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Arkansas opens SEC play at Texas A&M

Arkansas will play its 2019 SEC opener on Saturday (Jan. 5) at Texas A&M. The game will be telecast on SEC Network and tip-off is set for 5 pm. Beginning its 28th season in the Southeastern Conference, Arkansas is 15-12 all-time in SEC openers.
Razorbacks head coach Mike Anderson talks to forward Adrio Bailey (2) during the first half of the semifinals of the SEC Conference Tournament against the Tennessee Volunteers at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas will play its 2019 SEC opener on Saturday (Jan. 5) at Texas A&M. The game will be telecast on SEC Network and tip-off is set for 5 pm. Beginning its 28th season in the Southeastern Conference, Arkansas is 15-12 all-time in SEC openers.

Texas A&M is one of two teams on this year’s schedule that Arkansas played in its inaugural season in 1923-24. Texas is the other. It is no coincidence that both Texas A&M and Texas rank 1-2 as the most common opponents in Razorback history.

With Texas A&M joining the SEC in 2012-13, the Aggies are the Razorbacks’ most common opponent with 157 games played in the series. The Razorbacks own a 102-55 advantage in the series, including a slight 38-37 advantage in games played in College Station. Arkansas also holds a slight 6-4 advantage in games played since the Aggies joined the SEC for the 2012-13 season.

• Arkansas has three players with Texas connections, all in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex. Mason Jones hails from DeSoto and Jordan Phillips is from Fort Worth. While Reggie Chaney is from Tulsa, Okla., he played two seasons at Frisco Liberty HS, where he was the #3 overall prospect in Texas, before he finished his career at Findlay Prep in Nevada. Also, Mason Jones’ sister, Jordan, was a standout for the Aggies. She was drafted by WNBA, was a two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year and finished third in school history in assists.

• Arkansas is coming off a strong performance in its win over Austin Peay. The Razorbacks had 21 assists on 27 made baskets. Arkansas also had a season-high 14 steals and only had 11 turnovers – just four in the second half – which was the second-lowest total of the season.

• Jalen Harris dished out seven assists and had just one turnover in the win over Austin Peay. He ranks third in the NCAA and first in the SEC in assist-to-turnover ratio (5.71). He is also 13th nationally / 2nd in the SEC in assists (6.7 avg.).

• Isaiah Joe ranks seventh in the NCAA and first in the SEC in 3-pointers made per game (3.83). He leads the SEC in 3-pointers made (46), ranking 17th nationally. More impressively, while Joe is second in the SEC in 3-PT FG attempted, he is also second in the league in 3-point FG% (.455).

• Daniel Gafford has a league-best six double-doubles this season. He also leads the league and ranks 12th nationally in field goal percentage (.658). In the SEC, Gafford also ranks second in rebounding (9.3), second in blocked shots (2.5) and third in scoring (17.5) – the only player in the league to rank among the top five in each category.

•­ Arkansas ranks seventh in the NCAA in blocked shots (6.2). The Razorbacks have blocked at least four shots in each game this season.

• Arkansas ranks 12th in the NCAA in assists (18.1). This season, an impressive 64 percent of Arkansas’ made baskets have come off assists. In six of the 12 games, at least 70 percent of Arkansas baskets have come off assists.

• Arkansas will return home to host Florida on Wednesday (Jan. 9; 7:30 pm) before hosting LSU on Saturday (Jan. 12; 5 pm).

For more information on Arkansas Men’s Basketball, follow @RazorbackMBB on Twitter.

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