FAYETTEVILLE -- Dave Van Horn and Mike Bianco have been opposing coaches in 68.9% of the baseball games the University of Arkansas has played against Ole Miss.
The Razorbacks and Rebels have played 112 games. Van Horn's and Bianco's teams have matched up in 77.
This weekend, Van Horn's No. 1-ranked Razorbacks (24-3, 8-1 SEC) and Bianco's Rebels (18-12, 3-6) will renew their rivalry when the teams open a three-game series tonight at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Bianco is in his 24th season at Ole Miss and has a 897-526-1 record with 18 NCAA Tournament appearances and two trips to the College World Series, including the 2022 national championship.
Van Horn is in his 22nd season at Arkansas and has an 863-444 record with 19 NCAA Tournament appearances and seven College World Series trips.
When the Rebels won the national championship two years ago in Omaha, Neb., they played Arkansas three times and went 2-1.
Arkansas beat Ole Miss in an NCAA Super Regional in Fayetteville 2019, winning 2 of 3 games. The teams also have met 10 times at the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala.
The Razorbacks lead the all-time series 59-53, but Bianco is 43-34 against Van Horn.
"I don't look at it any differently than any other SEC games," Van Horn said of playing Bianco and Ole Miss. "It's just that we've run into each other a lot in the postseason it seems like.
"The games seem to be very interesting usually and the series are really competitive. We know each other a little bit as far as maybe the way we think."
Van Horn said he looks at the 30-game SEC schedule from a big picture perspective.
"I don't get all caught up in who we're playing as much as it's an SEC game," he said. "Maybe the fans do a little more.
"I truly believe at the end of 30, you've played 30 and they all count the same. But a lot of respect for Mike. He's done a great job there. And here we go again."
Arkansas beat Arkansas State 13-0 in seven innings Tuesday night after sweeping three games from LSU last weekend.
"That's the best team in the country and you can easily see why," LSU Coach Jay Johnson said.
The Rebels started 15-5, but are 3-7 in their past 10 games. They have lost four in a row after being swept at home by No. 16 Kentucky last weekend and losing 9-4 at Memphis on Tuesday night.
"We talk about chemistry and leadership and all these different things -- this is when it tests you," Bianco told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger last Sunday after Kentucky beat Ole Miss 15-1. "When you're awful and you play bad and you don't feel good, can you stick together and can you continue to fight?"
Van Horn said the Rebels have good players.
"There's no looking at the record and saying, 'Oh, they're this or they're that, we should be fine,' " Van Horn said. "If you do that, you're going to find yourself behind real quick.
"You hope the mindset is, 'This is another SEC series. Let's go find a way to win Game One.' Because if you don't start thinking that immediately and wait until game day or after the first pitch or two, sometimes that's too late."
The Rebels have a .279 team batting average and 45 home runs. They're led offensively by left fielder Ethan Ledge (.354 batting average with 8 home runs and 29 runs batted in) first baseman Jackson Ross (.316, 7, 30) and third baseman Andrew Fischer (.307, 11, 29).
"They can hurt you real quick," Van Horn said. "If you give them free passes, they can hit the ball over your head a lot. And they have a couple guys that can run real well. They've got some options on the bench if they want to pinch."
Van Horn said the Razorbacks will go with the same starting rotation of left-hander Hagen Smith (5-0, 1.54 ERA) tonight, followed by left-hander Mason Molina (3-0, 3.00) and right-hander Brady Tygart (3-0, 2.51).
Smith has 72 strikeouts and 10 walks in 35 innings and is holding opponents to a .136 batting average.
"Arkansas has one of the best pitchers in the country in Hagen Smith," Bianco said on the Mississippi SuperTalk radio show. "He's a great competitor and a guy who already had a spectacular career there, and he's having an even better junior year. He'll certainly be a challenge for us, but their entire staff has thrown it really well."
Junior right-hander Riley Maddox (2-2, 4.02 ERA) will be the Rebels' starting pitcher tonight. He has 25 strikeouts and 9 walks in 31 1/3 innings.
"He's a really talented pitcher," Van Horn said. "They have a chance to win every time he's on the mound."
Today's game
OLE MISS AT NO. 1 ARKANSAS
WHEN 6 p.m.
WHERE Baum-Walker Stadium, Fayetteville
RECORDS Ole Miss 18-12, 3-6 SEC; Arkansas 24-3, 8-1
STARTING PITCHERS Ole Miss RHP Riley Maddox (2-2, 4.02 ERA); Arkansas LHP Hagen Smith (5-0, 1.54)
COACHES Mike Bianco (897-526-1 in 24th season at Ole Miss, 1,097-591-1 in 26th season overall); Dave Van Horn (863-444 in 22nd season at Arkansas, 1,183-601 in 30th season overall)
SERIES Arkansas leads 59-53
TV SEC Network
RADIO Razorback Sports Network
SHORT HOPS Arkansas had 9 errors through its first 7 games and 9 in its past 20 games, including a streak of 5 error-less games. ... The Hogs continue to lead the country in team ERA (2.59) by a substantial margin over second-place Texas A&M (3.21), strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.34), strikeouts per 9 innings (13.2) and WHIP (1.02). ... The Razorbacks rank 115th nationally in team batting average (.283), 13th in fielding percentage (.981) and 84th in scoring (7.5 runs per game). ... Ole Miss is 140th in team batting average (.279), 130th in team ERA (5.73), 164th in fielding percentage (.967) and 99th in scoring (7.3 rpg). ... Arkansas 1B Ben McLaughlin tied RF Kendall Diggs for the team lead with his eighth multi-hit game and his sixth multi-RBI game Tuesday. ... After Tuesday's 13-0 win over Arkansas State, the Razorbacks own a 3-0 mark this season against in-state opponents by a combined score of 33-7, with shutouts and run-rule wins against UALR (11-0) and the Red Wolves and a 9-7 win over UCA. The Hogs are scheduled to host Arkansas-Pine Bluff on April 23.
THE WEEK AHEAD
TODAY Off
THURSDAY Ole Miss*, 6 p.m.
FRIDAY Ole Miss*, 6:30 p.m.
SATURDAY Ole Miss*, 2 p.m.
SUNDAY Off
MONDAY Off
TUESDAY San Jose State, 6 p.m.
WEDNESDAY San Jose State, 3 p.m.
*SEC game