For an audio preview of tonight’s contest, click here to hear the Gameday Insider with Morning News sports writers Nathan Allen and Ryan Malashock.

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It’s time for the Arkansas Razorbacks to start protecting their home court. John Pelphrey always talks about how important winning in Fayetteville is, and his team needs to start producing. The Hogs are 1-2 in Bud Walton Arena against SEC foes, and Tennessee will be the most talented team to play there since Texas visited.

Tennessee (13-7, 4-2) at Arkansas (13-6, 1-5)
When: 7:05 p.m.
Where: Bud Walton Arena, Fayetteville
TV: KHOG (Cox channel 7, Cox HD channel 707)
Radio: 107.9-FM, 92.1-FM, 105.3-FM, 1290-AM for those in our readership area
Line: Tennessee by 4
Series: Tennessee leads 13-12 (Arkansas leads 5-3 in Fayetteville)
Last Meeting: Arkansas beat Tennessee 92-91 on March 15, 2008, in the semifinals of the SEC Tournament in Atlanta

About Tennessee

Before this season, Tennessee was unanimously picked to win the Southeastern Conference by the league’s coaches and media. At that time, coach Bruce Pearl wasn’t thrilled about being pegged as the conference favorite. He said his team wasn’t quite ready for that title, and for part of this season, he seemed right.

The Volunteers lost three of four home games, this after winning 37 straight in Knoxville. But Tennessee looks to maybe be settling in. The Vols drilled Florida by 16 points on Saturday night, and they still possess perhaps the most talented roster in the SEC.

With talents such as all-around forwards Tyler Smith and J.P. Prince, inside-outside big man Wayne Chism and long-distance bomber Scotty Hopson, the Razorbacks have plenty to worry about from a team that has victories over Georgetown and Marquette.

Players To Watch

Arkansas
Stefan Welsh, 6-3, 185-pound junior guard
So, the Razorbacks surely won’t get back on track without Welsh snapping out of his scoring funk. Welsh has scored in double figures only one time since SEC play began, when he scored 14 points against Auburn. He’s shooting only 28.1 percent from the field and 26.5 percent from 3-point range during league play.
Tennessee
Tyler Smith, 6-7, 215-pound junior forward
The versatile native of Pulaski, Tenn., wasn’t voted SEC preseason player of the year for no reason. Smith has shown off his multiple talents throughout a season Smith might consider a bit of a letdown. He is scoring 17.2 points per game but only hitting 44.5 percent of his shots, including only 27.1 percent of his 3-pointers.

Gameday Links

• Here’s my story in today’s Morning News on Arkansas’ power forward problems, as well as my five keys to an Arkansas victory. Robbie Neiswanger takes an extended look at Tyler Smith in the Morning News’ scouting report.

• Robbie also caught up with former UA coach Nolan Richardson at yesterday’s Northwest Arkansas Tip-Off Club event.

• Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News Sentinel relays that the Volunteers are puzzled as to what Arkansas team they’ll run into.

• Pearl and Tyler Smith told Bryan Mullen of The Tennessean that they were optimistic about being successful on consecutive road trips this week at Arkansas and Auburn.