FAYETTEVILLE — It was a super Tuesday for Arkansas basketball.
The Razorbacks are part of the SEC’s marquee “Super Tuesday” national television package on ESPN for the first time in four years, it was announced Tuesday.
And Arkansas will play not once, but twice, on “Super Tuesday.”
The Razorbacks, led by new Coach Mike Anderson, play at Kentucky on Jan. 17 in their first “Super Tuesday” appearance. Two weeks later, they will play Vanderbilt on Jan. 31 at Walton Arena in another “Super Tuesday” matchup.
Both games will tip off at 8 p.m. Central as part of the SEC’s doubleheader package on ESPN with a Big Ten game as the lead-in.
Arkansas’ last “Super Tuesday” game was March 4, 2008, when the Razorbacks lost 81-72 at Ole Miss.
“I think the excitement about Coach Anderson and what he brings to our program, people have taken notice,” Arkansas Athletic Director Jeff Long said Tuesday during an appearance on the Shawn and Wally radio show. “And I think the recruiting class that’s coming in gives us a great prospect for national television.
“We’re really excited, because it’s some exposure we haven’t had. We need that exposure.”
Arkansas freshmen Devonta Abron, Ky Madden, Hunter Mickelson and B.J. Young are rated among the top class of newcomers in the nation. The four, who signed with then-Arkansas Coach John Pelphrey in November, chose to stay with Anderson after the coaching change in March.
ESPN’s college basketball programming honchos apparently believe Arkansas is on the way back with Anderson taking over the program. The Razorbacks haven’t played in the NCAA Tournament since 2008 and have suffered through three consecutive losing SEC records.
Anderson, a former Arkansas assistant for 17 seasons and part of teams that made three Final Four appearances and won the 1994 national championship, led Alabama-Birmingham and Missouri to a combined 200-98 record with six NCAA Tournament appearances in nine seasons, taking over when both programs were struggling to win.
In his third year at Missouri, Anderson led the Tigers to a 31-7 record and an NCAA Elite Eight appearance.
This season’s Arkansas-Kentucky game will be back on national television for the first time since 2009, when CBS televised the game. It was a regional telecast the previous two seasons.
Kentucky and Florida lead SEC teams with four “Super Tuesday” games each this season. Georgia and Vanderbilt have two each along with Arkansas.
The Razorbacks will have at least three ESPN appearances. Their game at defending national champion Connecticut on Dec. 3 will be televised by ESPN. Tipoff is 2:15 p.m. Central.
Sports, Pages 21 on 08/17/2011