The University of Arkansas men’s basketball team is set to open its 2026‑27 campaign at home against Central Arkansas on November 13, marking the third straight year that the Razorbacks and the Bears have met in a scheduled in‑state rivalry.
A packed non‑conference slate
Arkansas has already taken two victories over the Bears this season, winning 93‑56 on November 11, 2025, and 82‑57 on December 14, 2024, and holds a perfect 10‑0 record in the all‑time series. The Razorbacks’ schedule is packed with a mix of home, neutral‑site and road contests that include marquee opponents such as Indiana, Michigan State, Arizona and North Carolina, as well as a potential SEC‑ACC Challenge game against Virginia in Washington, D.C.
Central Arkansas, in its third year under head coach John Shulman, finished the previous season with a 22‑12 record, sharing the Atlantic Sun regular‑season title before falling in the conference championship.
Ty Robinson returns as the Bears’ top scorer, averaging 14.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last year, while the program has bolstered its roster with three Arkansas natives — RJ Young, Camarion Reed and Isaiah Templeton — through the transfer portal and high‑school recruiting.
Arkansas will also welcome back veterans Billy Richmond and Paulo Semedo, though guard Isaiah Sealy will miss time with a knee injury. New portal additions include Furman center Cooper Bowser and Georgia guard Jeremiah Wilkinson, while eight freshmen, highlighted by top recruits Jordan Smith and Abdou Toure, are set to arrive.
The upcoming slate also features home games against Robert Morris, Oral Roberts, Central Michigan and Texas‑Rio Grande Valley, rounding out a demanding non‑conference lineup that could test the Razorbacks early in the season.