The 2024-25 faculty basketball season will mark a brand new period for John Calipari, as the previous Kentucky coach will probably be roaming the sidelines at a unique location within the SEC. After spending the final 15 seasons with the Wildcats, Calipari left his put up in Lexington to switch Eric Musselman because the coach at Arkansas in one of many largest strikes of the offseason.
No. 16 Arkansas opens the season on Nov. 6 at Bud Walton Enviornment towards Lipscomb earlier than going through No. 8 Baylor at American Airways Heart in Dallas 5 days later. The Razorbacks even have intriguing matchups towards Illinois, Miami and Michigan on their nonconference schedule.
Calipari has landed serval high-profile commitments this offseason to reshape the Arkansas roster, together with former Florida Atlantic star Johnell Davis and Tennessee ahead Jonas Aidoo. Davis, the No. 1 participant within the CBS Sports activities Switch Rankings, was the 2023-24 AAC co-Participant of the Yr. Aidoo is one the perfect 2024 transfers in faculty basketball and was probably the greatest defensive gamers within the nation at his place.
The Razorbacks additionally added three members of Kentucky’s 2024 recruiting class: Karter Knox, Billy Richmond and Boogie Fland. All three gamers have been beforehand dedicated to Kentucky and adopted their future coach to Fayetteville.
Listed here are the highest 5 Arkansas nonconference video games to observe this season.
1. vs. Baylor
When: Nov. 9, 2024 | The place: American Airways Heart (Dallas)
The most effective nonconference recreation on Arkansas’ schedule is a recreation in Dallas towards Baylor. The Bears loaded up within the switch portal by touchdown former Duke star guard Jeremy Roach and Miami large man Norchad Omier to pair with returning guard Langston Love.
Baylor additionally has three top-100 recruits from the 2024 recruiting cycle coming to campus: V.J. Edgecombe, Rob Wright, and Jason Asemota. Edgecombe tasks as a possible top-5 decide within the 2025 NBA Draft.
2. vs. Illinois
When: Nov. 28, 2024 | The place: T-Cell Heart (Kansas Metropolis)
How a couple of showdown on Thanksgiving as an earlly appetizer earlier than turkey dinner?
Illinois misplaced Terrence Shannon Jr. (NBA Draft) and Coleman Hawkins (switch to Kansas State) from a crew that reached the Elite Eight for the primary time since 2005 however reloaded by including blue-chip prospects Will Riley, Morez Johnson, Kasparas Jakucionis and Tomislav Ivišić, the brother of Arkansas large man Zvonimir Ivišić. Brad Underwood additionally landed former Arizona guard Kylan Boswell and Notre Dame ahead Carey Sales space through the switch portal to compete in a new-look Massive Ten.
3. vs. Michigan
When: Dec. 10, 2024 | The place: Madison Sq. Backyard (New York)
Arkansas’ matchup with Michigan at Madison Sq. Backyard ought to be an excellent one. New Michigan coach Dusty Could is in a fantastic place to show the Wolverines again right into a Massive Ten contender due to what he did within the switch portal. Michigan added Ohio State’s Roddy Gayle Jr., Yale’s Danny Wolf, Auburn’s Tre Donaldson, Alabama’s Sam Walters, and his former participant at FAU, Vladislav Goldin, and added four-star guard Justin Pippen, the son of NBA legend Scottie Pippen, through highschool recruiting.
This recreation will probably be must-watch TV.
4. at Miami (ACC/SEC Problem)
When: Dec. 3, 2024 | The place: Watsco Heart (Coral Gables, Florida)
Arkansas will journey to Coral Gables throughout the first week of December to face Miami within the ACC/SEC Problem. The Hurricanes misplaced their star large man (Omier) to Baylor however added one of many high incoming recruits within the 2024 recruiting cycle: Jalil Bethea.
Bethea is projected to start out within the backcourt subsequent to Nijel Pack, and people two ought to provide coach Jim Larrañaga a dynamic 1-2 punch. Do not be stunned if this finally ends up being one of many high video games from the multi-day occasion.
When: Dec. 30, 2024 The place: Bud Walton Enviornment (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
Earlier than the calendar turns to 2025, Calipari will face an opponent he’s very acquainted with. Calipari’s ultimate recreation at Kentucky was a loss to this similar Oakland squad within the NCAA Event. Though the brand new head man at Arkansas is at a unique faculty within the SEC, this will probably be must-watch TV due to that storyline alone.
Oakland misplaced its finest participant (Trey Townsend) to the switch portal, however coach Greg Kampe can have his crew able to compete.
Arkansas’ 2024-25 schedule
| Date | Opponent | Web site |
|---|---|---|
| Wed., Nov. 6 | Lipscomb | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Sat., Nov. 9 | vs. Baylor | Dallas |
| Wed., Nov. 13 | Troy | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Mon., Nov. 18 | Pacific | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Fri., Nov. 22 | Little Rock | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Mon., Nov. 25 | Maryland-Japanese Shore | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Thu., Nov. 28 | vs. Illinois | Kansas Metropolis, Mo. |
| Tue., Dec. 3 | at Miami | Coral Gables, Fla. |
| Sat., Dec. 7 | UTSA | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Tue., Dec. 10 | vs. Michigan | New York (Jimmy V Basic) |
| Sat., Dec. 14 | vs. Central Arkansas | North Little Rock, Ark. |
| Sat., Dec. 21 | North Carolina A&T | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Mon., Dec. 30 | Oakland | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Sat., Jan. 4 | at Tennessee | Knoxville, Tenn. |
| Wed., Jan. 8 | Ole Miss | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Sat., Jan. 11 | Florida | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Tue., Jan. 14 | at LSU | at Baton Rouge, La. |
| Sat., Jan. 18 | at Missouri | at Columbia, Mo. |
| Sat., Jan. 25 | Oklahoma | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Sat., Feb. 1 | at Kentucky | at Lexington, Ky. |
| Wed., Feb. 5 | at Texas | at Austin, Texas |
| Sat., Feb. 8 | Alabama | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Wed., Feb. 12 | LSU | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Sat., Feb. 15 | at Texas A&M | at Faculty Station, Texas |
| Wed., Feb. 19 | at Auburn | at Auburn, Ala. |
| Sat., Feb. 22 | Missouri | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Wed., Feb. 26 | Texas | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Sat., Mar. 1 | at South Carolina | at Columbia, S.C. |
| Tue., Mar. 4 | at Vanderbilt | at Nashville |
| Sat., Mar. 8 | Mississippi State | Fayetteville, Ark. |