MBB Preview: Arkansas vs Kentucky

January 30, 2026

Who: #15/16 Arkansas Razorbacks (16-5, 6-2 SEC) vs Kentucky Wildcats (14-7, 5-3 SEC)
What: The Razorbacks are looking to improve to 13-0 at home.
When: Saturday – Jan. 31 – 5:30 pm (CT)
Where: Fayetteville, Ark. – Bud Walton Arena / Nolan Richardson Court (19,200)
How (to follow):
– TV/Stream: ESPN / Watch ESPN (Dave Pasch and Fran Fraschilla)
– Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
– Sirius/XM: Sirius: 84 || XM: 84 || SXM App/Online Channel 84
– Compass Media Networks: Kyle Youmans and Danny Green HOW TO LISTEN

– Razorback Gameday App
– Live Stats

– Arkansas Game Notes
– Kentucky Game Notes
– SEC Men’s Basketball Release/Stats

FAYETTEVILLE – The 15/16th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks return to Bud Walton Arena to host the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday (Jan. 31). Tipoff is set for 5:30 pm (CT) and the game will be televised on ESPN.

The Razorbacks have won three straight and are looking to improve to 13-0 at Bud Walton Arena this season. Arkansas is tied for second in the SEC, one game behind leader Texas A&M. The Wildcats are just a game behind the Razorbacks and Kentucky has won five of its last six.

After Kentucky, Arkansas will have a midweek bye and then play three of its next four on the road – at Mississippi State on Feb. 7, at LSU on Feb. 10 and at Alabama on Feb. 18. The lone home game in the stretch is versus Auburn on Feb. 14.

NOTES:

Arkansas and Kentucky have met on 51 previous occasions, all but four since Arkansas joined the SEC (1991-92).
Kentucky owns a 36-15 advantage in the series, including a 32-15 mark in SEC games. However, half of the Hogs’ wins in the series have come in Fayetteville with UK holding a slight 10-8 advantage in such games.
Arkansas turned its season around last year with an 89-79 victory in Rupp Arena.
Over the last seven games in the series, Arkansas leads 4-3.
Razorback head coach John Calipari is 3-4 all-time when facing Kentucky, including an 89-79 win in Rupp Arena last season.
Coach Calipari now has 893 on-court wins and is seven shy of becoming the sixth coach to reach 900 wins as head coach while at an NCAA Division I program.
Darius Acuff Jr., is coming off his fourth double-double after posting 21 points and 10 assists at Oklahoma. He had zero turnovers, marking the third time this season he scored at least 18 points, had at least 10 assists and had zero turnovers.
Arkansas is one of four teams that have played in 10 NCAA QUAD 1 games this season. The Razorbacks are 5-5 in such games.

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