Photo: ArkansasRazorbacks.com
My guess is that program sales will be up quite a bit this season at Arkansas basketball games. Fans are going to need them at least during the first few games just to know who they are watching.
Mike Anderson’s Razorbacks have experienced a changing of the guard after last season with only Daniel Gafford, Adrio Bailey, and Gabe Osabuohien returning from last year’s roster.
Arkansas fans can get their first peek at the 2018-19 Razorbacks at 7 p.m. Friday at Bud Walton Arena in Arkansas’ Red-White Game. The game will not be televised.
The Red team will feature preseason All-SEC pick Gafford (6-11, 233) and Osabuohien, a 6-8, 221 forward, as well as freshman guard Isaiah Joe (6-5, 167), junior transfer guard Jalen Harris (6-2, 166), junior guard Jonathan Holmes (5-10, 190), and freshman forward Ibrahim Ali (6-10, 244).
Junior forward Bailey (6-6, 222) is the lone veteran on the White squad which includes freshman guard Desi Sills (6-2, 196), freshman guard Keyshawn Embery (6-3 202), sophomore guard Mason Jones (6-5, 207), freshman forward Ethan Henderson (6-8, 210), and freshman forward Reggie Chaney (6-8, 222).
Former Razorbacks Joe Kleine and Charles Balentine will coach for the Red team and, in honor of the 25th anniversary of the 1994 National Championship, Corey Beck and Elmer Martin will coach for the White team.
The Razorbacks, who were picked to finish 10th in the conference at the SEC Tipoff Media event earlier this week, play exhibition games at Walton Arena on Oct. 26 against Tusculum and Nov. 2 against Southwest Baptist before opening the season against Texas on Nov. 9 in the Armed Forces Classic, held at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. The game will be televised by ESPN.
