Who: No. 13 Arkansas Razorbacks (11-2, 0-1 SEC) vs. No. 21-20 Missouri Tigers (12-1, 1-0 SEC)
What: Arkansas’ SEC home opener.
When: Wednesday, Jan. 4, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Nolan Richardson Court at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark.
Watch: SEC Network with Dave Neal (play-by-play) and former Razorback Pat Bradley (analyst)
How to Listen: Online at HitThatLine.com or the radio on ESPN Arkansas 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs or 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home with Phil Elson (play-by-play) and Matt Zimmerman (analyst). Pregame show starts at 7 p.m.
Game Notes
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The No. 13 Razorbacks will face No. 20-21 Missouri for Arkansas’ SEC home opener on Wednesday (Jan. 4).
Tipoff at Bud Walton Arena is set for 7:30 pm and the game will be televised on SEC Network.
• This will be the 59th meeting between Arkansas and Missouri, the 22nd since Missouri joined the league in 2012-13 and the first of two meetings this season. Arkansas leads the all-time series, 32-26, and is 18-10 versus the Tigers in Fayetteville. In SEC play, Arkansas leads 13-8, including an 8-2 mark in Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas has won four straight and five of the last six.
• This will be the 98th time in Razorback history that a ranked Arkansas team will play a ranked opponent. Arkansas is 47-50 in such games and 17-5 in such games at home. This will mark the fourth time in the last three years a ranked Arkansas team has hosted a ranked opponent. Prior to that, it had not happened since 1998 (twice). Arkansas has won five straight when ranked and hosting a ranked opponent including these under Eric Musselman: No. 20 Arkansas def. No. 6 Alabama (Feb. 24, 2021) • No. 23 Arkansas def. No. 16 Tennessee (Feb. 19, 2022) • No. 18 Arkansas def. No. 6 Kentucky (Feb. 26, 2022).
• The 2022-23 season is the 100th basketball season for Arkansas basketball. Did you know, this Mizzou game is the same date as the Razorbacks’ first home game (Jan. 4, 1924). It was the ninth game of the inaugural season and Arkansas improved to 8-1. Arkansas defeated Northeastern State, 43-22. Elbert Pickel scored 16 points in the win. Arkansas turned around the following day to once again host and defeat Northeastern State (42-14).
This game features two of the top statistical teams in the SEC.
• Missouri: No. 1 in field goal percentage • No. 1 in fast break points • No. 1 in steals • No. 1 turnover margin • No. 3 in scoring margin
• Arkansas: No. 2 in field goal percentage • No. 2 in fast break points • No. 3 in steals • No. 3 turnover margin • No. 2 in scoring margin
• The Razorbacks are 19-12 all-time in SEC home openers.
• Of the 31 previous SEC home openers, 15 were not the overall SEC openers too.
• This will be the third straight year — and the eighth time in 11 years — Arkansas’ home SEC opener is coming after the overall SEC opener.
• Arkansas lost its last two SEC home openers (vs #12 Missouri in 2021 and vs Vanderbilt in 2022).
• Arkansas is ranked No. 13 which is the program’s best ranking for an SEC home opener since being No. 3 for the 1994-95 SEC opener. Overall, it is the eighth time Arkansas has been ranked when playing its SEC home opener and the first time to be ranked for an SEC home opener since 2014-15.
• With Missouri being ranked No. 20, it will mark the first time a ranked Arkansas team has hosted a ranked opponent for the Hogs’ SEC home opener.
