Arkansas will play four games in the preseason NIT, it was announced Thursday.
The Razorbacks will play home games against Akron on Nov. 18 and Charleston Southern on Nov. 20 at Walton Arena, then will play two games at the Barclays Center in New York against Georgia Tech on Nov. 26 (Thanksgiving Day) and against Stanford or Villanova on Nov. 27.
The Arkansas-Georgia Tech game will be at 2 p.m. Central and televised on ESPNU.
If the Razorbacks beat Georgia Tech, they will play the Stanford-Villanova winner at 3 p.m. on ESPN2. If they lose to Georgia Tech, they’ll play the Stanford-Villanova loser at 12:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
UALR men set nonconference schedule
A home-and-home series with an in-state opponent, four home games and a trip to Las Vegas highlight UALR’s first nonconference schedule under Coach Chris Beard.
UALR MEN’S NONCONFERENCE SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT TIME
Nov. 14 Central Baptist TBA
Nov. 18 Centenary TBA
Nov. 21 at San Diego St. TBA
Nov. 26 East Carolina TBA*
Nov. 28 at Tulsa TBA
Dec. 1 C. Arkansas TBA
Dec. 5 at Idaho TBA
Dec. 12 at DePaul TBA
Dec. 16 at C. Arkansas TBA
Dec. 20 N. Arizona TBA
Dec. 22 at Texas Tech TBA
*at Las Vegas Invitational
UALR will open the season Nov. 14 against Central Baptist, an NAIA school in Conway, and will host Division III Centenary on Nov. 18. The Trojans also host Central Arkansas on Dec. 1 and Northern Arizona on Dec.
20.
The Trojans play at San Diego State on Nov. 21, face East Carolina on Nov. 26 as part of the Las Vegas Invitational, then play at Tulsa on Nov. 28, at Idaho on Dec. 5, at Central Arkansas on Dec. 16 and at Texas Tech on Dec. 22.
“We have a very challenging schedule,” Beard said in a university release. “Our team is looking forward to the opportunity to compete against some of the best programs in college basketball. … Our team will be tested nightly and be well-prepared once Sun Belt Conference play begins.”
San Diego State is UALR’s most accomplished opponent. The Aztecs were 27-9 last year and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to eventual national champion Duke. Tulsa beat UALR 78-73 last year on its way to the second round of the NIT, and Northern Arizona reached the final of the College Insider Tournament.
UALR was 13-18 last season and will start this season with seven new scholarship players.