Razorbacks Officially Add Major Non-Conference Game to Basketball Schedule

Arkansas freshman guard returns to Washington D.C. for clash against national title contender

Arkansas Razorbacks guards Jordan Smith, Jr. and JJ Andrews celebrate following made basket in first half against The Bahamas National Team. | RazorbackMBB, X

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Razorbacks' basketball team continues to schedule marquee non-conference games under coach John Calipari.

While reported last month, Arkansas officially announces it will travel to Washington D.C. to face off against the Virginia Cavaliers as part of the Capital Showcase inside Capital One Arena. The game will be played on Nov. 8 with tip-off scheduled for Noon CT and be aired nationally on ESPN.

This will mark the first time the Razorbacks have played in the United State's capitol, but inside a venue that No. 2 overall recruit and reigning Gatorade National Player of the Year Jordan Smith, Jr. knows very well.

Arkansas Razorback coach John Calipari at a recent practice this summer. | Nilsen Roman, Hogs on SI

It was in the Capital One Arena building that Smith led his Paul IV Catholic high school team to a pair of MaxPreps high school national championships. He led his squad by averaging 27 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals per game while shooting 56% from the field, 37% from 3-point range and nearly 73% percent from the free throw line as a senior.

Calipari constructed nearly a whole new roster, returning just Billy Richmond III as the lone starter from last year's Sweet 16 team. The Razorbacks finished the season with a 28-9 overall record and 13-5 mark against SEC competition.

Series History

Arkansas will enter the game behind in a series that Virginia leads 3-4 all-time, but each of those seven meetings were played from 1984-1998. The Cavaliers won the first three meetings with former coach Tony Holland at the helm.

However, the Razorbacks have won three of the last four in the series, which includes a victory in the 1995 NCAA Tournament to advance to the program's second consecutive Final Four.

Arkansas guards Jordan Smith, Jr. and Abdou Toure celebrate after made basket in 98-58 victory over Carleton University in Baha Mar Summer League. | Razorbacks MBB | X

• 03/18/1984 #6-seed Virginia def. #2-seed and #8-ranked Arkansas, 53-51 (OT) in the NCAA 2nd Rd (East Rutherford)

• 01/21/1985 Virginia def. Arkansas, 54-52 in Charlottesville

• 12/20/1986 Virginia def. Arkansas, 78-66 in Pine Bluff
Note: This is the last time a non-conference game against a high-major opponent was played at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.

• 12/12/1987 Arkansas def. Virginia, 66-52 in Fayetteville

• 11/30/1988 Virginia def. Arkansas, 75-65 in Charlottesville

• 03/26/1995 #6 Arkansas def. #4-seed and #13-ranked Virginia, 68-61 in the NCAA Elite 8 (Kansas City). Note: Advance to second consecutive NCAA Tournament Final Four

• 11/20/1998 #19 Arkansas def. Virginia, 85-83, in the Top of the World Shootout (Fairbanks)

Calipari is 0-1 all-time against the Cavaliers, as UMass fell short against Virginia in the second round of the1993 NCAA Tournament. In that game, the No. 6 seeded Cavs defeated the No. 3 seeded Minutemen 71-56 in Syracuse, N.Y.

The Head Hog has coached just one game inside Capital One Arena, then known as the Verizon Center. His No. 17 ranked Memphis Tigers squad ultimately fell to No. 19 Georgetown in overtime by a score of 79-70, but finished the season 33-4 overall and a finish in the Sweet 16.

Virginia coach Ryan Odom had a successful first season at the helm of the Cavalier, finishing with a 30-6 overall record, 15-3 against ACC competition and No. 2 finish in conference play.

WIth opening day slated for Nov. 1, Arkansas will likely have a chance for its relatively young roster to play a tune-up game before heading east to face the Cavs in D.C.

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