NCAA Sweet 16 Preview: Arkansas vs UConn

March 21, 2023

Who: #8 seed Arkansas Razorbacks (22-13) vs #4 seed #10/12 UConn Huskies (27-8)
What: Arkansas, Gonzaga, UCLA and Houston are the only schools to make the Sweet 16 for the third straight year.
When: Thursday – Mar. 23 – 4:15 pm (PT)/6:15 pm (CT)
Where: Las Vegas, Nev. – T-Mobile Arena (18,000)

How (to follow):
– Television: CBS (Kevin Harlan, Dan Bonner, Stan Van Gundy, Lauren Shehadi)
– Stream/Online: NCAA GAME CENTER
– Radio: Learfield Razorback Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
– Gameday Info and How to Listen Online/Mobile: Razorback Gameday App
– Sirius/XM National Broadcast: (Ryan Radtke, PJ Carlesimo)
– 134 (Sirius) / 202 (XM) || SXM App: Channel 965
– Live Stats: NCAA GAME CENTER

– Arkansas Game Notes: CLICK HERE
– UConn Game Notes: CLICK HERE
– SEC Notes/Stats: CLICK HERE

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Coming off an upset win over #1 Kansas, #8 seed Arkansas turns its attention to face the #4 seed UConn Huskies (ranked #10/12) in the NCAA Sweet 16 on Thursday (Mar. 23). Tipoff is set for 4:15 pm (PT)/6:15 pm (CT) and the game will be televised on CBS.

Arkansas earned its 36th NCAA bid and 3rd straight. It is the first time since 2006, ’07, and ’08 that the Hogs have played in three consecutive NCAA Tournaments. This is just the second time Arkansas has reached the NCAA Sweet 16 in at least three straight seasons. The other time was a four-year stretch in 1996 (Sweet 16), ’95 (National Runner-up), ’94 (National Champion) and ‘93 (Sweet 16).
The Razorbacks own a 50-34 all-time record in NCAA action.
Arkansas will be looking to advance to the NCAA Elite in three consecutive seasons for the first time in program history. Arkansas advanced to the NCAA Elite 8 in each of the last two years. In 2021, Arkansas lost In the Elite 8 to eventual national champion Baylor. In 2022, Arkansas upset #1 overall seed Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 before falling to Duke in the Elite 8.
Arkansas and UConn have met on four previous occasions. The Huskies own a 4-1 advantage in the series. However, Arkansas’ lone win was the last encounter, a 102-67 victory in the 2017 Phil Knight Classic.
For the third straight year, Arkansas has faced a #1 seed in the NCAA Tourney. 2021: Arkansas lost to #1 seed (#3 ranked) Baylor in the Elite 8. 2022: Arkansas defeated #1 overall seed Gonzaga in the Sweet 16. 2033: Arkansas defeated #1 seed (#4 ranked) Kansas in the 2nd round.
The last program to beat #1 seeds in back-to-back years was Butler in 2010 and ‘11. Ironically, Butler, like Arkansas this year, was a #8 seed in 2011.
Arkansas had one of the tougher schedules in the country, one that included playing four teams — Alabama twice, San Diego State and Creighton in Maui and at Tennessee — that have reached the Sweet 16. Oh, and for good measure, Arkansas played Texas in an exhibition game to officially open the Longhorns’ new Moody Center.

For more information on Arkansas Men’s Basketball, follow @RazorbackMBB on Twitter.