UA to face Miami in ACC/SEC event | The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas men’s basketball team will play Miami for the first time in 25 seasons, but it will be the second consecutive year for new Razorbacks Coach John Calipari to face the Hurricanes.

Arkansas will play at Miami on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, in the second ACC/SEC Challenge, schools with both conferences announced Wednesday. The game will be played at Miami’s Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla.

Tipoff times and television network assignments for all 16 games will be announced at a later date.

Kentucky beat Miami 95-73 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., in last season’s ACC/SEC Challenge when John Calipari — now the head coach at Arkansas — was in his 15th and final season as the Wildcats’ coach.

The only time the Razorbacks played the Hurricanes previously was in the 2000 NCAA Tournament, when Miami beat Arkansas 75-71 in Nashville, Tenn.

Arkansas won its only SEC Tournament title in 2000 to gain an automatic NCAA Tournament bid after being 15-14 in the regular season.

The Razorbacks are playing at Miami after being at home for the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge last season when they beat No. 7 Duke 80-75 at Walton Arena.

Victories by Arkansas and Kentucky helped the SEC go 7-7 against the ACC in last season’s Challenge.

The ACC/SEC Challenge has expanded from 14 games last season to 16 games since the SEC now has 16 schools with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas. The ACC has 18 teams after adding California, SMU and Stanford. SMU and Stanford aren’t playing in the second ACC/SEC Challenge.

Miami, which reached the 2023 Final Four, was ranked No. 8 when it lost to No. 12 Kentucky last season. But the Hurricanes didn’t make the NCAA Tournament and struggled to a 15-17 record, including 6-14 in the ACC.

Jim Larranaga, 74, is going into his 14th season as Miami’s coach with a 260-177 record and six NCAA Tournament appearances with the Hurricanes. He also led George Mason to the 2006 Final Four.

The Hurricanes have two returning starters in 6-7 senior guard Matthew Cleveland, who averaged 13.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game last season, and senior point guard Nijel Pack, who averaged 13.3 points and 3.2 assists.

Transfer additions for Miami include 6-10 senior center Lynn Kidd, who averaged 13.2 points and 6.5 rebounds at Virginia Tech; 6-8 senior forward Brandon Johnson, who averaged 14.0 points and 8.6 rebounds at East Carolina; 6-3 senior guard Jalen Blackmon, who averaged 21.3 points and hit 110 of 289 three-pointers (38.1%) at Stetson; and 6-5 senior guard AJ Staton-McCray, who averaged 11.5 points and 1.6 steals at Samford.

The Hurricanes’ freshman class is led by guard Jalil Bethea, a 5-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American, and guard Austin Swartz, a 4-star recruit.

Two Arkansas newcomers who followed Calipari from Kentucky — 6-8 junior forward Adou Thiero and 6-4 sophomore guard DJ Wagner — played against Miami last season.

Thiero had 9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 blocked shot in 28 minutes against the Hurricanes. Wagner, limited to 10 minutes because of an injury, had 5 points, 1 assist and 1 blocked shot.

Miami is one of three Arkansas nonconference opponents that have been reported along with Michigan and Oakland (Mich.)

The Razorbacks will play Michigan at Madison Square Garden in New York on Dec. 10, and will play Oakland at Walton Arena on Dec. 30.