The Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team currently sits with a 6-3 overall record with plenty of season left to play, but it's never too early to talk about what the future holds in terms of scheduling.
With the Hogs set to play the No. 19 Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday — and the fact that Oklahoma will be joining the SEC in 2024 — head coach Eric Musselman had things to say on the future of the series between both programs and what it could mean about possible non-conference replacement matchups.
"We’ve been a little more aggressive," Musselman said Wednesday. "Obviously we play in San Diego next year for two games. We’ve reached out to some schools in the surrounding area that are big-name schools to try to play there at their place as we would lead in to San Diego playing somebody, then get them to return the following year."
Arkansas will play in the Rady Children's Invitational through Nov. 28-29 next season in San Diego. The Razorbacks will be part of a four-team group that includes BYU, Notre Dame and Purdue.
Musselman said he hopes that his team can play against a West Coast program leading into the tournament.
"That might be a replacement for this game at least next year if we could get somebody on the West Coast to do a home-and-home with us, because we have to travel out there anyway," Musselman said. "It would make some sense. It would be good for any of our fans that are going to travel for the two games in San Diego. Maybe they can catch a game in LA or if we do another game in San Diego or something like that, however that may work."
As mentioned before, Oklahoma will be leaving the Big 12 for the SEC in 2024. Despite playing a future conference foe, Musselman says that doesn't impact his thought process heading into the matchup.
"Look, they’re a really well-coached team," Musselman said. "It’s great they’re coming into the league [because of] proximity. All those things make a lot of sense, but I’m not looking at Saturday’s game — not for one second — and saying, ‘Oh, wow, they’re coming into the SEC next year. How are we going to play this game?’ I don’t really care that they’re coming in at all."
Arkansas and Oklahoma (8-0) will play on Saturday inside the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The game is set to tip off at 3:00 p.m. CT and will broadcast on ESPN2.
