Arkansas basketball starter Johnell Davis is “probable” to play against Tennessee in Saturday’s SEC opener according to the SEC availability report.
*Davis has been upgraded to available on the game day availability report
Davis is a 6-foot-4 shooting guard who is averaging 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game through 11 games this season. The transfer guard is shooting 46% from the field and 39% from three-point range to this point in the season. Davis missed each of Arkansas’ last two games but returned to practice earlier this week according to Arkansas assistant coach Kenny Payne
The Florida Atlantic transfer was one of the very top players in the transfer portal last offseason and marked a major addition for John Calipari and his staff. However, Davis has been inconsistent to this point in the season. Still, Davis is fourth on the Razorbacks in points per game.
Davis was one of the top players on the FAU team that beat Tennessee in the Sweet 16 two seasons ago. He totaled a game-high 15 points in the matchup.
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Tennessee is off to a 13-0 start to its 2024-25 season, marking just the fourth time in program history that the Vols have entered SEC play unbeaten. Rick Barnes’ 10th Tennessee team earned six power five wins in non conference play including ranked wins over Baylor and Illinois.
The Vols enter SEC play as the top-ranked team in the AP Poll as they’ve been since early December. A win over Arkansas would keep Tennessee as nation’s No. 1 team for the fifth straight week, marking the longest stretch atop the AP Poll in program history.
Arkansas enters conference play 11-2 in John Calipari’s first season as head coach. The Razorbacks dropped games against Baylor and Illinois while totaling wins against Michigan and Miami. After a rocky start to the season, Arkansas is playing better as of late and comes to Knoxville winners of its last six games.
While this is Calipari’s first matchup against Tennessee as Arkansas’ head coach, he has no shortage of experience facing the Vols with his last two coaching stops coming at Kentucky and Memphis. Calipari holds a 22-16 record against Tennessee in his coaching career.
Tipoff between Tennessee and Arkansas is at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon. Karl Ravech and Jimmy Dykes are on the call for ESPN.
