TAT: Razorbacks Ready to Face No. 2 Gators

This article originally appeared in the February 5, 2013 issue of The Arkansas Traveler.

Arkansas’ men’s basketball team will need to play their best basketball of the year when they face No. 2 Florida tonight, head coach Mike Anderson said.

The Gators are coming off a 78-64 victory over No. 16 Ole Miss Saturday and are 8-0 in SEC play, outscoring opponents by an average of 26.5 points per game.

“They are arguably the best team in the country,” Anderson said. “We get the ultimate challenge of playing them here at Bud Walton Arena.”

Last season, Florida came to Fayetteville and beat the Razorbacks 98-68, led by Erving Walker, who had 31 points and five assists.

“Last year’s game wasn’t a fun game,” Anderson said. “Hopefully we can perform a little better. I think we’re a better team than we were last year.”

While Walker graduated after last season, the Gators still have a deep roster, with four players averaging more than 10 points per game.

Senior guard Kenny Boynton leads the way with 13.4 points per game and 3.4 assists per game. Senior forward Erik Murphy, senior guard Mike Rosario and junior center Patric Young also average double figures, with 12.9, 12.1 and 11.1 points per game, respectively.

“When you’re talking about their basketball team, you’re talking about their total team,” Anderson said. “We have our hands full, but our guys are looking forward to it.”

Of those four players, Anderson is most impressed with Murphy.

“He can go in and post up, throw up some nice hook shots and can also step away from the basket and really shoot the ball well,” Anderson said.

For Arkansas to have a chance against Florida, their “defense has to be at an all-time high,” Anderson said.

“You have to pick your poison,” Anderson said. “What are you going to cut off? We can’t let them have open shots.”

“Our defense has been good sometimes, but it needs to be really good all the time against Florida,” Anderson said.

Another key for the Razorbacks will be their bench play. Tonight will be their third game in six days. Thursday they fell to Alabama 59-56 and Saturday they beat Tennessee 73-60.

“With so many games in six days, I think it’s going to be important that guys come off the bench and give us great energy,” Anderson said.

Despite coming off the bench to score 25 points against Tennessee, sophomore guard BJ Young is still “considered a starter,” Anderson said.

Arkansas is 4-0 at home in SEC play this season, winning by an average margin of 17.5 points per game.

“(Playing Florida) is an opportunity to showcase our basketball team and showcase Bud Walton Arena,” Anderson said. “We want to come out and defend our home court.”

The Razorbacks face the Gators tonight at 6 p.m. on ESPN.