Return of Hog Hoops: Arkansas to host Red-White game at Barnhill

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FAYETTEVILLE — The Razorbacks’ annual Red-White game will be held in Barnhill Arena once again, marking the second time in three years the team has scrimmaged in the historic venue.

Just as it did before Eric Musselman’s first season at the helm, Arkansas will be back in its former home Sunday afternoon - this time fresh off an Elite Eight run.

“I just thought that the environment was really, really cool,” Musselman said. “I think that there’s a section of our fan base that has been in there and remembers it and would like to get back in and see a basketball game in there.

“And then I think there’s another group of our fans that have never seen a basketball game in there. They might have heard about it through a grandparent or parent, so I think that makes it cool and unique.”

Although the Razorbacks haven’t played in Barnhill since the 1992-93 season, the building is still packed full of rich history and tradition.

All of the current players were born well after Arkansas moved into Bud Walton Arena, so Musselman had to go out of his way to convey the significance of the old venue to them.

“He actually brought that up not too long ago at practice, that Barnhill is a very special place to play in,” Pitt transfer Au’Diese Toney said. “It’s very historical and it’s good to bring back the memories that happened in the past and bring them back up Sunday in front of everybody that raised up and watched the Razorbacks play at Barnhill before the new Bud Walton.”

Musselman is expecting an even better environment for this year’s Red-White game than the one in Barnhill a couple years ago because of the excitement surrounding the program. As of his Zoom with reporters Thursday, Arkansas had less than 100 season tickets remaining before selling out Bud Walton Arena for the entire year.

As far as the actual game in concerned, Musselman has his eye on some specifics before the season rolls around Nov. 9.

“What we're looking for is different combinations that might work well together or maybe some combinations that don't work well together,” Musselman said. “We're still in an evaluation process. The teams will be divided up randomly, no first team against second team or anything like that. We're still completely in the evaluation process with these guys."

Rosters for the two teams can be found below, but Musselman made sure to point out that trades can happen at any point during the scrimmage in order to give the staff multiple different looks.

The roster as a whole has a good mix of high school recruits and transfers, with a handful of graduate transfers that look to play a major part to the program’s success. Those experienced players - Toney, Chris Lykes, Stanley Umude and Trey Wade - all have something to prove to their new home crowd.

Toney told reporters that he’s heard good things about Arkansas fans and he’ll get his first taste of it Sunday afternoon.

“I’m very excited, especially with the covid we had last year,” Toney said. “A lot of us didn’t get a chance to experience the atmosphere of having fans again. So just being able to have fans back in the arena, especially hosting this even Sunday back in the old arena… I just imagine how it’s going to be. It’s just excitement and joy I can’t imagine.”

The Red-White game will serve as sort of a dress rehearsal for the Razorbacks. The team will have its usual pregame meal and walk-through, just like a regular game, so it won’t be completely new to them when the real games start.

Sunday’s scrimmage - as well as exhibitions on Oct. 24 and Oct. 30 - will help soothe the nerves when Mercer comes to town to open the regular season.

“We do have some guys that have played in some big environments, but I also think not necessarily Sunday, but I think opening night, I think they’ll be some angst with some guys,” Musselman said. “There will be some nervous energy for a lot of the new guys. Sometimes that’s good, and sometimes you’ve got to temper it.”

Some players will have to wait to make their Arkansas debuts at a later date and the availability of some others is still up in the air because of nagging injuries.

While sophomores Jaylin Williams and KK Robinson are expected to be limited, Musselman said Wade would definitely miss the scrimmage and that Little Rock transfer Kamani Johnson was a game-time decision.

Tip off is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT Sunday and it will be streamed on SEC Network-Plus.

White Team

~Kamani Johnson

~Chris Lykes

~Cade Arbogast (walk-on)

~Jaxson Robinson

~Jaylin Williams

~Lawson Blake (walk-on)

~JD Notae

Red Team

~Trey Wade

~Au’Diese Toney

~Chance Moore

~Davonte Davis

~Connor Vanover

~KK Robinson

~Stanley Umude