Razorbacks finalize non-SEC basketball slate with Furman

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ men’s basketball team will host Furman as part of its 2023-24 non-conference schedule.

The Razorbacks and Paladins are scheduled to meet for the first time Monday, Dec. 4, according to a game contract obtained Tuesday through a Freedom of Information Act request. A game time has not been determined.

A member of the Southern Conference, Furman is led by seventh-year head coach Bob Richey. Under Richey, the program has won an average of 23.2 games per year, including 28 last season. 

In March, the Paladins made national headlines by winning the SoCon Tournament championship, then stunning No. 4 seed Virginia 68-67 with a last-second shot during the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Their season ended with a 75-52 second-round loss to national runner-up San Diego State.

Furman returns half of its four 10-plus point-per-game scorers from last season in 6-1 guard JP Pegues and 6-4 small forward Marcus Foster.

Pegues, who was second on the team in minutes played last season, averaged 11.9 points, had a team-high 139 assists and made a team-best 68 three-pointers on 34.3% shooting from deep. He was among three players to start all 36 games.

Pegues made the game-winning three with 2.2 seconds remaining against Virginia. 

Foster, who started 29 games, averaged 10.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. He was second on the team with 65 threes on 36.1% from deep. 

Garrett Hien, a 6-9 forward, is also back after starting 31 games and averaging 7.9 points.

Eleven opponents and all 13 dates are known for the Razorbacks’ upcoming non-conference schedule, which is highlighted by a home game against Duke on Nov. 29 as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge. The season opener is set for Nov. 6 against Alcorn State.

Arkansas is also scheduled to play a charity exhibition against Purdue on Oct. 28 in Fayetteville, three games at Battle 4 Atlantis in The Bahamas during the week of Thanksgiving, and Oklahoma on Dec. 9 in Tulsa.

Arkansas’ 2023-24 non-conference schedule

Oct. 28 — Purdue (exhibition)

Nov. 6 — Alcorn State (season opener)

Nov. 10 — Gardner-Webb

Nov. 13 — Old Dominion

Nov. 17 — UNC-Greensboro

Nov. 22 — Stanford (Battle 4 Atlantis)

Nov. 23 — Michigan/Memphis (Battle 4 Atlantis)

Nov. 24 — TBD (Battle 4 Atlantis)

Nov. 29 — Duke (ACC/SEC Challenge)

Dec. 4 — Furman

Dec. 9 — Oklahoma (in Tulsa)

Dec. 16 — Lipscomb (in North Little Rock)

Dec. 21 — Abilene Christian

Dec. 30 — UNC-Wilmington