The Vols will host Arkansas tonight at TBA. Arkansas comes in to Knoxville riding a 5 game winning streak, while Tennessee has their highest national ranking in as long as I can remember at number four. However, Arkansas currently holds the lead in the Western division, and almost certainly will be in the tournament come March.

Tennessee needs to be careful not to overlook the Razorbacks, and I doubt they will since Arkansas is one of only two teams to take down the Vols at home since the arrival of Pearl. The Hogs have a great point guard in Patrick Beverly, and are also very deep down on the post, which gave the Vols fits last game versus LSU. However, Arkansas’s best player is Sonny Weems. At 6-6 Weems can do it all. He has become a very good shooter as of late, and can drive the hole effectively as well. Obviously Weems will provide matchup problems for the Vols, but combine that with a bunch good big men and we could very well lose this game.

For the Vols to pull this one off Chism and Crews will have to have huge games defensively. Lofton will need to keep up his hot shooting, and Jujaun will need to keep Weems from ripping us apart offensively.

The question for both of these teams will be, which one of them shows up. Obviously Tennessee struggled offensively against LSU, and I would say that we need to break 50 to beat a much better Arkansas team. Likewise, Arkansas has looked great beating Florida and Miss. State by twenty, but they were also handed defeats by South Carolina, Georgia, and Appy State.

As last night’s Kentucky/Vandy game proved, you never know what team is going to show up, but I got a feeling Pearl will have them ready.