arkansas should be expected to defeat A&M convincingly. Now the Hogs have to go out and get the job done
Arkansas basketball hosts Texas A&M on Wednesday. Note the fact that this is a Wednesday game. Arkansas hasn't played many Wednesday SEC games this season. Last week's Wednesday road game in Alabama was a rarity. Now the Hogs have a Bud Walton home game on a Wednesday, also a rare occurrence. This detail might seem meaningless, but it matters on a few levels.
First of all, UA's win over Missouri on Saturday came after that Wednesday game against Bama. That was a physically demanding game for the Arkansas starters who played extended minutes versus the Crimson Tide. It's important that Arkansas gets an extra day off after Saturday. The Hogs should be grateful they are getting more time to recuperate against Texas A&M. If this was a Tuesday night game, it would have been another rough turnaround.
The other point about this Wednesday slot -- and why it matters -- is that with Arkansas facing Florida on Saturday, February 28, the Razorbacks urgently need to make this A&M game a low-stress occasion. The Hogs need to bury the Aggies, win this game easily, empty the bench with plenty of minutes left in regulation, and essentially do everything in their power to ensure the roster isn't overly taxed heading into Gainesville on the upcoming weekend. Winning is priority one, but winning easily is priority 1-B. It's urgent for Arkansas to make this as smooth a ride as possible so that the team has a real chance to win at Florida and make that one final push for an SEC title.
Texas A&M is more likely than not to reach the NCAA Tournament. Bucky McMillan has done a really good job with the Aggies since coming over from Samford. The Aggies have overachieved relative to preseason expectations surrounding them. However, A&M punched above its weight in January and has come down to earth in February. This is probably an NCAA Tournament team, but it is not a high-end team and it is not as good as Arkansas is.
With the Hogs being rested, at home, and mindful of the need to be efficient, UA should be able to win this game going away. Now we get to find out if John Calipari's team can remain focused and can maintain the high offensive standard it has consistently set in SEC home games in Fayetteville this season.
Arkansas will get to play Florida soon enough. The Razorbacks can't look ahead, however. A&M comes first.