MBB Preview: Arkansas vs James Madison

December 27, 2025

Who: Arkansas Razorbacks (9-3, 0-0 SEC) vs James Madison Dukes (7-6, 0-0 Sun Belt)
What: Arkansas and Queens will be meeting for the first time.
When: Monday – Dec. 29 – 7:00 pm (CT)
Where: Fayetteville, Ark. • Bud Walton Arena – Nolan Richardson Court (19,200)
How (to follow):
– TV/Stream: SEC Network Plus/Watch ESPN (Brett Dolan and Manuale Watkins)
– Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
– Sirius/XM: Sirius: 383 || XM: 383 || SXM App/Online Channel 973

– Purchase Single Game Tickets
– Razorback Gameday App

– Arkansas Live Stats
– Arkansas Game Notes
– James Madison Game Notes
– SEC Men’s Basketball Release/Stats

FAYETTEVILLE – For the final time in 2025, Arkansas will take to the court at Bud Walton Arena and host James Madison on Monday (Dec. 29). Tipoff is set for 7 pm (CT) and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus.

This will be the first meeting between Arkansas and James Madison and the final non-conference game for the Razorbacks before SEC play opens after the calendar turns to 2026.

After JMU, Arkansas stays home to host nationally-ranked Tennessee on Jan. 3 (Sat.). Tipoff is set for 2 pm (CT) and the game will be televised on ESPN2.

NOTES:

While this is the first meeting between Arkansas and James Madison, the opposing head coaches are very familiar with each other. JMU mentor Preston Spradlin spent five seasons on John Calipari’s staff at Kentucky – 2 yrs as a graduate assistant (2009-11) and 3 yrs as Director of Operations (2011-14). The two coaches have faced off twice while Calipari was at Kentucky and Spradlin was the head coach at Morehead State – an exhibition in Oct. 2017 and in the regular-season in Nov. 2020.
Over the last six games, Darius Acuff Jr. is averaging 20.8 points and 8.0 assists while shooting 43.8% from 3-point range and owning a 4.0 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Did you know that while Acuff is averaging 18.9 points and 6.2 assists for the season, his numbers improve to 20.2. points and 7.2 assists in the five games versus ranked opponents.
Arkansas is 2-3 versus ranked opponents this season and its five games played versus teams in the top 25 are tied for the most in the NCAA.

For more information on Arkansas Men’s Basketball, follow @RazorbackMBB on X, Instagram and Facebook.