Courtesy of Mike Cawood
FAYETTEVILLE – After back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances and bringing in the #1 recruiting class in the nation, Arkansas is ranked #12 in the preseason AP basketball poll and 13th in the USA TODAY Coaches’ poll.
The Razorbacks, picked to finish third in the SEC by the league’s media, are the fourth-highest rated SEC team in the AP poll behind #1 Florida, #7 Texas and #8 Tennessee. Other SEC teams in the preseason AP top 25 are Alabama (#20), Kentucky (#23) and Vanderbilt (#24), while Missouri, Texas A&M and Auburn received votes.
Arkansas non-conference opponents to make the top 25 include #5 Arizona, #6 Michigan State and #9 Virginia, with North Carolina and Indiana receiving votes.
Florida is also the preseason #1 team in the coaches poll, followed by SEC teams Texas (#7), Tennessee (#9), Arkansas (#13), Alabama (#18), Vanderbilt #21) and Kentucky (#23). Missouri, Texas A&M and Auburn received votes. Non-conference Razorback foes in the coaches preseason poll are Arizona (#4), Michigan State (#6) and Virginia (#10), with North Carolina and Indiana receiving votes.
Arkansas officially opens the season on Nov. 3 (Tuesday) with the first-ever meeting with UAPB.
Prior to the season opener, Arkansas will play two home exhibition games.
First, Naismith Hall of Famers John Calipari and Mark Few will unofficially start the season with an exhibition game between #12/13 Arkansas and #15/12 Gonzaga on Oct. 24 (Saturday) in Bud Walton Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on 92.1 The Ticket and the Ticket app.
Four days later (Wed – Oct. 28), Memphis comes to Bud Walton Arena for an exhibition at 7 pm on SECN+.
