You’ve seen the hype, you’ve watched the "Coach Cal" clips, and now you’re looking for the Arkansas basketball score today to see if the Razorbacks actually pulled it off in Athens. Honestly, playing at Stegeman Coliseum has become a nightmare for top-25 teams lately. Today, January 17, 2026, the No. 17 Razorbacks (13-4, 3-1 SEC) took on the No. 21 Georgia Bulldogs in a game that felt more like a track meet than a basketball game.
Before the tip, everyone was talking about the dunks. It sounds silly, but Georgia leads the nation in dunk percentage, and Arkansas is right there at No. 6. We weren't just looking for a win; we were looking for someone to break a backboard.
The Current State of the Arkansas Basketball Score Today
If you're checking this mid-afternoon, the game tipped off at 1:00 PM PT (4:00 PM ET) on ESPN2. Coming off that massive 108-74 blowout against South Carolina, the Hogs entered this game with a weird kind of confidence. You never know which version of this team is going to show up on the road. Remember the Auburn game? Yeah, nobody wants to remember that 95-73 disaster.
But this game in Athens is different. Georgia is 14-3 and hasn't lost at home much under Mike White. The Bulldogs were honoring their 1996 Sweet 16 team today, so the energy in that building was basically vibrating.
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Why Darius Acuff Jr. is the Real Deal
We have to talk about Darius Acuff Jr. for a second. The kid is averaging 19.8 points and over 6 assists per game. He’s the engine. When the Arkansas basketball score today swings in the Hogs' favor, it’s usually because Acuff is playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers.
In the first half against Georgia, he was surgical. He wasn't just hunting his own shot; he was finding Trevon Brazile for those transition looks that make Calipari’s "dribble-drive" offense so annoying to defend. Brazile’s veteran presence (6.7 rebounds per game) is the only thing keeping this young roster grounded when the road crowd starts screaming.
Key Matchups That Decided the Afternoon
- The Battle of the Rims: Georgia’s Somto Cyril vs. Arkansas’ Trevon Brazile. Cyril is a shot-blocking machine (2.7 blocks per game), and he was waiting for every Razorback drive.
- Jeremiah Wilkinson vs. Meleek Thomas: Wilkinson has been on a tear, dropping 30+ in back-to-back SEC home games. If Arkansas couldn't contain him, the score was always going to be ugly.
- Transition Speed: Both these teams want to run. If you turned your head for five seconds, you likely missed a 6-0 run.
Arkansas came into this one ranked 17th in the AP Poll, but Georgia was right on their heels at 21st. This wasn't just a mid-January game; it was a battle for "who actually belongs in the top 15" conversation.
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What Most People Get Wrong About This Year's Hogs
A lot of fans thought John Calipari moving to Fayetteville meant we'd just see a "Kentucky 2.0." It’s not. This roster is weirdly constructed but in a way that works. You have the super-high-ceiling freshmen like Meleek Thomas and Darius Acuff, but then you have these battle-hardened transfers like Nick Pringle and DJ Wagner.
The defense is still a work in progress. Giving up 76.7 points per game isn't exactly "lockdown," but when you're scoring 90.5, you can afford some lapses. The problem is that Georgia also scores in the 90s. It’s basically a game of "who blinks first."
SEC Standings Impact
Before today, the SEC was a total mess. Vanderbilt was surprisingly sitting at the top, and Arkansas was in a cluster of teams with only one or two conference losses. A win today in Athens puts Arkansas in a prime position to challenge for a double-bye in the SEC Tournament. A loss? Well, then you're just another team in the middle of the pack hoping for a good seed in March.
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What’s Next for the Razorbacks?
Regardless of the final buzzer today, the schedule doesn't get any easier. Arkansas heads back to Fayetteville for a two-game homestand:
- January 20: Vanderbilt at Bud Walton Arena (This is going to be a sellout, no question).
- January 24: LSU comes to town for a late Saturday tipoff.
If you’re tracking the Arkansas basketball score today, keep an eye on the turnover margin. When the Hogs stay under 10 turnovers, they are almost impossible to beat. When they get sloppy—especially on the road—things go south fast.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Watch the Vandy Game: If you can’t get tickets to Bud Walton, make sure your ESPN+ is working. Vanderbilt is the surprise of the SEC this year, and that game will be a Top-25 showdown.
- Monitor the Wooden Award Watch: Darius Acuff Jr. is currently on the midseason list. His performance in these big SEC road games is what's going to determine if he makes the final cut.
- Check the Dunk Tracker: It sounds like a gimmick, but watch how many times Arkansas gets to the rim. If they aren't dunking, they aren't winning. Their offense is built on pressure, and that starts with attacking the paint.
The season is officially in the "grind" phase. Every road game in this conference is a coin flip, and today's battle in Georgia proved that once again. Keep your eyes on the box score and prepare for a wild ride into February.
Actionable Next Steps:
Stay updated on the live SEC standings to see how today's result shifts the Razorbacks' seeding. You should also set a reminder for the January 20th home game against Vanderbilt, as it will likely determine the leader of the conference standings heading into late January.