Arkansas basketball will once again share the court with an in-state foe this season.
The Razorbacks have set up a game against Central Arkansas for the third year in a row, according to a report by HawgBeat.com
The two teams will meet on Nov. 13 inside Bud Walton Arena. It’s part of Arkansas’ non-conference schedule for the upcoming season.
This matchup isn’t new for either side. The Hogs and the Bears have played every year since John Calipari took over as head coach and Arkansas has come out on top each time.
UCA isn’t a program that should be taken lightly though. Under head coach John Shulman the Bears put together a strong season a year ago.
Central Arkansas finished with a 22-12 record and went 15-3 in ASUN play which was good enough to win the regular season title.
The Bears came up just short of a trip to the NCAA Tournament. They lost to Queens in the ASUN Championship game which ended their bid for an automatic bid.
New conference for the Bears
Central Arkansas won’t be playing in the ASUN anymore. The Bears left that league for the newly formed United Athletic Conference which officially began play on July 1.
That change won’t affect this game with Arkansas though since it’s a non-conference matchup. The Razorbacks and Bears will keep their series going no matter which conference UCA calls home.
UCA isn’t the only in-state team on the Hogs’ slate this year. Arkansas will also welcome Arkansas-Pine Bluff to the schedule according to Golden Lions head coach Solomon Bozeman.
That means Razorbacks fans will get two chances to watch their team play a fellow Arkansas school before Southeastern Conference play even begins.
What else is on the schedule
Arkansas already has a packed non-conference slate lined up before SEC games start in January. The Hogs will play in Baha Mar exhibitions plus preseason matchups against Gonzaga and Memphis.
Other non-conference dates include Robert Morris on Nov. 10 and Indiana on Nov. 17 at Madison Square Garden. Arkansas will also face Michigan State on Thanksgiving Day in Detroit.
The Razorbacks round out non-conference play with games against North Carolina Oral Roberts Arizona and Central Michigan. Once SEC play begins Arkansas opens with Missouri on Jan. 2.
The Hogs’ full non-conference schedule shows a mix of tough competition and in-state pride. Games like the one against UCA give fans a chance to see two Arkansas programs share the floor before conference play takes over.
Hogs current basketball schedule
SEC schedule
- Jan. 2 — vs. Missouri
- Jan. 5/6 — at South Carolina
- Jan. 9 — vs. Alabama
- Jan. 12/13 — at Texas A&M
- Jan. 16 — at Tennessee
- Jan. 19/20 — vs. Georgia
- Jan. 23 — at Texas
- Jan. 26/27 — vs. LSU
- Jan. 30 — vs. Mississippi State
- Feb. 6 — at Vanderbilt
- Feb. 9/10 — vs. Ole Miss
- Feb. 13 — at Alabama
- Feb. 16/17 — vs. Auburn
- Feb. 20 — at Kentucky
- Feb. 23 — at Missouri
- Feb. 27 — vs. Florida
- March 2/3 — at LSU
- March 6 — vs. Oklahoma
- March 10-14 — SEC Tournament (Nashville)
Non-conference schedule
- July 31-Aug. 4 — Baha Mar exhibitions
- Preseason exhibition vs. Gonzaga (no date set)
- Oct. 29 — Preseason exhibition vs. Memphis
- Nov. — vs. Arkansas-Pine Buff (no date set)
- Nov. — vs. Virginia (neutral site in Washington D.C., no specific date set)
- Nov. 10 – vs. Robert Morris
- Nov. 13 — vs. UCA
- Nov. 17 — vs. Indiana (neutral site at MSG)
- Nov. 26 – Michigan State (neutral site in Detroit on Thanksgiving Day)
- Dec. 1 – North Carolina (away in SEC/ACC Challenge)
- Dec. 5 – vs. Oral Roberts
- December 19 – Arizona (neutral site in Phoenix)
- Dec. 22 – vs. Central Michigan
Key takeaways
- Arkansas basketball will host Central Arkansas on Nov. 13 at Bud Walton Arena for the third straight season
- UCA finished 22-12 last season and moved from the ASUN to the newly formed United Athletic Conference
- Arkansas-Pine Bluff will also appear on the Razorbacks’ non-conference schedule this year according to Golden Lions coach Solomon Bozeman
