Anderson: ‘Tremendous’ schedule awaits Hogs
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas men’s basketball coach Mike Anderson released the Razorbacks’ schedule Thurday from October intrasquad games and exhibitions through the Southeastern Conference March 7-11 in St. Louis.
The Razorbacks open the season Nov. 10 against Samford at Walton Arena, where two days later Bucknell, a 26-9 team that went to the NCAA tournament last season, appears. Other Fayetteville home games are Nov. 17 against Fresno State, Dec. 5 against Colorado State, Dec. 9 against Minnesota, Dec. 19 against Oral Roberts, Dec. 27 against Cal-State Bakersfield and Jan. 27 against Oklahoma State, the latter as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
Arkansas also has a Dec. 16 game in North Little Rock against Troy, a 22-win team last year.
Away from home, the Razorbacks visit the Houston Cougars Dec. 2 after three games at the Phil Knight Invitational in Portland, Ore., on Thanksgiving week. The Razorbacks open the tournament Nov. 23 against Oklahoma, then face defending national champion North Carolina or host Portland State Nov. 24. Possibie opponents Nov. 26 included Butler, Connecticut, DePaul, Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Michigan State, Oregon, Stanford or Texas.
“We have a tremendous, tremendous nonconference schedule,” Anderson said. “The toughest nonconference schedule we’ve had I know since I’ve been here. Probably since I’ve been a head coach.”
Anderson starts his seventh season as Arkansas head coach after a combined nine years at Missouri and Alabama-Birmingham.
“Eleven of those teams that we’re playing nonconference won 20 or more games last year,” Anderson said. “So that means every game is going to be a great ballgame.”
Just the three games at the Phil Knight Invitational would constitute a tough nonconference schedule for most.
“Obviously it’s like a Sweet Sixteen there,” Anderson said. “Three of the Final Four teams are in that tournament. So we know no matter who we play it’s going to be a tremendous task but it’s a great opportunity.”
After lobbying the conference office, Arkansas received five Saturday SEC home games: Dec. 30 against Tennessee, Jan. 13 against Missouri, Jan. 20 against Ole Miss, Feb. 10 against Vanderbilt and Feb. 17 against Texas A&M plus the Oklahoma State matchup.
““That is something that we have been beating the drum, too,” Anderson said of pleading with the SEC for more Saturday SEC home games. “Since I have been here we have maybe two or three something like that. One thing about our fans is they show up and let’s help our fans by having some of those games Saturday here. Now the challenge for our fans is to pack the Bud.”
The Razorbacks’ midweek SEC games at Walton, all either Tuesday or Wednesday, are Jan. 10, LSU; Feb. 6, South Carolina; Feb. 20, Kentucky; and Feb. 27, Auburn.
With six seniors coming off a 26-10 season that went two rounds into the NCAA tournament including having national champion North Carolina on the ropes, Anderson believes his squad is ready for the toughest schedule of his career.
“We’ve got to take that experience that we had last year and be dialed in and ready to take it to the next level,” Anderson said.
For seniors Anderson returns two three-year lettermen: 6-9 forward Trey Thompson and point guard Anton Beard; 6-8 forward Dustin Thomas, lettering last season after transferring from Colorado, and second-year junior-college-transfer guards Jaylen Barford and Daryl Macon, the top two returning scorers from last season, and second-year JC transfer forward Arlando Cook.
As freshmen, guard C.J. Jones and forward Adrio Bailey, with
Bailey coming on to play extensively against North Carolina, return as sophomores.
Added to that, Anderson said, “We had a good recruiting class to come in this year.”
Signing with the Razorbacks last November were 6-10 forward Daniel Gafford of El Dorado, guard Khalil Garland of Little Rock Parkview and swingman Darious Hall of Little Rocl Mills. In the spring, Arkansas added Canadian 6-8 freshman forward Gabe Osabuohien.
* Lee Mayberry, a Razorback All-American under Nolan Richardson who returned to UA after retiring from the NBA to complete his degree then served two years in Anderson’s program in administration, has moved to Pine Bluff with wife Marla.
Marla Mayberry became vice chancellor for institutional advancement and development at Arkansas-Pine Bluff while Lee now is a high school assistant basketball coach at Watson Chapel.