Razorbacks open SEC play at Bud Walton against Texas A&M

Who: Arkansas Razorbacks (11-1) host Texas A&M (6-5)
What: Arkansas’ SEC Opener – GAME IS SOLD OUT
When: Saturday, Jan. 4, 6 p.m.
Where: Fayetteville, Nolan Richardson Court at Bud Walton Arena
How (to follow):
• TV: SEC Network (Kevin Fitzgerald and Dane Bradshaw)
• Watch SEC Network Online
• Radio: ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
• Online: HitThatLine.com
• Sirius/XM: XM Channel 374 and streaming online, channel 374
• Live Stats: www.Arkansas.StatBroadcast.com

Pregame information

• The first 5,000 fans through the gates of Bud Walton Arena will receive a free poster. WATCH

• As we welcome back our men’s basketball lettermen, there will be an autograph session featuring former Razorbacks from 4:30-5:30 p.m. in the northwest concourse of Bud Walton Arena.

Some of the former players scheduled to participate in the autograph session include: Kikko Haydar, Kareem Reid, Joe Kleine, Charles Balentine, Sunday Adebayo, Darrell Hawkins, Ken Biley, Corey Beck, Ron Brewer, Sr., Clyde Fletcher and others.

Did you know?

• Arkansas is one of five teams in Division I basketball without a loss in regulation. The other four include Duke, Dayton, Auburn and San Diego State.

Best scoring trio in SEC

Arkansas is the only team in the SEC to feature:
• Two players in the league’s top 5 for scoring — Mason Jones (2nd / 19.7) • Isaiah Joe (4th / 17.4)
• Three players in the league’s top 20 for scoring — Jimmy Whitt Jr. (18th / 13.5)

Versus Texas A&M

• This will be the 159th meeting between Arkansas and Texas A&M. The Razorbacks own a 102-56 advantage in the series, including a 57-15 advantage in games played in Fayetteville.

• Arkansas is 7-5 versus the Aggies since A&M joined the SEC for the 2012-13 season.

• The teams split the series last season, each winning on the road. Texas A&M defeated Arkansas in the last meeting, 87-80 last February in Bud Walton Arena. The Hogs had won 10 straight in Fayetteville over the Aggies prior to the loss dating back to Jan. 25, 1987.

Oldest, most common rival

• Texas A&M is one of three teams on this year’s schedule that Arkansas played in its inaugural season in 1923-24. Rice (144 meetings) and TCU (142 meetings) are the others.

• The Aggies won each of the first two meetings in that 1923-24 season – back-to-back games in College Station, 35-27 and 32-17.

• The Aggies are the Razorbacks’ most common opponent with 158 games played in the series.

SEC play begins

• Arkansas will open conference play versus Texas A&M for the fifth time in the eight years since A&M joined the league (2012-13) but this is the first time the meeting has been in Fayetteville. With a win to open SEC play last season at A&M, the Razorbacks are 1-3 versus the Aggies when opening league play.

• Beginning its 29th season in the Southeastern Conference, Arkansas is 16-12 all-time in SEC openers.

• Arkansas is 11-4 when its first SEC game is at home and are 17-11 overall when playing its first SEC home game.

Razorbacks are 11-1

• Arkansas is off to an 11-1 start for the first time since 2016-17. The 2016-17 Hogs lost their 13th game, an SEC opener at #25 Florida.

• Arkansas’ .917 winning percentage is 8th-T in the NCAA.

• Arkansas is 1 of 11 teams in the NCAA with one or fewer losses.

• Arkansas is 1 of 11 teams in the NCAA with one or fewer losses.

No. 26 in NCAA NET, No. 10 in RPI

Arkansas’ NCAA NET jumped seven spots to 26th after a 71-64 road win at Indiana.
• Arkansas’ NET is 2nd-best among SEC schools behind Auburn (5).
• The rest of the SEC: LSU (41); Kentucky (44); Ole Miss (54); Florida (55); Missouri (57); Alabama (62); Georgia (68); Tennessee (75); Miss. State (82); South Carolina (121); Vanderbilt (143) and Texas A&M (188).

Arkansas has an RPI of 10.
• Arkansas’ RPI of 10 is better than 16 teams ranked in the in the AP top 25, including top-ranked Gonzaga (#1 AP/#50 RPI); Oregon (#4 AP/#15 RPI); Baylor (#6 AP/#23 RPI); Louisville (#7 AP/#12 RPI); Memphis (#9 AP/#24 RPI); Butler (#11 AP/#11 RPI); Michigan (#12 AP/#31 RPI); Michigan State (#14 AP/#17 RPI); Kentucky (#17 AP/#87 RPI); Virginia (#19 AP/#28 RPI); Dayton (#20 AP/#13 RPI); Penn State (#21 AP/#37 RPI); TX Tech (#22 AP/#104 RPI); Iowa (#23 AP/#48 RPI); Wichita St (#24 AP/#21 RPI); Arizona (#25 AP/#26 RPI)

Isaiah Joe on Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Watch List

• Arkansas sophomore Isaiah Joe was named to the 2020 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award watch list, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today.

• Fans can vote for their favorite player HERE