DALLAS -- When Arkansas' men's basketball team used to play SMU in Moody Coliseum during the Southwest Conference days, then later after the Razorbacks joined the SEC, half the fans -- and sometimes more -- were calling the Hogs.
That doesn't figure to be the case tonight when the No. 25 Razorbacks (3-0) play at SMU (2-2).
Mustangs Coach Larry Brown, the 74-year-old Naismith Hall of Fame member who won an NCAA title with Kansas and an NBA championship with Philadelphia, has made it fashionable to attend SMU games.
SMU, which went 27-10 last season and reached the NIT championship game before losing to Minnesota, has sold out its allotment of 5,000 season tickets at Moody Coliseum. The arena has a capacity of 7,000 after a $47 million renovation included the addition of sky boxes and club seats.
"Coach Larry Brown has done a great job of getting the people excited about basketball with what took place last year," Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said. "It should be a great atmosphere."
After the Razorbacks beat Alabama State, Wake Forest and Delaware State by an average of 25.3 points at Walton Arena in Fayetteville, tonight is their first road game of the season.
"I can't wait to go there," Arkansas sophomore forward Bobby Portis said. "It's a road test to see what our team is made of."
The Razorbacks won at Kentucky last season for the first time in 20 years, but their record away from home was 4-10, making them 6-32 in out-of-state games under Anderson.
Tonight is the Razorbacks' first opportunity to show they can win consistently away from home this season and protect their No. 25 ranking in The Associated Press poll -- their first time in the poll since November 2007.
"We want to go in there with all the focus, and bring energy and wear and tear and never back down," Arkansas junior guard Michael Qualls said.
SMU was ranked in the AP and coaches polls last week -- No. 22 and No. 23 --but fell out after road losses at No. 10 Gonzaga 72-56 and Indiana 74-68.
The Mustangs beat Eastern Washington 77-68 at home last Saturday and opened with a 93-54 victory over Lamar on Nov. 14.
"This is a long season. This is a marathon," Brown told reporters after the Eastern Washington game. "We've got a lot of big games. Our goal is to get better.
"Lamar was not a great team and we won that on talent. Gonzaga was a great team and we got out-coached and out-played.
"Indiana at Indiana -- that's a tough environment and they are a quality team."
Brown said the Mustangs improved in beating Eastern Washington.
"I think this was a quality team, so hopefully we can make little steps," he said.
The Mustangs don't have the roster they expected before the season.
Point guard signee Emmanuel Muiday, a McDonald's All-American, is playing professionally in China instead of for SMU. Junior forward Markus Kennedy, who averaged 12.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, is academically ineligible for the fall semester. Senior forward Justin Martin, a transfer from Xavier who averaged 14.2 points in Big East games last season, is out with a knee injury after averaging 7.5 points his first four games for SMU.
"They've got some guys that aren't there right now, but they've got plenty of guys coming off that bench," Anderson said. "This just gives other guys opportunities."
Junior point guard Nic Moore, an all-American Athletic Conference player, is averaging 12.4 points and 5.2 assists per game. Sophomore guard Keith Frazier, a McDonald's All-American, is averaging 10.5 points. Inside, the Mustangs have 6-8 sophomore Ben Moore (13.3 points, 7.8 rebounds) and 6-11 senior Yanick Moreira (10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds).
"This will be the best team that we've played up to this point," Anderson said. "There is no question about it."
Anderson said he's anxious to see how Arkansas responds to its first road test at SMU, which is 20-1 in its past 21 home games. The only visiting team to win at SMU in that span was Louisville last season.
"I think they're ready to go play on the road," Anderson said of the Razorbacks. "If you're a player, you're ready to play anywhere."
Sports on 11/25/2014