Arkansas looks for its 23rd consecutive season-opening win when it hosts Samford.
The Bulldogs are coming off a 20-16 season in which they played in the College Insider.com Tournament, a postseason alternative to the NCAA Tournament and NIT. Samford was 8-10 in the Southern Conference regular season, but advanced to the semifinals of the league's tournament.
WHERE: Bud Walton Arena (19,368), Fayetteville.
WHEN: 7 p.m., Friday.
RECORDS: Arkansas 0-0; Samford 0-0.
WATCH: The game will be streamed on the WatchESPN app and ESPN3.com.
ANNOUNCERS: Brett Dolan (play-by-play) and Manuale Watkins (commentary).
RADIO: Razorback Sports Network can be accessed through local FM and AM affiliates, via the Arkansas Razorbacks Gameday app, via the TuneIn app or on ArkansasRazorbacks.com.
TICKETS: Tickets begin at $15 on ArkansasRazorbacks.com, or $9 on StubHub.com.
COACHES: Arkansas: Mike Anderson - 128-74 in seventh season; Samford: Scott Padgett - 47-54 in fourth season.
NOTABLE: Samford coach Scott Padgett is no stranger to Arkansas, having faced the Razorbacks eight times between stints as a player and assistant coach at Kentucky. As a player, Padgett went 6-1 against Arkansas from 1995-99, a stretch during which the Wildcats won two national championships and finished runner-up once. Padgett’s only loss to Arkansas came on Feb. 20, 1999, when the Razorbacks upset No. 6 Kentucky 74-70 at Bud Walton Arena, but the Wildcats beat Arkansas 76-63 two weeks later in the SEC Tournament Championship Game. Padgett also was an assistant for Kentucky during the Wildcats’ 101-70 win over the Razorbacks in 2010.
SERIES: Arkansas leads 2-0.
LAST MEETING: No. 9 Arkansas defeated Samford 97-67 on Nov. 24, 1989, in Pine Bluff.
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
SAMFORD (exhibition stats)
POS., NAME, HT., YR.;PPG;RPG
G Christen Cunningham 6-2, Sr.;14.0;2.6
G Demetrius Denzel-Dyson, 6-5, Sr.;12.0;2.0
G Josh Sharkey, 5-10, So.;9.4;1.2
F Alex Thompson, 6-8, Sr.;19.5;4.0
F Eric Adams 6-7, Sr.;6.0;4.5
ARKANSAS (exhibition stats)
POS., NAME, HT., YR.;PPG;RPG
G Daryl Macon, 6-3, Sr.;22.5;2.5
G Jaylen Barford, 6-3, Sr.;21.0;4.0
G Anton Beard, 6-0, Sr.;12.0;2.0
F Trey Thompson, 6-9, Sr.;6.0;3.5
F Daniel Gafford, 6-11, Fr.;11.5;7.5
TEAM COMPARISON (exhibition stats)
Samford;Arkansas
Points For: Arkansas 83; Samford 77
Points Against: Arkansas 70; Samford 71.5
Rebound Margin: Arkansas 0.0; Samford -9.0
Turnover Margin; Arkansas +1.0; Samford +7.5
FG Percentage: Arkansas 48.6; Samford 47.0
3-Point Percentage: Arkansas 40.5; Samford 34.3
FT Percentage: Arkansas 74.1; Samford 54.5
CHALK TALK
Arkansas has won 43 consecutive home season openers. The last time the Razorbacks lost a home opener was 102-100 to Western Kentucky in the 1973-1974 season. … Razorbacks freshman guard Khalil Garland isn’t medically cleared to play, and senior forwards Dustin Thomas and Arlando Cook won’t dress out because of suspensions. … Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson is 15-0 in season openers. … In the previous two Arkansas-Samford games, the Razorbacks beat the Bulldogs 72-51 in Fayetteville during the 1985-1986 season and 97-67 in Pine Bluff during the 1989-1990 season.