Arkansas basketball to face Illinois on Thanksgiving Day
Another non-conference basketball matchup has been officially added to Arkansas' schedule, as the Razorbacks will play Illinois on Thanksgiving Day at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
Arkansas' tilt against the Big 10 program will be held on Thursday, Nov. 28 at 4 p.m ET on CBS Sports. It will also be streamed on Paramount+.
The last time Illinois and Arkansas met was in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, which the Razorbacks won 73-63. The Fighting Illini lead the all-time series with a 5-1 record over Arkansas.
"What a great opportunity CBS is giving Arkansas and Illinois, head coach John Calipari said on Friday. "Thanksgiving is a day that gets all of America — whether you are a sports fan or not — watching sports on TV. Playing in this time slot will provide tremendous exposure for both programs.
"Kansas City's T-Mobile Center is a premier arena that is located close enough that both fan bases can attend. We have a great deal of respect for Coach (Brad) Underwood and his Illinois program, and we know this game will be one the whole nation will be interested in seeing."
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Illinois is the fifth known non-conference opponent for Arkansas. The Razorbacks will host Oakland on Dec. 30 and Little Rock on Nov. 22 at Bud Walton Arena, they'll travel south to face Miami on Dec. 3 in the ACC/SEC Challenge and they will also take a trip to Madison Square Garden in New York City to face Michigan on Dec. 10.
"We are thrilled for this opportunity," Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said on Friday. "Playing in Kansas City — a tremendous basketball city that is near and dear to me — and taking on a great opponent in Arkansas, led by a Hall of Fame Coach in Coach Calipari, is a big test for our team. It is an honor for Illinois Basketball to play on CBS on Thanksgiving Day; we know the sports world will be watching."
The Hoop Hogs also learned their conference opponents for the 2024-25 season recently. Click here to check out who they will play home-and-home games with, who will come to Fayetteville and where the Hogs will travel.
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