John Calipari has put the Arkansas Razorback basketball team under the bright lights since arriving in 2024, and it doesn't seem like that will be changing anytime soon.
According to the University of Arkansas, Calipari and the Razorbacks will be heading to New York City this fall for a major non-conference tilt, as Arkansas is officially set to face Indiana at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 17, 2026, as part of the Bad Boy Mowers Series.
Arkansas and Indiana to Play in Madison Square Garden on November 17
The Garden awaits the Hogs. See you soon, NYC. 🐗🗽 pic.twitter.com/n7If93vnS3
— Arkansas Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) July 20, 2026
Arkansas basketball is no stranger to big stages under John Calipari. Over the past two seasons, the Razorbacks have had a loaded non-conference slate, and the Hogs' upcoming meeting with Indiana this November is yet another sign that the program is being treated like one of the NCAA's marquee teams.
For a Razorbacks team expected to enter the 2026-27 season with one of the most talented rosters in the country, the trip to Madison Square Garden should be an early measuring stick before SEC play begins. With Billy Richmond III as the team's only projected returning starter, it will be interesting to see if the 2026-27 Arkansas basketball team can gel before tipping off against the Hoosiers.
The game also continues Calipari's long history with Madison Square Garden. Calipari has coached 28 college games at MSG and owns a 16-12 record in the arena, and in his most recent appearance there (during his first season with Arkansas), the Razorbacks defeated No. 14 Michigan, 89-87, in the Jimmy V Classic.
Likewise, Arkansas and Calipari also have plenty of history with Indiana. During his time at Kentucky, Calipari went 3-2 against the Hoosiers; Arkansas, meanwhile, is 3-2 all-time against Indiana, with the most recent meeting coming in 2020, when the Razorbacks defeated the Hoosiers 71-64 in Bud Walton Arena.
For Arkansas, this is exactly the type of high-profile non-conference matchup fans wanted to see. The Razorbacks are bringing in the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, as well as a pair of notable transfers in Georgia guard Jeremiah Wilkinson and Furman center Cooper Bowser, so expectations for Calipari's third-year squad are sky-high among Arkansas fans. While it remains to be seen how they perform in the fall, there are only a handful of teams in the country with as much potential as Arkansas' Jordan Smith Jr.-led squad.
Indiana, on the other hand, will look to use their November match-up with the Razorbacks to bounce back from their 18-14 record last season, which saw them miss the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year. With a trio of top-100 recruits and 7 transfers joining the Hoosiers this fall, their team is in a great position to play the upset against John Calipari's squad as the Hogs figure out their early-season lineup.
Arkansas' full 2026-27 schedule is still taking shape, but the addition of Indiana at Madison Square Garden is already one of the biggest dates on their calendar.
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