Arkansas basketball to play in Europe this fall

With a dozen new players, on-court experience in August will help Arkansas gel faster.

The Arkansas basketball team is headed out on the road in the fall. Way out on the road.

The Razorbacks are headed to Italy and Spain from August 6-16 for a set of four expected exhibition games.

“We will get 10 extra, full practices to prepare for the trip,” Arkansas coach Eric Musselman said. “Second, the ability to play others, not just scrimmage each other, will be critical for this team with so many new faces.”

Arkansas has just two players returning from last year’s roster. Guard Devo Davis and forward Kamani Johnson will help integrate the six freshmen who make up the No. 2 recruiting class in the country. The Hogs are also breaking in six players from the transfer portal.

As such, the games will help the new faces adjust to each other on the court before the season begins in November.

Arkansas will play three games in Spain and one in Italy during the trip, which is the program’s first overseas since the 2016 team went to Spain. The NCAA allows teams one international trip every four years.

Musselman went to Costa Rica in 2017 when he was at Nevada and China in 2013 when he was at Arizona State.

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