On paper, this should be a blowout win for the Razorbacks, but we know what "on paper" means: nothing.
The Arkansas Razorbacks host the LSU Tigers on Saturday as the SEC basketball season winds toward the final week of January. On paper, this should be a very easy win for the Hogs, who have been dominant in Bud Walton Arena this season and have hammered weak teams on their home floor in Fayetteville. You might be sitting here and saying, "Come on now, this won't be a cliffhanger." Intellectually and on merit, you're probably right.
Yet, as strong as Arkansas has been at home, let's consider the point that UA has struggled to put together consecutive good games on a consistent basis in SEC play.
Won at Ole Miss. Lost at Auburn. Won against South Carolina. Lost at Georgia. Won against Vanderbilt. You can say -- correctly -- that the losses to Auburn and Georgia were on the road. However, it remains that Arkansas has not put together two straight elite games in recent weeks. That's a fact, Jack. Home and road assignments have played a part in that, but basketball is basketball no matter the arena or environment, and Arkansas should not have this hard a time stringing together two (let alone three) good efforts.
It's time to back up one really good game against Vanderbilt with another one against LSU.
The other point of emphasis surrounding this game is that the Vanderbilt contest was an emotional, high-energy game. This LSU game is a hangover/letdown situation, so it's important for the starters to come roaring out of the gate, build a solid lead, and enable the backups and bench players to get substantial minutes. This is a game in which Darius Acuff should not have to play more than 30 minutes. It's a game in which the Arkansas starting five should play comparatively fewer minutes so that the team can find its legs and stay fresh going into the next few weeks.
Teams that win easily save their starters for March Madness. Teams which win with great difficulty and keep their starters on the court for 35-38 minutes in the middle of the season can run out of steam at tournament time and not position themselves to play their best basketball at the most important time of year.
It matters that Arkansas doesn't merely beat LSU, but thumps the Tigers so that the Hogs minimize the stress and strain on their most important players and create a reality which is conducive to making a robust SEC championship run against Florida, Alabama, and other SEC basketball contenders.