2026-2027 Razorback basketball

[DrMongoose]

That Madison Square Garden game is very tempting.

Same with the UNC game.

Not so much Detroit or Phoenix.  I can watch those games on TV.

Cal loves MSG

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[DirkPiggler]

I'm not arguing that we shouldn't play games in these larger cities and arenas.  Far from it...it's a great experience for the kids and helps in recruiting.  Obviously you don't get that from playing in Tulsa and NLR.

Detroit and Phoenix are hardly iconic venues.  Unless a kid grew up there like Acuff in Detroit he hasn't always dreamed of playing there.  I haven't been to either of those arenas, but I have been to San Antonio's NBA facility which vegashog mentioned.  It's at best equal to BOK in Tulsa in quality, probably below it honestly. 

The point is to get an occasional neutral site game that Hog fans can take over, to offset the ones we're playing that are essentially home games for our opponents, especially since apparently no one will play us home-and-home.  The whole argument against playing big games in Little Rock has always been that those games should be in Fayetteville.  If we can't get them in Fayetteville, the next best options are Little Rock, Tulsa, and Memphis.  These games should be in addition to the ones we play in places like NYC and Chicago, not a substitute for them.

[Barton Fink]

Correct. Dallas, Memphis, and St Louis are big enough and close enough.

[The Whyte Boar]

I don't mind those tough games but we're probably going to lose more of them than we win given that they are all on the road and/or "neutral" site games.  And no, we won't get credit for playing them from the pollsters.  They'll just look at our record.

So any benefit we get at tournament time for being tested by that brutal schedule, is likely to be offset some by lower seeding and a tougher road through the tournament. 

Oh well, not going to argue with Cal about it or pretend to know more than him.

[Hogworth Ballington III]

Yeah I love the guy but he has a job and it's not to be objective.

Yeah there was a coach Z breakdown of one catch and shoot play with Miikka where the guy was just gushing over how Miikka excelled at catching it high and not coming down with it as a defender comes at him and how very few players had that iq and ability/instinct. Then the very next video I saw of Miikka had him dipping every time he caught it. So who knows. I still think we are gonna be damn good and I enjoy any content that keeps me from having to think about football.

[BEvERage]

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[Lurk]

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I found out that I never cancelled mine.

[Show-Me Hog]

There is nothing about NLR or Tulsa to recommend playing a name game there. OKC and Memphis at least have NBA teams and arenas, which is a big deal for players trying to get there. Dallas has that plus a huge metroplex and Hog base.

[animal]

RE: NLR

 It would probably also be fine for scheduling some has-been schools like Georgetown, UMASS, UNLV, or SWC, Big 8 type match-ups from the past. Bringing in directional schools or decent caliber mid-majors that will treat it like their Superbowl is not really the answer. 

[BleedinRed]

I get playing in New York, Detroit, Chicago.  The exposure to players from those areas is worth it.  

But, if teams like North Carolina won't come to Fayetteville, wtf would we go to Chapel Hill?  Especially when we are playing all major OOC games 1,000 miles from Arkansas.

[Hogworth Ballington III]

I would rather play Arizona in Detroit and MichState in Phoenix or similar. Make them travel as far as we are willing to. Make it a true road game and see which fan base actually shows up. No reason to give them a home game that doesn't even show up as a true road game for us.

[Pig Benis]

I get playing in New York, Detroit, Chicago.  The exposure to players from those areas is worth it. 

But, if teams like North Carolina won't come to Fayetteville, wtf would we go to Chapel Hill?  Especially when we are playing all major OOC games 1,000 miles from Arkansas.

That's our ACC-SEC challenge game. Same reason that we got Duke and Louisville at BWA the last few years. As long as Cal is here, that will probably be the best game at BWA every year. Well that and AZ next year.

[Barton Fink]

Next year we should have a helluva home schedule.

[Lurk]

There's a video out of Wilkerson hitting 14 threes in a row during the open portion of practice. Supposedly that's his weakness. I watched some young local media guys that were there talking about that drill. He had the Finn and Toure(another supposed weakness) in his group and all three of them lit it up. I think that shot analyzer they bought Cals first year has proven its worth. Billy nearly 3 pointed his way into the draft at the combine. If we can shoot well enough to force close outs, we're going to get to see some explosive dunks out of this group. They were pretty high on Maker like everyone else. They also commented about how big we are now. Six guys 6'11 or taller. We may not play like Michigan, Arizona or Illinois, but we'll look more like them this year.

[BleedinRed]

That's our ACC-SEC challenge game. Same reason that we got Duke and Louisville at BWA the last few years. As long as Cal is here, that will probably be the best game at BWA every year. Well that and AZ next year.

Ah, thanks for the clarity. 

[Pig Benis]

Ah, thanks for the clarity.

No problem. And I should've said best home game every OTHER year since we have to go on the road to the ACC in the off years. As much as we like to shit on the SEC for screwing us on everything else, we've been pretty fortunate with these matchups. Duke and Louisville in BWA, and at Chapel Hill this year. At Miami 2 years ago was the worst one I can remember. I can't wait to get UNC in BWA at some point but it will probably be a few years since they alternate the opponents and won't give us the same in consecutive years. I'd love to play in Cameron at some point as well.

[Pig Benis]

Next year we should have a helluva home schedule.

Was it ever confirmed that we're getting Mich St at BWA next year? I know Cal said they're coming at some point.

Edit: I just saw this quote from Cal:

"What happens is next year we have Arizona at home, we have Michigan State at home, and we got an ACC game at home. And you know who I hope that is," Calipari said. "So, that would be maybe the best home schedule. This year, we're maybe the best neutral schedule."

[Barton Fink]

I've noticed Cal likes to play a game close to recruits honetown. Michigan, NY/NJ, VA

[DirkPiggler]

There is nothing about NLR or Tulsa to recommend playing a name game there. OKC and Memphis at least have NBA teams and arenas, which is a big deal for players trying to get there. Dallas has that plus a huge metroplex and Hog base.

Again, TV dollars drive 90% of this.  Why do you need any reason other than that?   


You won't come to BWA, fine.  You pick a neutral site near you, we pick one near us.  Play at one this year and the other the next.  It's not that complicated. 

[Show-Me Hog]

Again, TV dollars drive 90% of this.  Why do you need any reason other than that?   


You won't come to BWA, fine.  You pick a neutral site near you, we pick one near us.  Play at one this year and the other the next.  It's not that complicated. 

You can be on TV anywhere. There is no reason to go to NLR or Tulsa for that. I think the logic works exactly opposite the way you're applying it.