UK Counting on Experience in Arkansas Rematch

When it comes to game film, it doesn’t get much better for a coach than Kentucky’s matchup with Arkansas on Jan. 29.
 
For starters, it was a win – 76-65 in favor of the Wildcats.
 
Then, the way the game went, UK built an early lead that ballooned to as large as 26 points early in the fourth quarter. That gives Matthew Mitchell plenty of positives to point to as he prepares his team for a rematch with the Razorbacks.
 
But to close out the game, Arkansas went on a furious rally to trim UK’s final winning margin to 11 points.
 
“We had a tough battle with them in Fayetteville,” Mitchell said. “They are a tough team to match up with. We had some good moments in that game but they ended on a really, really good run there and forced us to retake control of the game there at the end.”
 
Any overconfidence ahead of Thursday’s game, which will tip at 7 p.m. at Memorial Coliseum, can be immediately undone by turning on the tape.
 
“You can show them where we had some success and Arkansas put together a really nice run there at the end of the game so you can definitely show the areas where they can hurt you,” Mitchell said. “It was a game to learn from.”
 
UK (12-14, 4-8 SEC) will be looking to learn again come Thursday against Arkansas (12-13, 3-9 SEC), but winning will be the clear priority. The Razorbacks won’t make that easy, led by dynamic guard Malica Monk (16.0 ppg, 3.8 apg).
 
“We have got to try to strengthen ourselves for great execution and transition defense is going to be very, very important to try to limit their opportunities in transition,” Mitchell said. “They are really great at driving the ball and scoring inside and outside.”
 
The Cats know that from experience, though they can only count so much it. Mitchell knows the Razorbacks will have learned too.
 
“What you have to understand when you are playing a team the second time around, they are certainly not going to let you do what was working in that first game automatically,” Mitchell said. “They are going to be able to make adjustments and I am sure that they will.”