The regular season entrée approaches for LSU women's basketball but it has to finish the appetizer to its Southeastern Conference schedule first.

In their final tune up before the highly-anticipated matchup Thursday night when No. 1 South Carolina comes calling, Kim Mulkey and her No. 10-ranked Tigers (17-2, 4-1) face Arkansas inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center Sunday afternoon (4 p.m., ESPN).

The Hogs (15-4, 2-2) gave LSU all it could handle in Baton Rouge last season, with the Tigers emerging victorious, 79-76. If LSU isn't fully focused on the Razorbacks, it could suffer its second SEC loss.

With South Carolina, Dawn Staley coming up, will Arkansas be trap game for Kim Mulkey, LSU women's basketball?

This matchup has everything needed for a classic trap game. The top-ranked team in the country looms in the next game. ESPN's College Gameday will be in town for it. It'll pit the last two NCAA champions against one another. And everyone has been talking about the LSU-South Carolina game since the schedule came out months ago.

But the Tigers have to handle the Razorbacks before they can turn the page to the Gamecocks. LSU will need momentum heading into that clash with South Carolina on Thursday as things have been a little rocky for Mulkey's bunch.

LSU was upset at Auburn last Sunday and did not look good in the first half at Alabama on Thursday. Mulkey must keep her team locked into taking care of Arkansas, who's not a pushover by any means.

Angel Reese, Flau'jae Johnson need to ignite Tigers early on defense

The first half has been a struggle for LSU the last two games. And one of those ended up a loss.

LSU stars Angel Reese and Flau'jae Johnson, who both have been playing well, need to find a way to jumpstart their team in the first two quarters and the best way they can do that is on defense.

Johnson locked down Alabama's Aaliyah Nye in the second half after Nye lit up the Tigers for 18 first-half points Thursday night. The intensity that Johnson had in the second half at Alabama needs to be carried over to the Arkansas game.

FLAU'JAE JOHNSON Why LSU women's basketball star Flau'jae Johnson was upset about first half at Alabama

ANGEL REESE Kim Mulkey explains late play with Angel Reese in LSU women's basketball's loss at Auburn

Arkansas women's basketball scouting report

Will Taliah Scott play?

That's the biggest question surrounding Arkansas and the matchup at LSU Sunday. Scott, a freshman, leads the Hogs in scoring at 22.3 points per game but she's missed the last three games due to a back injury that's relegated her to day-to-day.

Despite missing its top scorer, Arkansas still has playmakers on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. The senior guard tandem of Samara Spencer and Makayla Daniels are a formidable one-two-punch as they impact the game in different ways with Spencer being more of a space creator and Daniels is one of the better 3-point shooters in the SEC.

Defensively, sophomore forward Maryam Dauda is third in the league in blocks per game and has emerged as a difference maker since conference play has ramped up.

LSU women's basketball score prediction vs. Arkansas

LSU 83 Arkansas 76: This one will be close and come down to defensive stops late. LSU gets a couple stops to pull away with free throws.

Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU/UL athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU women's basketball vs. Arkansas: Score prediction, scouting report