Arkansas basketball vs. Missouri: What to know about Razorbacks' matchup with Tigers

FAYETTEVILLE — No. 13 Arkansas men's basketball stumbled in its SEC opener against LSU, and its upcoming slate isn't getting any easier. The Razorbacks' next challenge will be No. 21 Missouri.

The Tigers are under new management, with first-year head coach Dennis Gates taking over for the fired Cuonzo Martin this offseason. With Gates' leadership, Missouri is off to a hot start.

Missouri is coming off back-to-back wins over top-25 teams. The Tigers beat No. 16 Illinois 93-71, then opened conference play with an 89-75 win over No. 17 Kentucky. Their only loss has been to then-No. 6 Kansas.

Arkansas (11-2) hosts the Tigers (12-1) on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. CT, SECN). Here's what to know about the matchup.

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Player to watch: Kobe Brown

While not currently Missouri's leading scorer, senior forward Kobe Brown does it all for the Tigers.

He averages 15.6 points per game, the second-best mark on the team. He leads Missouri in rebounds per game (5.7), field goal percentage (60.6%) and total blocks (8).

Brown has showed up in big games of late. He scored at least 30 points in each of Missouri's back-to-back wins over ranked teams.

Turnover battle

Missouri's defense leads the league in steals per game with 12.5. Arkansas, a team that prides itself on defense and takeaways, is No. 3 with 10.5.

The Tigers have a defensive turnover percentage of 26.1% good for No. 4 in the country per KenPom. In other words, more than a quarter of opponent possessions result in turnovers.

Senior guard D'Moi Hodge leads the team and the SEC in steals per game (2.8).

Missouri is No. 1 in the league in turnover margin (+7.08), and Arkansas is No. 2 (+5.54). Look for steals and transition scoring on both sides.

High-scoring offense

Arkansas takes pride in its defense, and it will need a strong showing to contain the high-scoring Tigers.

Missouri's offense leads the SEC in scoring, averaging almost 89 points per game. The Tigers make a league-best 51% of their field goals, plus a second-best 37% of their 3-point shots.

The Razorbacks have defended well beyond the arc so far, with opponents making about 28% of their 3-pointers. Arkansas will have to continue that trend to limit Missouri's range.

Score prediction

Arkansas 85, Missouri 80 — Arkansas' defense will be tested, but it will hold up against a streaky Tiger offense. The Razorbacks will use their transition offense to outrun Missouri and win a competitive matchup.

Christina Long covers the Arkansas Razorbacks for the Southwest Times Record and USA TODAY Network. You can follow her on Twitter @christinalong00 or email her at clong@swtimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas basketball vs. Missouri: Scouting report, score prediction