John Calipari and the Arkansas Razorbacks' 2026-27 basketball schedule is slowly coming together, and now, it seems as though they've added another fun non-conference matchup to their early-season slate.
According to numerous reports, the Razorbacks will host Oral Roberts at Bud Walton Arena on Dec. 5, reigniting a rivalry from 2021 that spawned one of the most memorable Arkansas basketball wins in recent history.
Arkansas set to host Oral Roberts on Dec. 5
The Arkansas Razorbacks and the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles don't have a historic rivalry, but their matchup back in the 2021 Sweet 16 remains one of the most exciting postseason games in recent Razorback history.
Arkansas entered their matchup as a No. 3 seed, while No. 15 Oral Roberts was in the midst of a legitimate Cinderella run. The Golden Eagles led by as many as 12 points during the second half before Arkansas battled back, with Davonte Davis hitting the go-ahead jumper with 3.1 seconds remaining en route to a 72-70 victory and the Hogs' first Elite Eight since 1995.
The Razorbacks had also defeated Oral Roberts at Bud Walton Arena earlier that season, overcoming a 10-point deficit to earn an 87-76 victory. Altogether, Arkansas owns a 12-2 record against the Golden Eagles and has never lost to them in Fayetteville.
Some basketball scheduling news: Arkansas has added home dates vs. Robert Morris and Oral Roberts at Bud Walton Arena. https://t.co/1ZqfX0Ld5Q pic.twitter.com/ZSPc2mzwys
— Matt Jones (@ByMattJones) July 30, 2026
However, since then, the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles have taken much different paths.
The Hogs may have moved on from Eric Musselman following a rough 2023-24 season, but outside of that one year, the Razorbacks have consistently been one of the nation's most dangerous postseason teams. Musselman followed the 2021 run with another Elite Eight appearance in 2022 and a Sweet 16 berth in 2023, while John Calipari has only elevated the program's stock since becoming Arkansas' head coach in 2024. With the No. 1 recruiting class headed to Fayetteville this fall, there's no telling how far the Razorbacks can go in the 2027 NCAA Tournament.
On the other hand, Oral Roberts has struggled to maintain the momentum created by its 2021 Cinderella run. The Golden Eagles remained competitive behind Abmas, finishing 30-5 and returning to the NCAA Tournament during the 2022-23 season, only to fall off dramatically after Abmas transferred to Texas and head coach Paul Mills left for Wichita State.
Oral Roberts finished 12-19 in 2023-24 and 7-23 the following season, leading the university to hire former West Virginia assistant Kory Barnett as its new head coach. The Golden Eagles showed a bit of improvement in Barnett's first year, but their 10-23 overall record from a season ago hints that the program still has a long way to go.
Oral Roberts might not be the powerhouse non-conference opponent Calipari wanted to play at home this season, but the matchup carries more history than the typical early-season tune-up. Five years after Davonte Davis ended the Golden Eagles' magical tournament run, Arkansas will finally welcome Oral Roberts back to Bud Walton Arena, giving them a fun chance to develop some chemistry before the beginning of conference play.
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