Enter the Wildcats

The University of Arkansas men’s basketball team has its hands full on Wednesday night when it welcomes the No. 22 Kentucky Wildcats to Bud Walton Arena for a 7 p.m. contest.

Arkansas (16-10, 5-7 SEC) hopes to get back on the winning side of the ledger against Kentucky (19-7, 7-5 SEC). The Razorbacks had a two-game winning streak stopped in Tuscaloosa over the weekend despite 21 points for Rotnei Clarke. The meeting between Arkansas and Kentucky is the first at Bud Walton Arena since the 2008-09 season.

The Wednesday night match up has several story lines, including Arkansas head coach John Pelphrey who was a player for the Wildcats. Pelphrey is known as one of the unforgettables and went to NCAA Regional finals in 1992.

The Razorbacks must do a better job of holding on to the ball if it hopes to upset their second ranked team of the season. Arkansas gave up 18 turnovers in the loss to Alabama which led to 25 Crimson Tide points. Turnovers have not been an issue for the Razorbacks for most of the year, but Alabama is one of the best defensive teams in the league and buckled down in the second half.

Arkansas continues to get great play from Rotnei Clarke who averages 13.8 points per game and has 73 three-point baskets on the year. Clarke gives the Razorbacks an outside threat to go along with the tandem of Delvon Johnson and Marshawn Powell on the interior.

Kentucky has been very good all year long, but has struggled mightily on the road in SEC games. The Wildcats are just 1-5 on the road this season in SEC play with their lone win coming at South Carolina on Jan. 22, 67-58. Since that time, the Wildcats have lost three straight to Ole Miss, Florida and Vanderbilt by a combined eight points.

The Arkansas-Kentucky game will be broadcast on the radio across the Razorback Sports Network from IMG College with Chuck Barrett and Rick Schaeffer giving the call. The game will also be carried live on television by the SEC Network with Dave Neal and Jimmy Dykes calling the action.

Following the contest with Kentucky, Arkansas goes back on the road to face the Auburn Tigers on Saturday, Feb. 26, at 12:30 p.m.