NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Vanderbilt won its only road game of the season at the expense of the University of Arkansas men's basketball team.
The Commodores were 0-8 on the road when they beat the Razorbacks 85-82 at Walton Arena in Fayetteville on Feb. 27.
Vanderbilt lost at No. 9 Kentucky last week to finish 1-9 on the road.
Arkansas gets a shot at payback tonight when the Razorbacks play the Commodores in the SEC Tournament opener at Bridgestone Arena.
"Obviously we feel like we should have won the first game," Razorbacks forward Trevon Brazile said of the rematch against the Commodores. "We get to play them again in that setting, the tournament. We're very confident going in."
Vanderbilt's top three players -- senior guards Tyrin Lawrence and Ezra Manjon and sophomore forward Ver-Allen Lubin -- all had big games the first time around against Arkansas.
Lawerence scored 22 points and Manjon had 21. Lubin had 19 points and 12 rebounds.
"They have three stars and you've got to try to contain those guys," Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman said. "Then you've got to understand the other guys in their rotation and their strengths and try to take away somewhat of their strengths.
"A lot of their other guys that we haven't mentioned are three-point shooters and high three-point attempt players.
"So that's kind of how we're formulating the game plan, but certainly the effectiveness that they had at that five spot [with Lubin] in the first meeting, we've got to improve.
"That's everybody's responsibility from the coaches to all five players on the floor."
Lubin, a 6-8 transfer from Notre Dame, had 25 points and 11 rebounds in Vanderbilt's 79-78 victory over Florida last Saturday at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville.
"He played a great game against us," Musselman said. "He's a really good player that in my opinion, he's a hard cover. He made a couple of threes against the Gators, so that opens up a little bit more of his game as well."
Lubin hit 2 of 5 three-pointers in the Florida game. He's 12 of 37 on three-point attempts (32.4%) on the season.
Film study
Vanderbilt used a 17-5 run at Arkansas to take a 69-53 lead with 6:07 left in the first meeting.
It was a big enough cushion the Commodores were able to hold off the Razorbacks, who were going for a tie and overtime when Tramon Mark's three-point attempt bounced off the rim at the buzzer.
"I think it's extremely important as you play a team multiple times, that you look and review things that you did well and things that you didn't do well," Razorbacks Coach Eric Musselman said. "They run great stuff, they'll change up their defenses.
"Certainly, we've shown video of the last game. We'll also show video and discuss some of the things that Vanderbilt did against Florida in their last win.
"So yeah, you look at our past game, that carries a lot of weight in adjustments. And then certainly their most recent games become part of evaluations, adjustments and game planning."
Battle's defense
Arkansas guard Khalif Battle is averaging 28 points over the past seven games, including a career-high 42 against Missouri, so his offensive production has gotten plenty of attention.
But Battle also has played well on defense in recent games. He has 31 defensive rebounds and 10 steals in the past five games along with 4 blocked shots in the past two games.
"I think he's just way more comfortable in our system right now," Arkansas Coach Eric Musselman said of Battle's improved defense. "I think he understands the terminology. I think he understands where he's supposed to be on the weak-side defensively, and then I think his in-ball awareness has become more aggressive as well.
"So I think all those factors would be why I think we're seeing defensive numbers increase with K.B."
Portal check
Eric Musselman said the focus of Arkansas' coaching staff is on preparation for playing Vanderbilt, but that players in the transfer portal also have the coaches' attention.
"We're looking at it," Musselman said. "We've made phone calls and if it requires video evaluation, there's not a lot in the portal.
"There might be stuff that's on social media that says a guy's going in, but until a guy actually shows up in the portal, in the NCAA database, [he isn't allowed to be contacted].
"There are not a lot, but there's a couple guys [in the portal], names that'll pop up in there and we'll evaluate and do what we can and recruit the minute after we evaluate.
"Then it gets to the matter of are you going to make phone calls or not?"
Arkansas recruited the transfer portal when the Razorbacks reached the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight in 2021 and 2022 and the Sweet 16 last year.
"Look, before Elite Eight games we've been doing Zooms," Musselman said. "I've said that in the past.
"If you're playing in an Elite Eight and have an opportunity to make a Final Four and you're doing Zooms, certainly we're going to be working to the best of our ability right now, as well as preparing for Vanderbilt, which is the most important thing.
"That takes the front seat, and then the back seat would be recruiting and working the portal as names pop up in there."
Lots of freebies
Arkansas has hit 160 of 187 free throws (85.6%) over the previous six games.
Most of the damage at the line has been done by Khalif Battle hitting 78 of 84 (92.9%), Tramon Mark 29 of 35 (82.9%) and Makhi Mitchell 27 of 33 (81.8%).
On the season the Razorbacks rank second nationally in free throws made per game (19.9) and attempted (26.5).
In the tournament
Arkansas is 30-30 in SEC Tournament games, including 5-1 against Vanderbilt.
The Razorbacks beat the Commodores 73-72 in 1995 at Atlanta, 72-71 in 2007 at Atlanta, 76-62 in 2016 at Nashville and 86-73 in 2020 at Nashville.
Vanderbilt's lone SEC Tournament victory over Arkansas was 75-72 at Nashville in 2013.