FAYETTEVILLE — Two more games have been added to Arkansas basketball's 2021-22 nonconference schedule.
The Razorbacks are scheduled to host Northern Iowa on Wednesday, Nov. 17 in Fayetteville and play Hofstra on Saturday, Dec. 18 at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock. Both games, finalized earlier this month, were discovered through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Arkansas is 2-0 all-time against Hofstra. The programs have not met since 1978 when the then-No. 3 Razorbacks defeated the Pride 95-70 in Pine Bluff. Arkansas also defeated Hofstra 63-58 on Dec. 12, 1974, in Fayetteville.
The Pride finished the 2020-21 season 13-10 overall and 8-6 in Colonial Athletic Association play. Hofstra has won at least 19 games five times in the last eight seasons, including 27 in 2018-19 and 26 in 2019-20.
On April 7, Speedy Claxton, a Hofstra grad and assistant with the program since 2013, was elevated to head coach. Claxton had a decade-long career in the NBA and played for five different teams.
Hofstra’s roster includes former Arkansas forward Abayomi Iyiola, who transferred from the program earlier this year. He transferred to Arkansas from Stetson and appeared in one game during two seasons with the Razorbacks.
The Hofstra game will be part of a doubleheader at Simmons Bank Arena. Arkansas’ women are scheduled to play Central Arkansas there the same day. Neither the Razorbacks’ men nor women played in North Little Rock last season due to schedules that were altered due to covid-19.
Arkansas and Northern Iowa are scheduled to meet for the first time this season. The Panthers were 10-15 overall and 7-11 in Missouri Valley Conference games last season.
Ben Jacobson, the winningest coach in Northern Iowa history, signed a contract extension in July that runs through the end of the 2028-29 season. Northern Iowa has made the NCAA Tournament four times under Jacobson.
The Razorbacks have 11 known nonconference dates in the upcoming season, including other home games against Mercer on Nov. 9 (season opener); Gardner-Webb on Nov. 13; Central Arkansas on Dec. 1; North Carolina-Charlotte on Dec. 7; Elon on Dec. 21; and West Virginia on Jan. 29 as part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
Arkansas is scheduled to play Kansas State on Nov. 22 and either Illinois or Cincinnati the following day at the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City. The Razorbacks are scheduled to play Oklahoma on Dec. 11 in Tulsa.
Arkansas’ known 2021-22 nonconference schedule
Nov. 9 — Mercer (season opener)
Nov. 13 — Gardner-Webb
Nov. 17 — Northern Iowa
Nov. 22 — Kansas State (Hall of Fame Classic)
Nov. 23 — Illinois OR Cincinnati (Hall of Fame Classic)
Dec. 1 — Central Arkansas
Dec. 7 — Charlotte
Dec. 11 — Oklahoma (Tulsa)
Dec. 18 — Hofstra (North Little Rock)
Dec. 21 — Elon
Jan. 29 — West Virginia (Big 12/SEC Challenge)