No. 25 Arkansas Returns Home To Host North Texas

AT A GLANCE
Fresh off a road win at preseason top 25 and former Southwest Conference rival SMU, No. 25 Arkansas will open its two games in three days stretch at Bud Walton Arena on Friday night against North Texas. Playing as a ranked team for the first time since November of 2007, the Razorbacks never trailed against SMU to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 2006-07. Arkansas owns a 17-game home win streak against non-conference opponents, averaging 89.2 points over that span.

RAZORBACKS IN THE NATIONAL POLLS
For the first time since November of 2007, Arkansas found itself inside the top 25 when the Associated Press poll was released on Monday. The Razorbacks came in at No. 25 while Friday’s game will be the program’s second home game as a ranked team since 2001. Tuesday’s road win was the program’s first as a ranked team since Jan. 13, 1999 at Mississippi State and snapped a streak of 225 games played as an unranked team. Arkansas is 379-101 (.789) all-time as a ranked team, including 68-6 at Bud Walton Arena.

#RazorStat
Arkansas hasn’t trailed in the second half in the last three games and for just 2:23 on the year in the final frame.

@RAZORBACKMBB FAST BREAK FACTS
•Ranked for the first time since November of 2007, snapping a streak of 225 games played as an unranked team.
•Own a 379-101 record all-time as a ranked team.
•Off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 2006-07.
•First 4-0 start with a true road win since 1993-94.
•Own a 17-game home non-conference win streak.
•One of four unbeaten teams in the SEC.
•Haven’t trailed in the second half in the last three games and for 2:23 in the final frame the whole year.
•Won four of its last six regular season road games dating back to last year.
•Win at SMU was Arkansas’ first road win as a ranked team since 1999 at Mississippi State and first true non-conference road win since 2008.

OFFENSE
•First time since 1993-94 Arkansas has scored 78+ points in each of the first four games.
•Hold the early lead the SEC in scoring (89.2), field goal percentage (.508), three-point percentage (.521) and assists (21.3).
•Eight different players have reached double figures.
•Three players have scored 20 points in a game.
•Held below 40 points in a half just two times.
•Out-scored each opponent in bench points and 126-80 for the year.
•Led at the half in all four games and eight straight at home.
•Held below 70 points just once over the last 23 games at BWA.
•Averaging 89.2 points over 17-game home non-conference win streak.

THE #FASTEST40
•Last three opponents have a combined 63 turnovers and 66 field goals.
•Arkansas has forced its opponents into double-digit turnovers in five of eight halves and at least nine in all but one half.
•Hold the early lead the SEC in steals (11.5), turnover margin (+8.3) and assist/turnover ratio (1.6).
•Sophomore MANNY WATKINS leads the SEC in steals per game (2.8) and has multiple thefts in each of the last three contests.
•Out-scoring opponents 111-51 in points off turnovers.
•Finished with a positive assist/turnover ratio in each game while no opponent has accomplished the feat.
•Scored 25+ points off turnovers in all three games.
•Won the turnover battle each game and 87 of 102 under coach Anderson.
•Owned a 2-0 record when passing out 20+ assists while coach Anderson is 83-1 all-time when his teams accomplish the feat.
•Passed out 26 against Delaware State, good for the fourth-most under coach Anderson.
•Forced opponents into 20 turnovers 23 times (22-1) under Anderson, including all three games this season.

COACHING MATCHUP
@RazorbackMBB
Head Coach: Mike Anderson (Tulsa ‘82)
Record at Arkansas: 63-39 (4th Season)
Overall Record: 263-137 (13th Season)
Vs. North Texas: First Meeting

North Texas
Head Coach: Tony Benford (Texas Tech ‘92)
Record at North Texas: 32-37 (3rd Season)
Overall Record: Same
Vs. Arkansas: First Meeting

ALL-TIME SERIES
Arkansas and North Texas will meet for just the eighth time since 1963 on Friday. The Razorbacks have taken all 13 meetings in the all-time series with the last four coming at Bud Walton Arena.
•In the first meeting at Bud Walton Arena on Dec. 30, 1998, PAT BRADLEY scored 32 points on 10-of-24 from three-point range.
•Arkansas has scored 86+ points in each of the last seven meetings.
•Razorbacks have won the four meetings at Bud Walton Arena by an average of 19.8 points, scoring 94.8 points per game.

THIS DAY IN RAZORBACK HISTORY
Arkansas holds an 8-1 record on November 28, dating back to the start of the 1959-60 campaign. The last game on this date came in 2007, when head coach MIKE ANDERSON and the Missouri Tigers visited Bud Walton Arena for a non-conference showdown and dropped a tough 94-91 decision to the Razorbacks. Arkansas was led by a combined 56 points from PATRICK BEVERLEY, CHARLES THOMAS and SONNY WEEMS.

CASE OF THE MONDAYS 
Sophomore BOBBY PORTIS has enjoyed his last two Mondays. On Monday, November 17, Portis was named one of 50 players on the preseason Wooden Award watch list. This past Monday, the consensus preseason All-SEC first team choice was named one of 24 candidates for the Oscar Robertson Trophy.

SHARE THE ROCK 
After leading the SEC in assists last season, Arkansas is back at it again this year. Through their first three games, the Razorbacks are averaging 21.3 assists, highlighted by 26 last time out against Delaware State. In the win over Delaware State, senior RASHAD MADDEN set a career-high with eight assists while eight different players have passed out three or more assists in a game. Arkansas has assisted on 85 of its 125 made field goals, good for a staggering 68 percent clip.

BALL HAWK
Sophomore MANUALE WATKINS was the talk of coach Anderson’s summer and preseason press conferences. Anderson bragged about Watkins’ major improvement since the end of last season and it has shown. Watkins has already surpassed his season totals from a year ago in every statistical category while leading the SEC in steals per game (2.8). Watkins had four steals over a two-minute span to spark a 15-0 run against Wake Forest and has 10 thefts over the last three games. Watkins has provided a spark off the bench and has a plus/minus of +43 on the year in 70 minutes.