More details emerge from Razorbacks' challenging non-conference schedule

John Calipari has mega matchup in December shifting from Big Apple to Brick City

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari against the Oklahoma Sooners at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — While we wait on the official release of Arkansas' complete 13-game non-conference schedule, a couple more details emerged on Monday regarding two of the 11 non-conference matchups that we already knew about.

The biggest item to come out is that the mega matchup between Arkansas and Houston that is set for Saturday, Dec. 20, and was originally planned to be played at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, will actually be played at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., which is considered one of several gateway cities to the Big Apple.

Newark, known as "Brick City" due to its brick production in the 19th century, is home to the NHL's New Jersey Devils as well as the serving as the host city for most of Seton Hall's college basketball games. 

Both teams play those games at the aforementioned Prudential Center.

For those who recall Arkansas coach John Calipari's NBA coaching career, he led the then-New Jersey Nets for four seasons (1995-96 through '98-99).

His New Jersey Nets teams played their home games mostly in Brendan Byrne Arena (which later became Continental Airlines Arena and the Izod Center) in East Rutherford, New Jersey. 

When Calipari departed the NBA to return to college coaching at Memphis in '09-10, it was the same season that the Nets began playing their home games at the Prudential Center in Newark, where they competed for three campaigns ('09-10 through '11-12) before the team moved to Brooklyn. The Brookly Nets play their home games at Barclays Center.

Arkansas is 22-18 all-time against Houston, a series during which most of the games were played when both teams were members of the old Southwest Conference.

The schedule is HERE!

What game are you looking to most this season? pic.twitter.com/IP4bRNqyja

— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) September 7, 2023

The Razorbacks and Cougars had several national big-stage games in the SWC, including when the Cougars were led by future Naismith Hall of Famers and NBA superstars Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler in the 1980s. 

Those two headlined what was known famously as "Phi Slamma Jamma" at a time in the early-to-mid 80s when Houston appeared in three NCAA Tournament Final Fours in a four-year span.

Arkansas went into those matchups with its own group of college stars and eventual NBA journeyman headlined by all-time program greats such as Alvin Robertson, Darrell Walker, Scott Hastings, and Joe Kleine.

Fast-forward to late December 2025, and once again the Arkansas-v-Houston tilt will offer gravitas as it will be a matchup of two teams that will each garner some preseason national Top 10 rankings.

The Cougars are coming off a Big 12 championship and a national runner-up finish in 2024-25, while Arkansas is coming off a Sweet 16 run in Calipari's first season leading the program.

The head coaches for both teams commented on the game in a press release that came out on Monday.

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari directs play downcourt during the first half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during a West Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Chase Center. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Arkansas head coach John Calipari

“We are excited about this matchup for our fans. Razorback nation proved last year that they will show up for games like this that are played in elite facilities at destination cities. We look forward to facing a top-level program led by one of the best coaches in the country. Kelvin and I have been friends a long time. He has built an incredible program with a great culture at Houston. This game will be a great measuring stick for us as we wind down the nonconference part of the schedule and start to turn our attention to the SEC schedule.”

Houston Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson reacts after a play against the Florida Gators during the second half of the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson

“The great thing about piecing together a schedule is that you have to schedule teams who are going to test you. When you play one of John’s teams, you know their fan base is going to travel. Prudential Center is going to be full of Razorback fans. Arkansas is one of the great programs in the country, and John is a Hall of Fame coach. This is a great opportunity to test ourselves early against one of the best programs in the country.”

The Arkansas-Houston update was not the only bit of non-conference news that came out this week.

We had previously reported Arkansas' scheduled home game against Jackson State in late November at Bud Walton Arena as part of a three-team MTE (multi-team event) that included Arkansas also hosting Winthrop in another late November home game, both coming as a lead-up to Arkansas taking on Duke in Chicago on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27).

Jackson State just released its non-conference schedule, which included a Friday, Nov. 21, playing date at Arkansas. That matchup marks at least two games Arkansas will play against teams from the SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference) as the Hogs will host Southern in the season-opener on Nov. 3 at BWA.

With two more non-conference games still unknown, here's what we know about Arkansas' '25-26 regular-season schedule that will max out at 31 games ...

Razorbacks Schedule

• Oct. 27 CHARITY EXHIBITION @ Memphis (ESPNU)

• Nov. 3 Southern (BWA)

• Nov. 8 @ Michigan State

• Nov. 11 UCA (BWA)

• Nov. 21 Jackson State (MTE @ BWA)

• Nov. TBD Winthrop (MTE @ BWA)

• Nov. 27 Duke (Chicago)

• Dec. 3 Louisville ACC/SEC Challenge (BWA)

• Dec. 13 Texas Tech (Dallas)

- Dec. 16 Queens (BWA)

• Dec. 20 Houston (Newark, NJ)

• Dec. 29 James Madison (BWA)

• Jan. 3 Tennessee @ BWA

• Jan. 6 or 7 @ Ole Miss

• Jan. 10 @ Auburn

• Jan. 13 or 14 South Carolina @ BWA

• Jan. 17 @ Georgia

• Jan. 20 or 21 Vanderbilt @ BWA

• Jan. 24 LSU @ BWA

• Jan. 27 or 28 @ Oklahoma

• Jan. 31  Kentucky @ BWA

• Feb. 3/4 BYE

• Feb. 7 @ Mississippi State

• Feb. 10 or 11 @ LSU

• Feb. 14 Auburn @ BWA

• Feb. 17 or 18 @ Alabama

• Feb. 21 Missouri @ BWA

• Feb. 24 or 25 Texas A&M @ BWA

• Feb. 28 @ Florida

• March 3 or 4 Texas @ BWA

• March 7 @ Missouri

• March 11-15 SEC Tournament (Nashville, Tenn. – Bridgestone Arena)