The Arkansas men’s basketball team expects to sign three prospects to national letters of intent during the early signing period that starts today and runs through Nov. 19.

Junior college guard Jemal Farmer, power forward Marshawn Powell of Charlottesville (Va. ) Miller, and West Memphis center Anthony Borden are expected to be the signees.

Farmer, 6-5, 213 pounds, of Cloud Community College in Kansas, made an official visit to Arkansas on Sept. 19-21, and is choosing the Hogs over Nebraska and Alabama-Birmingham. Farmer earned first-team all-conference honors in the Jayhawk Western Division while averaging 16. 1 points and 5. 4 rebounds per game last season as a freshman.

Farmer, who played at Bloom Township High School in Chicago, claims a 40-inch vertical jump and appears to have the athleticism to flourish in Arkansas Coach John Pelphrey’s up-tempo system. A deep thigh bruise has kept him out of one game this season, but he’s averaging 21. 0 points and 4. 7 rebounds per game for the 4-0 Thunderbirds.

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Powell, 6-7, 220, orally committed to the Razorbacks in May, but soon after reopened his recruitment. He recommitted after making an official visit to Arkansas during the Elite basketball camp in August, when he displayed strong post moves along with a nice shooting touch from 10 to 15 feet.

Powell, who is rated the No. 36 player in the nation by Van Coleman of CBS College Sports, is choosing the Hogs over Maryland, Florida State, North Carolina State and Massachusetts. He averaged 22 points and 12 rebounds last season as a junior.

Borden, 7-0, 230, is expected to sign in the West Memphis High School gymnasium at 3 p. m. today. He displayed a nice hook shot while playing for the Arkansas Hawks in several summer tournaments. His performances led him to receive scholarship offers from Ole Miss, Xavier, South Carolina, Alabama-Birmingham, Alabama and others.

Borden averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds last year for the Blue Devils.

Arkansas’ women’s program is not expecting to sign any athletes until near the end of the early period.

UALR, meanwhile, has commitments from three men and four women. All three of Coach Steve Shields’ commitments are from the junior-college ranks. Coach Joe Foley is going the high school route with his four expected signees, one from Mississippi, Georgia, Texas and Arkansas.

Central Arkansas is expecting a signature from Megan Herbert of Shiloh Christian, a 5-11 forward.

Once the early signing period ends Nov. 19, athletes and schools have to wait for the spring period, which opens April 15 and runs through May 20.