Missouri’s Explosive Offense Meets Resurgent Arkansas

The No. 15 Missouri Tigers (20-6, 9-4 SEC) have turned the page on last season’s winless conference disaster and have emerged as one of the most electrifying offenses in college basketball.

Missouri’s scoring barrage has taken the SEC by storm, culminating in a 110-98 victory over No. 4 Alabama on Wednesday. It was the Tigers’ highest-scoring non-overtime conference game since 1990.

Now, Dennis Gates’ squad heads to Fayetteville to take on Arkansas (15-11, 4-9), a team that has shown signs of life after a brutal start to SEC play.

Missouri’s Scoring Explosion

The Tigers’ turnaround has been remarkable, and their elite offensive efficiency has been key.

Against Alabama, Missouri was:

22-of-36 (61.1%) from the field in the first half
Scoring 59 points by halftime
Capitalizing on 10 forced turnovers

Former Duke standout Mark Mitchell erupted for a career-high 31 points, while Caleb Grill added 25 points and 10 rebounds.

The Tigers have now:

Won five of their last seven games
Scored at least 81 points in six of those seven contests
Beaten three top-five teams this season

This turnaround stems from Gates’ masterful roster construction, keeping five core players while bringing in key transfers like Mitchell, Tony Perkins (Iowa), Josh Gray (South Carolina), Marques Warrick (Northern Kentucky), and Jacob Crews (UT Martin).

Caleb Grill summed up Missouri’s mindset:
“The past is the past. You can only control what’s going forward.”

Arkansas Seeking Redemption

The Razorbacks have clawed their way back into the NCAA Tournament discussion after an 0-5 SEC start, but they missed a golden opportunity against No. 1 Auburn on Wednesday.

Arkansas took a one-point lead with 3:06 remaining, only to go scoreless from the field the rest of the way in a 67-60 loss.

Since their 83-65 loss to Missouri on Jan. 18, the Razorbacks have played much better, winning a statement game at then-No. 12 Kentucky while splitting their last six games.

Still, John Calipari’s squad cannot afford another offensive collapse like it had against Auburn, where:

Arkansas shot 3-of-19 from three-point range
7-foot-2 Zvonimir Ivisic went 0-for-9 from deep
The Razorbacks were outrebounded 42-29

Calipari didn’t mince words:
“You don’t have to make shots, but fight and come up with balls,” he said. “That’s what we’ve had happen.”

Key Matchup: Missouri’s Offense vs. Arkansas’ Defense

Missouri ranks fifth in the SEC in scoring (83.7 PPG) and has scored at least 80 points in seven of their last eight games.

Arkansas, meanwhile, has struggled with defensive consistency but has shown flashes of being able to shut down elite opponents—holding Auburn to 4-of-24 from three.

For the Razorbacks to pull off an upset, they must disrupt Missouri’s ball movement and keep Mitchell and Grill in check.

Key Players to Watch:

Mark Mitchell (Missouri): 16.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG
Caleb Grill (Missouri): 14.4 PPG, 39.8% 3PT
Johnell Davis (Arkansas): 15.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG
Zvonimir Ivisic (Arkansas): 10.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG

Game Information

Date: Saturday, February 24, 2025
Location: Bud Walton Arena – Fayetteville, Arkansas
Tip-off: 8:30 PM ET
Broadcast: SEC Network

Prediction & Final Thoughts

Missouri’s offense is rolling, and Arkansas has yet to prove it can consistently close out games against top-tier opponents.

Unless Arkansas can dominate the rebounding battle and limit Missouri’s transition game, it could be another long night for the Razorbacks.

Arkansas Razorbacks vs Missouri Tigers Picks and Predictions February 22nd 2025