• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

No. 19 Florida faces Arkansas looking to stay among SEC's elite

Feb 2, 2008 - 11:59 AM No. 19 Florida (18-3) at Arkansas (15-5) 3:05 pm EST

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas (Ticker) - No. 19 Florida aims for its fourth straight Southeastern Conference win Saturday when it faces Arkansas.

Despite being one of the conference's younger teams, the Gators (18-3, 5-1 East) have won seven of their last eight games. They are coming off a 22-point victory over then-No. 18 on Vanderbilt Sunday.

Florida has won 26 of its last 30 conference games.

Freshman swingman Nick Calathes is averaging 16.0 points and 6.0 assists to lead the Gators. Sophomore center Marreese Speights adds 14.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest.

The Razorbacks (15-5, 4-2 West) have followed a two-game losing streak with a two-game winning streak. They are coming off a 78-58 rout of No. 25 Mississippi State on Wednesday.

Arkansas beat Mississippi State despite playing without forward Charles Thomas (10.5 points per game), who was suspended for an unspecified violation of team rules.

First-year Arkansas coach John Pelphrey was an assistant to Billy Donovan twice - for two years at Marshall and five years at Florida - before heading to South Alabama.

The Gators have won six of the last seven meetings and lead the all-time series, 10-9.