Arkansas Heads to Dallas to Face Baylor

No. 16 Arkansas (1-0) will travel to Dallas to face No. 8 Baylor (0-1) in a neutral-site matchup at American Airlines Center.

The Razorbacks are coming off a 76-60 win against Lipscomb, while the Bears are coming off a 101-63 loss at No. 6 Gonzaga.

“We know they’re a better team than that,” said senior guard Johnell Davis of Baylor. “We know they’re going to come out trying to fight so we have to stay on our toes.”

Previewing Baylor

Baylor returns one starter from last season’s team, which went 24-11 and lost to Clemson in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, guard Jayden Nunn. The Bears and head coach Scott Drew added freshman VJ Edgecombe, fifth-year senior forward Norchad Omier, and fifth-year senior guard Jeremy Roach in the offseason. All three players are on the Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy watch lists.

Edgecombe, the Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year, averaged 16.5 points, 3.8 assists, and 2 steals in four games for the Bahamian national team during the FIBA Olympic qualification tournament this summer.

Roach, the Big 12’s Preseason Co-Newcomer of the Year, scored nine points and added three assists in his first game with Baylor after transferring from Duke, where he played for four years.

Omier led the Bears in their loss to Gonzaga with 15 points and nine rebounds. The preseason All-Big 12 Second Team selection transferred from Miami, where he was part of the Hurricanes’ 2023 Final Four team. Last season, Omier averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds and earned All-ACC Second Team honors.

In the loss to Gonzaga, Baylor shot 37% from the field, 14% from three-point range, and 70% from the free-throw line. The Bears were outrebounded 45-32 and lost the battle in the paint 48-36.

Previewing Arkansas

Arkansas’ offense was stagnant at times against Lipscomb and will need to avoid scoring droughts against Baylor. The Razorbacks shot 54% from the field but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 21%, and from the free-throw line, where they shot 57%.

Defensively, the Razorbacks impressed in their season opener. They recorded 11 steals and five blocks, converting turnovers into quick offense and scoring 25 points in transition. Maintaining this defensive intensity will be key for Arkansas to control the pace of the game against Baylor.

Transfer big man Jonas Aidoo from Tennessee made his first appearance of the season after missing the exhibition games against No. 1 Kansas and TCU. Aidoo, a Preseason All-SEC selection, played seven minutes, scoring two points on 50% shooting and grabbing three rebounds. Last season at Tennessee, Aidoo averaged 11.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 0.7 steals per game. Once fully healthy, he is expected to be a key defensive presence for the Razorbacks.

Who Stood Out for Arkansas

Veteran transfer guard Johnell Davis displayed leadership and experience in the win over Lipscomb, finishing with 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Despite standing just 6-foot-4, Davis led Arkansas with six rebounds and contributed on defense with a block and a steal.

Freshman guard Boogie Fland led Arkansas in scoring with 17 points against Lipscomb. Known for his offensive abilities, Fland also showcased his playmaking, leading the team in assists. On defense, he has been effective, recording at least one steal in every game he’s played for the Razorbacks.

Broadcast Information

Time: 6:30 p.m. CST

Date: Nov. 9

Location: American Airlines Center, Dallas

TV: ESPNU

U of A Game Notes

• Arkansas and Baylor have met on 145 previous occasions, making the Bears fourth among Arkansas’ most common opponents. Baylor has won three straight in the series. However, Arkansas owns a 96-49 advantage in the series, including a 6-5 mark in neutral site games.

• The series dates back to Arkansas’ first season of basketball – 1923-24. Baylor is one of six teams the Razorbacks have played at least 100 times over the years including Texas A&M (169), Texas (155), SMU (155), Rice (144) and TCU (143).

• The teams have only played four times since 1991, the year Arkansas left the SWC for the SEC. Three meetings were on neutral courts – Jan. 5, 2008, in Dallas; Dec. 20, 2009, in North Little Rock; and Mar. 29, 2021, in Indianapolis. One meeting came two years ago in Waco as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

• There are six active NCAA Division I coaches that have won a national championship and this game features two — Arkansas’ John Calipari and Baylor’s Scott Drew. To take it a step further, Calipari and Drew are the only active coaches to win an NCAA title and an NIT title. The other active coaches to win an NCAA title are Dan Hurley, Bill Self, Rick Pitino and Tom Izzo.