An enormous vacation school hoops tripleheader is coming to CBS and Paramount+ this yr. John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks will face Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Cougars on Dec. 20 on the Prudential Heart in Newark, New Jersey.
The Razorbacks and Cougars will sq. off at 5:30 p.m. ET within the By no means Neglect Tribute Traditional, a longstanding basketball occasion that has raised tens of millions of {dollars} for quite a lot of 9/11-connected charities. The sport might be performed on the identical day because the CBS Sports activities Traditional in Atlanta; that doubleheader will characteristic North Carolina vs. Ohio State and Kentucky vs. St. John’s. The Purple Storm-Wildcats sport will tip off at 12:30 p.m. adopted by the Buckeyes-Tar Heels sport at 3 p.m.
It needs to be an enormous day for school hoops, and it’ll focus on CBS’ three-pack of high-profile matchups on the again finish of the non-conference calendar.
Faculty basketball’s November and December nonconference schedule is adorned with an abundance of terrific matchups, and with Arkansas-Houston we get one more tilt between groups that might be ranked heading into the season — and needs to be ranked after they tip 5 days earlier than Christmas. The Cougars, who misplaced within the nationwide title sport to Florida, are in rivalry to be preseason No. 1.
Arkansas, in Yr 2 beneath Calipari, is coming off a Candy 16 look and can vie for top-15 standing heading into November. As issues stand now, Houston ranks No. 2 and Arkansas No. 20 in Gary Parrish’s offseason Prime 25 And 1.
Again for the Cougars: level guard Milos Uzan, capturing guard Emanuel Sharp and do-it-all defensive ahead Joseph Tugler. Arkansas brings again much more: combo guard DJ Wagner, small ahead Karter Knox, wing Billy Richmond and stretch 4 Trevon Brazile are the featured returnees.
“The beauty of piecing collectively a schedule is that it’s important to schedule groups who’re going to check you,” Sampson informed CBS Sports activities in a press release. “Once you play certainly one of John’s groups, you understand their fan base goes to journey. Prudential Heart goes to be filled with Razorback followers. Arkansas is without doubt one of the nice applications within the nation, and John is a Corridor of Fame coach. This can be a nice alternative to check ourselves early in opposition to among the best applications within the nation.”
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The previous Southwest Convention league mates have met 40 instances — Arkansas leads 22-18 — with the newest sport coming in December of 2017.
Calipari can have his Hogs on CBS a number of instances this season, together with a megawatt Thanksgiving evening tilt in opposition to Duke. The Cougars sport might be Arkansas’ final massive check earlier than SEC play begins in January.
“We’re enthusiastic about this matchup for our followers,” Calipari stated in a press release. “Razorback nation proved final yr they may present up for video games like this which can be performed in elite amenities at vacation spot cities. We look ahead to dealing with a top-level program led by among the best coaches within the nation. Kelvin and I’ve been associates a very long time. He has constructed an unbelievable program with an excellent tradition at Houston. This sport might be an excellent measuring stick for us as we wind down the nonconference a part of the schedule and begin to flip our consideration to the SEC schedule.”
Tickets for the sport might be made out there to the general public in early October, per Intersport, which is organizing the occasion and likewise serving to function the CBS Sports activities Traditional.