Arkansas won its first Southeastern Conference game 36 hours ago, but the Razorbacks’ victory over Alabama better be long gone from their minds. Such is life in the SEC, as the Hogs are in Baton Rouge, La., today, facing their toughest test of league play against the Western Division-leading Tigers.

Arkansas (13-5, 1-4) at LSU (16-4, 4-1)
When: 4 p.m.
Where: Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, La.
TV: Fox Sports Net (Cox channel 27)
Radio: 107.9-FM, 92.1-FM, 105.3-FM, 1290-AM for those in our readership area
Line: LSU by 10
Series: Arkansas leads 28-18 (Arkansas leads 10-9 in Baton Rouge)
Last Meeting: Arkansas beat LSU 87-61 on February 20, 2008, in Fayetteville

About LSU

Trent Johnson’s Tigers made the top of my SEC Western Division ballot at the league’s media days back in October. But I wasn’t exactly confident in a first-year coach winning the division. Sure seems possible now.

LSU is tied with Mississippi State atop the West and is surely playing its best basketball of the season right now. Most importantly, the Tigers are comfortably settling into nice roles.

Senior guard Marcus Thornton (19.5) and junior forward Tasmin Mitchell (15.3) are the scorers. Senior center Chris Johnson does the dirty work inside, senior guard Garrett Temple runs the show well and sophomore guard Bo Spencer is an all-around threat.

LSU’s resume lacked a quality run win until Wednesday night’s six-point victory at Tennessee.

Players To Watch

Arkansas
Rotnei Clarke, 6-0, 184-pound freshman guard
Hard not to focus on the newcomer from Verdigris, Okla. Clarke had his breakout game as a Razorback in Thursday’s victory over Alabama. He nailed 6 of his 10 shots from 3-point range, finished with 26 points and didn’t even score in the game’s final seven minutes.
LSU
Tasmin Mitchell, 6-7, 235-pound junior forward
Mitchell’s junior season was cut short last year after only three games because of a stress fracture in his left shin bone. He had season-ending surgery on Nov. 29. Now, Mitchell is back and healthy, averaging 15.3 points and 6.3 rebounds.

Gameday Links
• Robbie Neiswanger’s advance story in today’s Morning News looks at Arkansas’ psyche after winning its first SEC game.
• Gary Laney of the Baton Rouge Advocate addresses the Tigers’ recent stretch of stellar play. Joseph Schiefelbein wrote on LSU’s celebration of 100 years of basketball.
• Also, I’m physically holding up and reading a great preview from the New Orleans Times-Picayune, with full coverage of the centennial celebration. Unfortunately, I can’t find the links online. Sorry!