Razorbacks will start SEC schedule against Kentucky on New Year’s Eve

Arkansas’ Southeastern Conference slate has officially been released, the league office announced today.

The Hogs will tip off the new conference season on Thursday, Dec. 31, when they will travel to Kentucky to face the Wildcats, who are ranked 11th in the AP’s Preseason Poll.

The last time the two teams met, Arkansas scored 103 points, a then-SEC program record for points in a game, in front of 5,638 Razorback fans, the most at a home game since January of 2011.

Following the opener, Arkansas will welcome rival Missouri (Jan. 3) to Bud Walton Arena for the first home game of the 2021 SEC Season. Arkansas beat Missouri early last season at home, the Hogs’ first win in the series since 2016. Arkansas will then head to Tennessee (Jan. 7).

After the trip to Knoxville, the Razorbacks will host Texas A&M (Jan. 10), who the Hogs once again knocked out of the SEC Tournament in dramatic fashion.

The Aggies are currently ranked one spot ahead of Arkansas in the AP’s Preseason Poll, sitting at 13. Florida (Jan. 14) will then come to the Hill to make it two straight at home for the Hogs.

After the two-game homestand, the Hogs will go on the road twice, both times playing on Monday.

Arkansas is headed to the AP’s Preseason No. 1 first, as the Razorbacks will take on South Carolina (Jan. 18) in Colonial Life Arena. After a week off, Arkansas will resume play the next Monday at Georgia (Jan. 25).

Vanderbilt (Jan. 28) will come to Fayetteville to start the Hogs’ two-game homestand.

Three days later, Arkansas will host Auburn at Bud Walton Arena (Jan. 31).

Mike Neighbors’ squad will then rotate home and road games, traveling to Missouri (Feb. 4), hosting Mississippi State (Feb. 11), who is ranked No. 6 in the AP Preseason Poll, and then traveling to face A&M (Feb. 14) for the second time. The Hogs will then host Ole Miss (Feb. 18).

Similar to the end of last season, Arkansas will be the road team in two straight games before ending the season in front of its fans at the Palace.

Arkansas will first travel to LSU (Feb. 21), followed by a trip to Auburn (Feb. 25), which will be the second matchup between the teams in 2021. Arkansas will close the SEC schedule, and the regular season, with a home battle against Alabama (Feb. 28).

The SEC Tournament, which will be played at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C. for the fourth time, will begin on Wednesday March 3.

2021 SEC Schedule:

Thursday, Dec. 31 – @ Kentucky
Sunday, Jan. 3 –  Missouri
Thursday, Jan. 7 – @ Tennessee
Sunday, Jan. 10 – Texas A&M
Thursday, Jan. 14 – Florida
Monday, Jan. 18 – @ South Carolina
Monday, Jan. 25 – @ Georgia
Thursday, Jan. 28 – Vanderbilt
Sunday, Jan. 31 – Auburn
Thursday, Feb. 4 – @ Missouri
Thursday, Feb. 11 – Mississippi State
Sunday, Feb. 14 – @ Texas A&M
Thursday, Feb. 18 – Ole Miss
Sunday, Feb. 21 – @ LSU
Thursday, Feb. 25 – @ Auburn
Sunday, Feb. 28 – Alabama

Tip times and TV designations will be announced at a later date.

Musselman on lack of defense from White leading to Red’s whopping win

Hogs coach Eric Musselman wasn’t happy with the defense played in the 103-67 win by the Red team in the Red-White game Thursday night.

Notae after ringing up 30 points playing for both teams in Red-White game

Razorbacks guard J.D. Notae got hot after a slow start and ended up hitting 7-of-11 3-point shots, getting 24 points and five assists in the second half on his way to a big 30-point night.

Smith recapping Red’s lopsided win in Red-White matchup Thursday night

Justin Smith (22 points, 6 assists) on hitting three 3-point shots in first appearance as a Razorback in front of a live crowd in 103-67 Red win.

Red takes advantage of White mistakes, rolling to 103-67 win in Red-White

Before a crowd of 2,023 students the Red defeated the White, 103-67, Thursday evening at Bud Walton Arena.

The Red team only committed six turnovers while dishing out 27 assists on 39 made baskets, including 16 3-pointers.

On the other side, the White squad committed 19 turnovers and was just 7-of-20 from beyond the arc.

J.D. Notae led all scorers with 30 points — six playing most of the first half with the White and 24 in the second half playing with the Red.

Desi Sills, who also split time, scored 24 including 11 on 5-of-8 shooting with the Red and 13 points in the second half with the White, making 3-of-4 from the field and 6-of-6 at the line.

Photo by Arkansas Communications

Justin Smith and Moses Moody, seeing all their action with the Red, scored 22 points and 21 points, respectively. Smith drained 9-of-11 from the field, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range. The graduate senior also had six assists. Moody added six rebounds and four assists.

Jalen Tate, also playing a full game with the Red, had a team-best eight assists with 11 points.

Khalen Robinson, playing with the White all night, scored 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Vance Jackson Jr., who played half with the White and half with the Red, scored 15 points.

Freshman Davonte Davis led all players with eight rebounds while fellow rookie Jaylin Williams pulled down six.

The night started with a slam dunk contest. Davis won. Also participating were Moody, Ethan Henderson and Smith.

Photo by Andy Hodges

First Quarter: Red 17-14

• Red won the tip and Moses Moody made the first basket.
• Red jumped out to a 6-0 start.
• Khalen Robinson hit back-to-back baskets for White to tie the game at 10-10. Davonte Davis stole the ensuing inbounds pass and Brandon Kimble converted the layup for a 12-10 White lead.
• Red, behind Desi Sills’ quarter-best nine points, regained the momentum to help Red lead 17-14 to end the quarter.

Second Quarter: Red won 24-17 … led 41-31 at half

• Vance Jackson was 3-for-3, including 2-for-2 from 3-point range to lead White with nine points in the quarter.
• Justin Smith was 5-of-5 shooting, including a pair of 3’s, to lead the Red with eight points in the quarter.

Third Quarter: Red won 31-22 … led 72-53 through third quarter

• Desi Sills scored 11 of his team’s 22 points.
• Red was led by JD Notae with nine, followed by Justin Smith and Moses Moody, each with seven.

Fourth Quarter: Red won 31-14 … final was 103-67

• Red opened the quarter on a 13-0 run, thanks to a pair s 3’s by JD Notae.
• Notae outscored the White team in the quarter, 15-to-14. Notae was 5-of-7 from 3-point range.

Arkansas opens the season versus Mississippi Valley State on Nov. 25 (Wednesday) at Bud Walton Arena.

‘It will be Barry’s team,’ when Hogs go to Florida, says recovering Pittman

Hogs coach Sam Pittman is handling Covid-19 pretty well at his house and said Thursday Barry Odom will handle team against Gators.

Zimmerman talking about how to tell when Musselman is worked up in games

Hogs men’s basketball analyst said Thursday when Eric Musselman hits the scorer’s table it means something has gotten under his skin.

Murphy feels Franks’ growth, maturity, will allow him to handle return to Florida

Tom Murphy of the Democrat-Gazette feels Hogs quarterback Feleipe Franks has developed to the point he’ll handle returning to Gainesville.

RECRUITING THURSDAY: Davenport on Trask being key, incoming freshmen

The Democrat-Gazette’s Richard Davenport talked about Florida quarterback Kyle Trask being key in game plus state’s basketball talent strong down road.