For Arkansas Basketball, a New Season Brings High Hopes and the Hardest Road Ahead

Arkansas basketball has officially released its 2025–26 schedule, including tipoff times and broadcast details for all non-conference and SEC games, the school announced Tuesday, October 7. The Razorbacks are set to take on what many consider the toughest slate in program history, designed by head coach John Calipari, who built a demanding non-conference lineup to pair with an 18 game SEC schedule, the league widely regarded as the toughest in college basketball.

The finalized schedule includes two exhibition matchups, five nationally recognized non-conference opponents among 13 total games, and the full 18 game SEC slate announced earlier. Expectations are high for the Razorbacks to build on last season’s progress, even as they prepare to face one of the most grueling paths in years. With Calipari at the helm, optimism in Fayetteville remains strong that this team can meet the challenge head on.

Non-Conference Action Begins in October

The Razorbacks will kick off the preseason with two exhibition games, beginning with a home matchup against Cincinnati on October 24 at Bud Walton Arena. They will then travel to Memphis on October 27 for a nationally televised contest at the FedEx Forum, part of the St. Jude Tip-Off Classic. This game marks head coach John Calipari’s first meeting with Memphis since leaving the program in the early 2000s to take the Kentucky job.

Arkansas opens the regular season on November 3, hosting Southern on the SEC Network. The team then travels to East Lansing to face Michigan State on November 8, presenting one of its toughest early-season tests in a home-and-home series beginning this year.

The Razorbacks return to Bud Walton Arena for a multi-team event, facing Central Arkansas on November 11, Samford on November 14, Winthrop on November 18, and Jackson State on November 21.

One of the season’s most anticipated matchups comes on Thanksgiving night, November 27, when Arkansas faces Duke at the United Center in Chicago as part of the CBS Sports Thanksgiving Classic. The Razorbacks then host Louisville on December 3 for the SEC/ACC Challenge, travel to North Little Rock to take on Fresno State on December 6, and square off against Texas Tech on December 13 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas in a Sweet 16 rematch.

The non-conference schedule continues with Queens University visiting Bud Walton Arena on December 16, followed by a marquee matchup against Houston on December 20 at the Never Forget Tribute Classic at the Prudential Center in Newark. Arkansas will close out the calendar year at home against James Madison on December 29.

SEC Play Opens with Tennessee Showdown

Arkansas opens SEC play on January 3 with a home matchup against Tennessee, which will air nationally on ESPN2. The early conference stretch includes visits to Ole Miss on January 7 and Auburn on January 10, before the Razorbacks return to Fayetteville to host South Carolina on January 14.

The schedule continues with a road game at Georgia on January 17, followed by home contests against Vanderbilt on January 20 and LSU on January 24. Arkansas then travels to Oklahoma on January 27 before hosting one of the season’s most anticipated games on January 31, when Kentucky comes to Bud Walton Arena.

After a brief February bye, the Razorbacks travel to Mississippi State on February 7 and LSU on February 10 before returning home to face Auburn on February 14. They then visit Alabama on February 18, host Missouri on February 21, and welcome Texas A&M on February 25. Arkansas plays at Florida in Gainesville on February 28, hosts its last home game against Texas on March 4, and closes the season at Missouri on March 7.

Calipari Leads Renewed Hopes

As a new season draws near, optimism in Fayetteville revolves around one man: veteran head coach John Calipari. Now entering his 34th year on the sidelines, Calipari continues to stress culture, effort, and accountability. “Everything you’re doing is about building an environment,” he said. “If you demand a lot, you’ll get a lot. If you accept mediocrity, you’ll get it every time.”

When Calipari arrived in April 2024, Arkansas basketball was in transition. The program was in need of rebuilding, and the veteran coach was tasked with constructing nearly an entire roster from the ground up. In his first year, he delivered, guiding the Razorbacks to the Sweet 16 while overcoming early growing pains and critical injuries, restoring the program’s national relevance in the process.

The Razorbacks opened last season with an 11-2 non-conference mark before facing a tough SEC stretch and losing five-star freshman Boogie Fland to a midseason injury. Still, they rallied, closing strong at 11-7, earning an at-large NCAA Tournament berth, and pulling off two upsets on their way to the Sweet 16.

This offseason, Calipari has focused on fortifying depth and conditioning. “This time, we should have real depth. We’ll be able to press more, play faster, and be more unpredictable,” he said. And in Fayetteville, fans have every reason to believe him.

Depth, Talent, and a Star-Studded Backcourt

Arkansas enters the 2025–26 season with one of the deepest backcourts in the nation. John Calipari’s second Razorbacks team includes six returning players, seven freshmen from the nation’s No. 5 recruiting class, and two experienced transfers. With so many returning minutes, the roster ranks among the most seasoned in the SEC.

The backcourt features returning guards D.J. Wagner and Karter Knox alongside freshman standouts Meleek Thomas, Amere Brown, and Darius Acuff Jr., creating a potentially explosive guard rotation. Wagner, a junior who followed Calipari from Kentucky, is expected to lead both on and off the court. “He’s in the best shape he’s ever been in, stronger than he’s ever been, more confident than he’s ever been,” Calipari said. “He can play on or off the ball, plays hard, talks, and has gotten better defensively.”

On the wing, Knox and Billy Richmond III return after solid freshman campaigns, while four-star recruit Isaiah Sealy could earn meaningful minutes. In the frontcourt, Trevon Brazile anchors the lineup, finishing last season with the nation’s highest two-point percentage at 78.6% and a strong 36.4% from three-point range.

Center depth is bolstered by transfers Malique Ewin from Florida State, who provides scoring in the post, and Nick Pringle from South Carolina, who brings SEC experience and elite rebounding. International players Karim Rtail, Elmir Dzafic, and four-star freshman Paulo Semedo add additional frontcourt depth.

With this mix of experienced returnees and talented newcomers, the Razorbacks have reason to believe they can improve their perimeter shooting and overall offensive efficiency compared to last season.

Where to Watch the Games

Arkansas basketball will be featured twice on CBS, 16 times across the ESPN family of networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU), and 12 times on the SEC Network or SECN+ livestream. The only broadcast yet to be determined is the November 8 game at Michigan State, scheduled for 6 p.m. in East Lansing.