FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The 15th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks open the 2021-22 season by hosting the Mercer Bears Tuesday night. Tipoff is set for 7, and the game will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus.
-Arkansas and Mercer have met on five previous occasions with the Razorbacks owning a 4-1 advantage.
-Four of the five meetings have come on neutral courts including the first and last outings. The first meeting was in the 1981 NCAA Tournament (1st Rd) in Austin, Texas. The Hogs won 73-67 thanks to 19 points from U.S. Reed and Darrell Walker as well as 18 from Scott Hastings. The last meeting was a 69-66 Mercer win in overtime at North Little Rock on Dec. 19, 2015, despite a Moses Kingsley double-double (18 pts — 14 rebs).
-The only meeting played in Fayetteville was Dec. 18, 1999, an 85-60 Razorbacks win as Jason Gilbert came off the bench and led all scorers with 20 (7-of-10 FG and 4-of-6 3PT).
-Arkansas opens its 99th season of basketball in 2021-22 and the third under head coach Eric Musselman.
-Arkansas is 79-19 in season openers all-time and 88-10 in home openers.
-Arkansas has won 47 of the last 50 season openers with the last loss being the 2018-19 season opener in El Paso versus Texas (77-73 in OT) in the ESPN Armed Forces Classic.
-Arkansas has won 47 straight home openers dating back to 1974-75. AND —
-Arkansas has won 49 of its last 50 home openers with the lone loss coming on Dec. 3, 1973, versus Western Kentucky (102-100).
-Arkansas is a perfect 28-0 in Bud Walton Arena for home openers.
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