FAYETTEVILLE -- The previous SEC team's euphoria for upending the Kentucky Wildcats at Kentucky's Rupp Arena vanished its next game.
South Carolina's Gamecocks followed their 71-68 shocker Jan. 10 over the SEC's storied Wildcats at Rupp routed 94-53 at home by Texas A&M. The (8-16, 1-10) Gamecocks haven't won since beating the SEC's bluest blue-blood.
Obviously these Razorbacks (17-7, 6-5) fresh off winning Tuesday's 88-73 romp at Rupp, seem way better than the last place Gamecocks - though Arkansas barely escaped South Carolina, 65-63 on Feb. 4 in Columbia, S.C.
Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman, whose 2020-21 and 2021-22 Razorbacks consecutively edged Kentucky, 81-80 at Rupp and 75-73 at Walton Arena and won the following game each time, believes his Hogs will rivet 100 percent on the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Mississippi State (16-8, 4-7) visits Walton at 5 p.m, today on ESPNU.
"I think there's plenty of time to get over [the big win]," Musselman said Wednesday. "It's not just that we won the game at Kentucky, it's also the fact we have a (5-SEC games) winning streak going. Just like Kentucky had a (6 SEC-games) winning streak going. You have to understand how hard it is to win."
Musselman also understands first-year Coach Chris Jans' Bulldogs have a streak, too. Starting with upsetting then 11th-ranked TCU in their SEC vs. Big 12 Challenge game Jan. 28 in Starkville, Miss., the Bulldogs growl on a 4-game roll sporting SEC successes over South Carolina, Missouri and LSU.
"Of late they've been playing great basketball," Musselman said. "They're tough. They're physical. They create grind-it-out games."
And they've got a great big man. Tolu Smith, the 6-11, 245 center averages 14.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and blocked 19 shots.
"They're going to throw the ball inside six to nine times to Tolu Smith on straight post-ups," Musselman said.
Off recent games, especially holding 2021-2022 National Player of the Year Kentucky big man Oscar Tshiebwe (30 points and 18 rebounds vs. Arkansas last season at Walton) to seven points and seven rebounds Tuesday, Arkansas appears doubly prepared for Smith and accompanying big Bulldogs.
Twin Towers habitually describes a team's two quality big men. Arkansas' Twin Towers are literally twins. Twin brothers Makhi Mitchell (6-9, 230) and Makhel Mitchell (6-10, 240) transferred as seniors via the University of Rhode Island.
Makhi has fared well all season. Makhel didn't excel until more recently. Combined they've blocked 64 shots and average 11.7 points and 9.1 rebounds.
They won Tuesday's Oscar in Lexington. Makhi grabbed a game-leading nine rebounds with four points. Makhel, mostly guarding Tshiebwe, scored 15 points, blocked five shots and grabbed four rebounds.
"Those two guys gave us a physical presence together," Musselman said. "Both of them have done a really good job defensively and rebounding and allowing us not to have to double team the post. They've been single covering guys who are star players."