Arkansas basketball narrowly escapes Lipscomb, 69-66

Simmons Bank Arena brought a capacity crowd and the Razorbacks almost sent the fans home unhappy but survived a pesky Lipscomb squad.

The lights wouldn’t come on to start the game, and then the lights almost went out on Arkansas’ NCAA Tournament resume on Saturday night at Simmons Bank Arena.

Before a sold-out crowd of 16,361 in North Little Rock, the Razorbacks managed to eke out a 3-point victory over the Church of Christ school from Nashville, Tenn.

Arkansas (7-4) actually led by 20 with 10:53 to go in the game before the Bisons went on a 21-2 run that cut the lead to 63-62 and had multiple looks at the basket to take the lead and had a 3-pointer rim out at the end that would’ve forced overtime.

Tramon Mark led the Arkansas scoring effort with 17 points off the bench, while Makhi Mitchell and Jalen Graham both joined him in double figures with 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Lipscomb (7-6) was without two of its best players coming into the game but trailed by only eight at halftime.

Arkansas will be in action against on Thursday night at Bud Walton Arena, with Abilene Christian coming to town. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m.

Arkansas’ game with Lipscomb from North Little Rock to be streamed

You want to be able to watch the basketball Hogs in North Little Rock without having to go to the arena? You’re in luck this year.

For the first time in nine years, Arkansas’ game in North Little Rock will be shown on something other than a fan’s phone that people would watch on Facebook or Twitter/X.

Arkansas announced on Thursday that the December 16 game with Lipscomb would be streamed on SEC Network+.

It will be the first Arkansas game televised from Simmons Bank Arena since December 2014 when the Razorbacks defeated Southeast Missouri State 84-67.

According to the WholeHog report, a source told them that the athletic department recently received a video encoder that will allow them to transmit the broadcast to SEC Network at a significantly reduced price.

Most of the games from North Little Rock in the past were televised by ARSN or the Razorbacks’ Learfield channel and had the late Paul Eells or Scott Inman providing play-by-play with either Jimmy Dykes, Rick Schaeffer or Joe Kleine providing commentary.

Arkansas tumbles in AP Poll but still ranked 24th

Well, that deescalated quickly. Arkansas dropped 12 spots in Monday’s Associated Press poll following its 88-66 loss against Oklahoma on Saturday. The Razorbacks (9-1) will look to regroup against Hofstra on Saturday at Simmons Bank Arena in North …

Well, that deescalated quickly.

Arkansas dropped 12 spots in Monday’s Associated Press poll following its 88-66 loss against Oklahoma on Saturday.

The Razorbacks (9-1) will look to regroup against Hofstra on Saturday at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock.

According to HogStats.com, this is the first time an AP-ranked Arkansas team will have played in the arena, formerly known as both Alltel and Verizon Arena.

Other SEC teams ranked in the poll include Alabama at 6th, Auburn at 13th, Tennessee at 18th, LSU at 19th and Kentucky at 21st.

SEC play begins December 29. Arkansas travels to Mississippi State that night.