Finally. And with football struggling, Hogs fans are ready.
The Arkansas basketball season tips Monday night from Bud Walton Arena. North Dakota State visits Fayetteville to kick off coach Eric Musselman’s fourth year with the Hogs.
Arkansas is coming off a second straight Elite Eight apperance in 2022-23 and is ranked No. 10 in the nation. But the roster returns just two rotation players from last year in guard Devo Davis and forward Kamani Johnson. The inexperience showed during the exhibition season with Texas taking a 30-point victory last week in Austin.
Freshmen guards Anthony Black and Nick Smith Jr., along with freshman forward Jordan Walsh, should help. All three are projected first-round picks in the spring in the NBA Draft.
Arkansas also brought in five players from the transfer portal, all of whom were starters or sixth men at teams that played in the postseason.
North Dakota State was picked fourth in the Summit League and returns just two players who averaged more than five points a game.
Here’s how to watch, stream and listen to the season opener.