Hog Hoops Non-Conference Schedule Released

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - At first glance, the Maui Invitational stands out on Arkansas non-conference basketball schedule, which was released Friday. But the Razorbacks have several other big games before entering conference play. The Southeastern Conference is finalizing the league portion of the schedule and the entire slate will be announced once complete. "Weve put together a tough schedule that will better our team and excite our fans," head coach Stan Heath says. "With the help of Coach (Frank) Broyles, (Executive Associate Athletic Director) Bill Gray, (Assistant Athletic Director/Sports Information) Kevin Trainor, two assistant coaches and myself, we found getting home games to be very difficult, but this schedule will be very challenging and prepare us for the SEC." Arkansas faces Connecticut in the first round of the Maui Invitational with other first-round games including Arizona facing Kansas, Gonzaga playing Maryland and Michigan State meeting host Chaminade. UA plays three games in the tournament, which runs Nov. 21-23. "Maui is an incredible field," Heath says. "It will give us a definite gauge of where we are on the national scene." In addition, Arkansas plays Missouri on Dec. 2, Missouri State (formerly Southwest Missouri) on Dec. 15 and Southern Mississippi on Nov. 30 in Bud Walton Arena, and Rice on Dec. 17 in Alltel Arena at North Little Rock. The Razorbacks go on the road to play Texas Tech in American Airlines Center at Dallas on Dec. 21. Other non-SEC games, all in Fayetteville, include Portland State on Nov. 18, Radford on Nov. 26, Texas State Dec. 6, Texas-Pan American Dec. 29 and Western Illinois on Jan. 1. "Missouri and Texas Tech are automatically two strong Big 12 opponents, but what strengthens our schedule are Rice, Southern Miss and Missouri State. Those are three high-caliber opponents that it is usually difficult to schedule at home." Texas Tech, under Coach Bobby Knight, was 22-11 last season. Portland State was 19-9 last year and won the Big Sky Conference title. Rice was 19-12 in the Western Athletic Conference last season, but moves into Conference-USA this season. Southern Miss is already a member of C-USA. Missouri State, a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, was 19-13, while Texas State, a member of the Southland Conference, was 14-14. All three games in Maui are being televised by either ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. The Southern Miss game is at 7:05 p.m. on FSN South/Southwest. Missouri, Texas State, Missouri State and Texas-Pan American are on the Arkansas Razorback Sports Network at 7:05 p.m. The Rice and Western Illinois games are also on ARSN, but game times have not yet been set. Arkansas begins the season with the Red-White Game on Oct. 29 at 4:05 p.m., followed by exhibition games against Southwest Baptist on Nov. 4 and Xavier-New Orleans on Nov. 12. --get schedule-- 2005-06 ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE (Non-conference only) Date Opponent TV Location Time Saturday, Oct. 29 Red-White Game Fayetteville, Ark. 4:05 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4 Southwest Baptist (Exhibition) Fayetteville, Ark. 7:05 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12 Xavier-New Orleans (Exhibition) Fayetteville, Ark. TBA Friday, Nov. 18 Portland State Fayetteville, Ark. 7:05 p.m. Mon.-Wed., Nov. 21-23 Maui Invitational Maui, Hawaii (Arkansas, Arizona, Chaminade, Connecticut, Gonzaga, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan State) Monday, Nov. 21 vs. Connecticut ESPN2 Maui, Hawaii 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22 vs. Arizona or Kansas ESPN2/U Maui, Hawaii 3 or 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23 vs. TBA ESPN/2/U Maui, Hawaii TBA Saturday, Nov. 26 Radford Fayetteville, Ark. 2:05 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30 Southern Miss FSN Fayetteville, Ark. 7:05 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2 Missouri ARSN Fayetteville, Ark. 7:05 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6 Texas St. ARSN Fayetteville, Ark. 7:05 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15 Missouri St. ARSN Fayetteville, Ark. 7:05 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17 #Rice ARSN N. Little Rock, Ark. TBA Wednesday, Dec. 21 %vs. Texas Tech ESPN2 Dallas, Texas 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29 UT-Pan American ARSN Fayetteville, Ark. 7:05 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 1 Western Illinois ARSN Fayetteville, Ark. TBA