SEC Unveils Historic League Slate
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference released its 2017 men’s basketball schedule on Tuesday afternoon that features an historic tipoff date and national television exposure for all 18 league contests.
For the first time since Arkansas joined the SEC prior to the 1991-92 season, the Razorbacks will open league play in December, tipping off with Florida on Thursday, Dec. 29 in Bud Walton Arena. The Gators make their first trip to Fayetteville since the 2013-14 season and Arkansas opens league play at home for the first time in six years.
The Razorbacks are scheduled to play home and home series with Florida, Texas A&M, LSU, Missouri and Vanderbilt, while also welcoming Mississippi State, Alabama, Ole Miss and Georgia to Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas will make single road trips to Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina and Auburn.
After a conference-opener with the Gators, Arkansas will immediately face back-to-back road tests, traveling to Tennessee on Tuesday, Jan. 3, before turning around and battling Kentucky on Saturday, Jan. 7 at Rupp Arena.
The Razorbacks are slated to play four Saturday home games during league action, hosting Missouri (Jan. 14), LSU (Jan. 21), Ole Miss (Feb. 18) and Georgia (March 4) to close out the regular season.
For the fourth time in the last five years, the 2017 SEC Basketball Tournament will take place March 8-12 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The SEC Network will televise the first three days, while the semifinals and championship will be broadcast on ESPN.
Head coach Mike Anderson enters his sixth season at the helm of the Razorbacks in 2016-17, posting an 80-12 (.869) record inside Bud Walton Arena, including a 34-10 (.772) mark against SEC opponents.
Arkansas returns three of its top four scorers for the 2016-17 season, including SEC Player of the Year candidate Moses Kingsley, who took part in the 2016 Nike Academy in Los Angeles during the summer. The prestigious five-day camp featured the top 20 college players in the nation with guidance from Nike Basketball’s biggest stars, including LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis.
The top 3-point shooter in the SEC returns to Arkansas as Dusty Hannahs led the Razorbacks with 16.5 points per game and scored a career-high 33 points against Florida to cap the 2015-16 season. He became one of three players in program history to score 30 points in an SEC Tournament game, joining Todd Day and Corliss Williamson.
To go along with a veteran group of returnees, the Razorbacks trot out a highly touted recruiting class with three of the top six junior college transfers in the country and a trio of high school standouts. Jaylen Barford led the nation in scoring last year at 26.2 points per game on his way to earning first team All-American honors and being tabbed the top JUCO transfer in the country. Not to be outdone, Daryl Macon averaged 23.9 points per game and was ranked as the No. 3 JUCO transfer in the class of 2016 as he earned All-American honors in consecutive seasons.
The Razorback Ticket Center is currently accepting requests for 2016-17 Men’s Basketball Season Tickets. Seats will be assigned by Razorback Foundation guidelines with season ticket prices ranging from $360 to $450. To purchase tickets call 1-800-982-4647 or click here.
All 18 of Arkansas’ conference games can be seen nationwide on SEC Network, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU and will be available online through WatchESPN, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
For more information on Arkansas men’s basketball, follow @RazorbackMBB on Twitter.
