Men’s Basketball SEC Slate Released

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Southeastern Conference released the entire 2012-13 men’s basketball league schedule on Friday morning and the University of Arkansas is set to play nine home games against some of the best teams in the conference.

The Razorbacks welcome the defending national champion Kentucky, Florida, Tennessee, Missouri, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Georgia and Mississippi State to Bud Walton Arena over the course of two-plus months and will take on Auburn, Florida, Missouri, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt in home-and-home matchups. 

“We are entering uncharted waters with 18 games,” said Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson.  “It is going to be tough and challenging for everyone.  We look forward to bringing in great teams to Bud Walton Arena.  Our fans make Bud Walton one of the toughest venues to play at in the country.  With two more teams and conference games, it is a win for our fans.”

Arkansas’ SEC television package includes nine games on the ESPN family of networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, one on Fox Sports Net, one on CBS, two on CSS and five on the SEC Network.  Added to the television coverage is Arkansas’ SEC/Big East Challenge game against Syracuse which has already been chosen for an ESPN broadcast.

The SEC schedule opens on the road when Arkansas travels to College Station, Texas, to play Texas A&M.  The meeting will be the first conference game between the two schools since 1991.  The Razorbacks return home for two games against Vanderbilt on Saturday, Jan. 12, and Auburn on Wednesday, Jan. 16 before a road game against Ole Miss on Saturday, Jan. 19.

Arkansas will play Mississippi State in Fayetteville on Wednesday, Jan. 23, before heading on the road for back-to-back games against South Carolina and Alabama on Saturday, Jan. 26, and Thursday, Jan. 31, respectively.

The February schedule for Arkansas calls for week-long stretches at home and on the road.  It begins with home games against Tennessee on Saturday, Feb. 2, and Florida on Thursday, Feb. 5.  Road games follow at Vanderbilt on Saturday, Feb. 9, and at Auburn on Wednesday, Feb.13.  The Missouri Tigers make their first appearance in Fayetteville since 2007 on Saturday, Feb. 16, and the Razorbacks host Georgia on Thursday, Feb. 21.  The March games conclude on the road with games at Florida and at LSU on Saturday, Feb. 23, and Wednesday, Feb. 27.

Arkansas’ regular season schedule concludes with the Razorbacks hosting the defending national champion Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday, March 2, a road trip to Missouri on Tuesday, March 5, and a home game with Texas A&M on Saturday, March 9.  Arkansas’ game against Kentucky is the second consecutive season that the Razorbacks have played the defending national champion (UConn in 2011-12).

The 2013 Southeastern Conference Tournament has added a day to accommodate the league’s additional teams and will begin on Wednesday, March 13, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.  The tournament will run through Sunday, March 17, with the NCAA Tournament beginning just two days later and running through early April.