Between classes for a few minutes. Here's some thought process:
-Young 'Cats going into their toughest environment to date @ Bud Walton, where the Hogs have lost twice in the past year and a half. The building is loud enough to begin with, but Anderson's "40 Minutes of Hell" style frequently blows the roof off the place with an exciting brand of up-tempo basketball. This will be quite a departure from what UK saw on Saturday in Nashville against a Vandy team that doesn't utilize any pressure and plays a plodding, boring style.
-Along those same lines, Calipari would be well-served to slow the game down tonight. Yes, he has plenty of athletes, but UK has a massive advantage on the interior with the size of Randle and WCS. That advantage is negated if UK tries to play the Hogs' helter-skelter style. Perhaps more importantly, UK's lack of a steady point guard could be an issue tonight. Neither Harrison twin is a true point, and both are far more concerned with getting buckets than creating for teammates. Does that work tonight at Bud Walton? I'm inclined to say no.
-From a motivational issue, I'm confident in saying you're going to get the absolute
best shot from Arkansas tonight. Now, is that enough to win? Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But the effort will absolutely be there. Hogs are 0-2 after quite literally capitulating on themselves at the end of regulation on Saturday against Florida. They led just about wire-to-wire before a few costly turnovers against the Gators' press led to a brutal loss. Dropping to 0-3 would put Arkansas in quite a hole, and I'm confident the players will respond accordingly. UK is 2-0 and gets archrival Tennessee on Saturday at Rupp. Additionally, this group has never played back-to-back road games. Worth noting, IMO.
-Teams who can win on the road in tough environments tend to play well together. They share the ball, pick each other up, and play as a cohesive unit. Florida did that in Fayetteville on Saturday. Kansas did it last night in Ames. One thing Kentucky does not do well is share the ball. They scored 73 points against Louisville on 8 assists. Eight! They scored 71 against Vandy on 11 assists. Part of the reason is that they get to the free throw line so frequently, but relying on the stripe in true road games is a dicey proposition.
My number one concern is offensive rebounding. If Kentucky can slow this thing down a bit, Randle and Cauley-Stein should have their way inside. Arkansas has a TON of depth at every position on the floor and wants to play at breakneck speed, but they're prone to getting blasted on the offensive glass. If Randle and WCS avoid foul trouble and fatigue, this could turn into a slugfest.
I won't be able to watch it live. Hopefully can DVR it for later.
Good luck.