Arkansas set to face Big 12 powerhouse in multi-year hoops series, per report
By Adam Spencer
Published:
The Arkansas Razorbacks had a strong year under coach John Calipari in 2025-26, making it all the way to the Elite Eight before falling to a tough Arizona squad.
Though that game ended in a comfortable 21-point win for the Wildcats, it was the kind of matchup featuring elite talent (including a pair of potential lottery picks in Darius Acuff Jr. and Brayden Burries) that fans would love to see more of.
Well, the Arizona and Arkansas administrations decided to make that happen! According to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, the Hogs and the Wildcats will start a multi-year series that begins this coming season:
The first game in the series will be a “neutral-site” game in Phoenix. (I put “neutral-site” in quotes there for obvious reasons.) The 2027-28 matchup will take place at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville and the 2028-29 contest will be played on Arizona’s home court in Tucson. Per Norlander’s reporting, there’s an option in the agreement to play another game during the 2029-30 season at a neutral site closer to Arkansas.
Even with transfer portal losses and NBA Draft departures, these 2 squads should once again be loaded this coming season, making Arizona-Arkansas one of the premier nonconference matchups on the slate.
This season’s contest in Phoenix is reportedly set for Saturday, Dec. 19.
Arizona and Arkansas are both among the early favorites to make Final Four runs in 2026-27, according to Kalshi. Check out the latest market below, and use Kalshi promo code SDS when you sign up for an account today to earn a $10 bonus:
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Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
