The University of Arkansas has finalized its non-conference schedule for the 2026-27 men's basketball season, highlighted by marquee exhibition games, home matchups at Bud Walton Arena, and road trips to major venues across the country.
The Razorbacks will open their season with two home exhibitions in Fayetteville, hosting Gonzaga on Friday, October 24, and Memphis on Wednesday, October 28. These games are not included in season ticket packages, but members of the Razorback Foundation will have an opportunity to purchase tickets starting next week, with public sales following later in the week.
The regular season officially begins on Tuesday, November 3, with the Razorbacks taking on in-state opponent Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The game marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Arkansas will then travel to Washington, D.C., to face Virginia in the Capital Showcase on Sunday, November 8, before returning to Bud Walton Arena for matchups against Robert Morris on Wednesday, November 11, and Central Arkansas on Friday, November 13. Arkansas is 10-0 all-time against Central Arkansas and will be playing the Bears for the third consecutive season.
Arkansas embarks on a challenging stretch starting with a trip to Madison Square Garden in New York City to play Indiana in the Bad Boy Mower Series on Tuesday, November 17. The team then hosts Mississippi Valley State on Friday, November 20, before heading back on the road for high-profile games against Michigan State on Thursday, November 26, in the CBS Thanksgiving Classic in Detroit, and against North Carolina on Tuesday, December 1, as part of the SEC-ACC Challenge.
The Hogs return briefly to Arkansas for a Saturday matchup against Oral Roberts in North Little Rock’s Simmons Bank Arena. This will be Arkansas’s 31st game in North Little Rock since 1977, with the Razorbacks holding a 20-10 record in the city. Following the Oral Roberts game, the team returns to Bud Walton Arena for games against Oakland on Tuesday, December 8, and UT Arlington on Sunday, December 13.
Another major matchup on the schedule is set for Phoenix, Arizona, where Arkansas will take on the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday, December 19, as part of the Hall of Fame Series. The non-conference slate will wind down with home games against Central Michigan on Tuesday, December 22, and UT Rio Grande Valley on Tuesday, December 29, marking the team's first-ever meeting with the Vaqueros.
The Southeastern Conference schedule begins on Saturday, January 2, when Arkansas hosts Missouri at Bud Walton Arena.
Historical notes accompany several of the non-conference matchups. Against Robert Morris, Arkansas holds a 1-0 record, with the teams’ only prior meeting in December 2012 resulting in a 79-74 Razorbacks victory. The team has also faced Mississippi Valley State six times, winning each contest, including a dominant 142-62 season-opening performance in 2020-21. Arkansas maintains a perfect 9-0 record against UT Arlington and has only met Central Michigan once, winning 72-59 in a 2006 matchup.
The 2026-27 slate presents the Razorbacks with a mix of familiar in-state rivals, historic rematches, and opportunities to showcase their talent on a national stage before diving into SEC competition.