FAYETTEVILLE -- Southern Illinois University Coach Barry Hinson did some marketing on Arkansas' behalf after the Razorbacks beat his Salukis 90-65 on Monday night in Walton Arena.
It was the fourth time Hinson, 55, had bought a team to Arkansas and he sounded appalled the crowd didn't resemble what he remembered from previous visits with Oral Roberts in the 1997-98 season and Missouri State in the 2005-06 and 2007-08 seasons.
The announced crowd for Monday night's game was 4,270 in a building with a listed capacity of 19,200.
Hinson, in his postgame news conference, addressed Arkansas fans directly with several video cameras rolling, asking where to look into the cameras.
"You have got to get your butts back in this gym," Hinson said with a fiery tone. "That team deserves it. This university deserves it.
"Buy your tickets and get your butts in here."
The box score listed paid attendance for the game as 13,308, which means more than 9,000 purchased tickets went unused.
Arkansas has sold 12,253 season tickets according to the UA.
With basketball season starting earlier and overlapping more with football season and every game available for viewing on television or the internet, many fans are choosing to stay at home unless it's a marquee non-conference matchup or SEC game.
"When I walk in here, I want to see it packed again," said Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson, an assistant to Nolan Richardson for 17 seasons when the Razorbacks packed Barnhill Arena and often played to capacity crowds at Walton Arena. "That's my mindset, that's my vision.
"Obviously, we have to do our part. But I'd love to see more fans out there because I think we have a chance to be a dynamite team."
The Razorbacks, who opened with a 92-83 victory over Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, have scored more than 90 points in their first two games for the first time in 20 years.
Arkansas beat Northeastern Illinois 114-56 and Jackson State 97-71 to start the 1997-98 season before beating Hinson's ORU team 81-75 en route to a 24-9 record and NCAA Tournament appearance.
"You want me to be honest?" Hinson said when asked if he was surprised by Monday night's attendance. "That was not an Arkansas crowd.
"I told our guys when they bring that damn Arkansas flag out with three minutes left and you're yelling your ass off and they can't hear you, that's what it's all about.
"But that's not the Razorback crowd that I know."
Arkansas has one NCAA Tournament appearance in Anderson's five seasons as coach and went 16-16 last season, but the Razorbacks have added seven scholarship newcomers, including junior college All-American guards Daryl Macon and Jaylen Barford.
Senior center Moses Kingsley was voted preseason SEC player of the year by the media and Kingsley and senior guard Dusty Hannahs both received preseason All-SEC recognition in a vote by coaches.
"We know that in this arena, when our fans are here and they're involved, it takes us to another level," Anderson said. "I think this team is going to have another level to go to.
"People are kind of sleeping on us right now, but there's a reason why. We have a lot new pieces. We're just putting those pieces together and hopefully we'll go out each and every game and get better."
Arkansas -- which led SIU 56-25 at halftime -- has outscored its first two opponents 41-2 in fastbreak points while shooting 51.2 percent from the field.
"We try to give the fans a show and give them what they paid for," Macon said. "That's who we play for."
Macon said he expects to see more fans at Walton Arena for the remaining games.
"I think they're kind of hearing the buzz and will start buying their tickets," he said. "All I can say is for people who haven't come to a game, you're missing a show."
Attendance figures to be higher when the Razorbacks play Sun Belt Conference preseason favorite Texas-Arlington (1-2) tonight in Walton Arena.
The announced crowd for last Friday night's game against IPFW was 7,504, though that was bolstered by 1,171 students, including many who attended as part of a promotion involving several sororities.
"Obviously, you want 20,000 every night," Arkansas senior guard Manny Watkins said. "That's not really realistic.
"For the people that come, I play to put on a show for them."
Watkins understands winning is the best promotion.
"When you win, that's what brings the people to the games," he said. 'We've just got to take care of what we can control, and that's playing basketball.
"Playing exciting basketball, playing fun basketball. Winning games. The fan stuff will take care of itself after that."
Anderson and the Razorbacks said they appreciate the fans who have been coming to games and their enthusiasm.
"They were into it," Anderson said of the crowds so far this season. "Hopefully, we'll get more people in the stands.
"It's an exciting team and I'm sure the word is spreading."
Sports on 11/18/2016