Indiana Basketball vs Arkansas: 3 matchups to watch

1. Justin Smith vs Mason Jones

With both teams having multiple different lineups with at least three guards on the perimeter, this matchup looks to be a good one.

Mason Jones, who leads the Razorbacks in scoring (19.6 ppg), is electrifying on the offensive end and is someone who can light it up at moments notice.

So far this season, Jones has a  41-point, 32-point, and two other 20+ point performances and will look to do the same on Sunday. With his size, at 6-foot-5, the Hoosiers will need a more athletic defender to pick him up, hence Justin Smith. Taking nearly six threes a game, Jones can shoot it all over the floor, but probably hasn’t seen the length that Smith provides on the wing.

Though he is listed as a guard, Jones is a big body, nearly 210 pounds, who loves to use it to his advantage. Taking 7.1 free throws a game, ranking first in the NCAA at 93 percent – with at least 50 attempts on the season, Jones can also score on the block, in the midrange or even in transition, in addition to the free throw and three-point line.

For Justin Smith, his importance while on the offensive end, is going to be much more on defense for this outing. Because of his 6-foot-7 and 220 pound frame, his ability to disrupt Jones will be crucial. Shooting 50 percent of his shots from deep, as long as Smith doesn’t fall for any shot fakes or unforced fouls, he should be able to force Jones into turnovers, as he averages 3.6 per game.

As long as Smith can stay out of foul trouble, his ability to keep Jones in check and forcing him into difficult shots will go a long way in determining the outcome of the game.