More Interest for Exhibition Game, Duke Than Games That Matter

Hogs sold out, but lot of buzz over Purdue in game that's important, but doesn't count

Author:
Andy Hodges
Updated:
Aug 2, 2023 4:32 AM EDT
Original:
Aug 2, 2023

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It was interesting to note from Arkansas coach Eric Musselman on how big it is for the program to get teams the caliber of Purdue and Duke coming to Bud Walton Arena this year. That's even with the game against the Boilermakers not even counting on the official record.

"It's going to be a great game for Purdue, for Arkansas, for our fanbase as well," Musselman said Tuesday morning about an Oct. 28 exhibition match-up.
It's a game he's hoping provide a lot of benefits down the road.
"When we met about it as a staff, it was how can we play a Top 3 team in the nation?" Musselman said. "Who would be willing to play us? And how could we possibly do that in front of our home fans because last year we played Texas, who was a Top 10 team for most of the year. How could we get a team in Bud Walton?"

The answer an exhibition put together Todd Lee who went out and got Purdue, which Musselman thinks will be on of the Top 3 teams in the country when the first polls are released. The Boilermakers also have a top player coming back in 7-4 center Zach Edey, who poses a lot of unique problems on a team full of big, tall and physical players.

"They're really unique," Musselman said. "They have incredible shooters. They were young last year. They have a player that could be player of the year in college basketball who is overly unique in how you have to prepare for him.

"So, I think it gives us a lot of really great things. And we referenced our Texas game even as we got ready for the NCAA Tournament about things Texas did and about physicality. So, hopefully this is a game we're going to be able to reference throughout the course of the season as well."

And then there's Duke in the non-conference, which provides another early challenge in late November. That may be as big of a brand team to come to Fayetteville as there's ever been, and there's been a lot in the last 50 years. It's the highlight game of the inaugural ACC-SEC Challenge annual series, and it's already drawing national attention.

"The four years I’ve been here, I would anticipate that the Duke game is going to be like when we played Kentucky and Auburn and they’ve been ranked very high," Musselman said. "I know the requests that I’ve gotten from friends … I was talking to Phil Nevin last night, the Angels manager. He’s coming to that game. There’s a lot of people that want to come to that particular game, too."

The goal, of course, is to build for the postseason. When they play both of these marquee games, nobody's going to form any firm opinions about anything. The biggest key is winning SEC games, for whatever reason in that unbalanced lineup every year.

What he's building for is to have a team that can play in March. Considering he's on a run of three straight Sweet 16 (and two Elite Eight) appearances, it's a good bet Musselman can make it work. Just don't ask how right now.