After the biggest win in the new John Calipari Era, Arkansas (8-2) steps down in class to take on Central Arkansas (2-7) in North Little Rock Saturday.
The Razorbacks are in action for the first time since beating No. 14 Michigan in the Jimmy V Classic Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.
“We’re not quite there yet,” said Calipari after the win over the Wolverines. “We’ve got some guys, if they’re not playing well, they don’t play well for their team. We’re going to get through that, but this is a nice win.”
Arkansas started the season No. 16 in the preseason poll but fell out after decisive losses to Illinois and Baylor. The Razorbacks have now won three in a row.
Calipari rode in from rival Kentucky and has remade the Arkansas roster in his first season, with only one player remaining from last year’s squad.
Adou Thiero leads Arkansas averaging 18 points a game, followed by Boogie Fland at 15.5 and 7-foot-2 center Zvonimir Ivisic adds 11. Arkansas usually starts four guards.
“We haven’t even touched what we’re going to be,” said Calipari.
Central Arkansas has just one winning season since joining Division I in 2006-2007. The Bears are led by first-year coach John Shulman, who came over from Alabama-Huntsville, where he won 112 games in five seasons.
The Bears are allowing 76.9 points a game, which is 299th in the nation. Arkansas is scoring 80.4 a game.
Central Arkansas has three players averaging in double figures, led by freshman guard Layne Taylor with 17. Taylor had a career-high 25 points and six 3-pointers in the Bears’ loss to Arkansas-Pine Bluff last Saturday night.
“This is all a learning process for our team,” said Shulman.
Elias Cato is the Bears’ tallest regular at 6-foot-8. The Australia native is scoring 14.6 points a game and shooting 30 percent from 3-point range.
This is Arkansas’ annual game at Simmons Bank Arena. The Hogs are 14-10 all-time in the venue. They’re also 8-0 all time against Central Arkansas. This will be the first meeting between the programs since the Bears joined Division I.
This is the first of three games for Arkansas against mid-majors before opening SEC play against No. 1 ranked Tennessee Jan. 4.