Arkansas

Why Arkansas vs. LSU semifinal proves SEC still rules the College World Series

Published

6 months ago

June 18, 2025

Press Room

Why Arkansas vs. LSU semifinal proves SEC still rules the College World Series

OMAHA, NE ― Maybe it was too early to panic about the SEC.

Long the nation’s premier baseball conference, the SEC got a record 13 bids to the NCAA tournament. But just four of those 13 teams advanced to super regionals and two to Omaha, leading to conversations about whether the league was overrated.

But those two teams − Arkansas and LSU − are two of the last four teams remaining in the 2025 Men’s College World Series after the Razorbacks’ win over UCLA to advance to the semifinals. One of the two teams is guaranteed to advance to the national championship series, with Arkansas needing to beat LSU twice to do so.

Whether LSU or Arkansas advances, it will make 16 times in the last 17 seasons that the SEC has had a team in the national championship series, with the 2016 matchup between Coastal Carolina and Arizona being the only season without one. Five of those series have seen two SEC teams facing each other, plus two more that featured now-SEC members Oklahoma and Texas when they were in the Big 12.

This time, the matchup of SEC heavyweights will take place in the semifinals rather than the finals; the winner will take on Louisville or Coastal Carolina.

Each of the last five completed seasons has seen a different national champion from the SEC: Vanderbilt in 2019, Mississippi State in 2021, Ole Miss in 2022, LSU in 2023 and Tennessee in 2024. Arkansas, which is seeking its first national title in baseball, could make it a sixth.

But it’ll have to go through the Tigers to get there. LSU won both the series between the two teams earlier this season and the opening game between the two of them on June 14.

“We played them four times,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn said. “We lost in extra innings. They whipped us. We beat them. And then what happened the other night. I remember them all. The first game finished about 1:15 in the morning. And then we got beat later that day. Then we won on a Sunday … They’re really good. They don’t have any weaknesses. They’ve got big-time arms. Their top six, seven arms, all are big time at this level. They’ve got power, got some speed. You just have to pitch well against them and you’ve got to score. If we don’t score, we’ll be in trouble.”

The Razorbacks have their pitching set up relatively well. Top two starters Gage Wood and Zach Root are unlikely to be available, as are top relievers Gabe Gaeckle and Aiden Jimenez. But Arkansas has several other options, including Landon Beidelschies, Cole Gibler, Ben Bybee, Dylan Carter, Tate McGuire, Colin Fisher and Parker Coil. If the Razorbacks can win the first semifinal to advance to Thursday, Gaeckle might be able to return after throwing six innings and 90 pitches in relief in the first game. But LSU would likely counter with ace Kade Anderson, who shut down Arkansas for seven innings of one-run ball the same day.

If one of Arkansas or LSU can clinch the national championship, all the hemming and hawing about the league from earlier in the postseason will prove moot. And even if one of them can’t, the SEC has proven that even in a down season, you can pencil the league into Omaha until the very end.

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.

Source link

Click to comment

Arkansas

Arkansas Lottery Powerball, Cash 3 winning numbers for Dec. 15, 2025

Published

2 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

The Arkansas Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Monday, Dec. 15, 2025 results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 15 drawing

23-35-59-63-68, Powerball: 02, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 3 numbers from Dec. 15 drawing

Midday: 2-3-5

Evening: 7-2-6

Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 4 numbers from Dec. 15 drawing

Midday: 0-1-9-4

Evening: 8-3-6-1

Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 15 drawing

12-16-27-34-41, Lucky Ball: 12

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Natural State Jackpot numbers from Dec. 15 drawing

16-18-25-27-36

Check Natural State Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Arkansas Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Cash 3 Midday: 12:59 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
Cash 3 Evening: 6:59 p.m. CT daily.
Cash 4 Midday: 12:59 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
Cash 4 Evening: 6:59 p.m. CT daily.
Lucky For Life: 9:30 p.m. CT daily.
Natural State Jackpot: 8 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
LOTTO: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arkansas editor. You can send feedback using this form.

Source link

Arkansas

College Basketball AP Top 25: Vanderbilt, Arkansas lead SEC’s 7 ranked squads

Published

14 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

College Basketball AP Top 25: Vanderbilt, Arkansas lead SEC’s 7 ranked squads

The Week 7 college basketball AP Top 25 came out on Monday morning. Like it did much of last season, the SEC again paces the nation in ranked teams (7). The order and composition of those respective schools, though, is a bit non-traditional.

Vanderbilt (No. 13) is the conference’s highest-ranked team. The Commodores, under head coach Mark Byington, are 10-0 following a victory over Central Arkansas on Saturday. They won the Battle 4 Atlantic during Feast Week and are the SEC’s last unbeaten squad. Arkansas (No. 14) slots right behind Vandy following an impressive 93-85 triumph over then-No. 16 Texas Tech. The Razorbacks had the second-biggest jump (+3) of any team in the AP poll, worse than only Nebraska (+8).

Alabama, Tennessee, Auburn and Florida all remain in the top 25. They were joined by Georgia, who snared the No. 25 spot. The Bulldogs (9-1) are ranked in back-to-back seasons for the second time this century (2001-02 & 2002-03) after an 84-65 drubbing of Cincinnati. You can see the full AP poll below:

No. 1 – Arizona
No. 2 – Michigan
No. 3 – Duke
No. 4 – Iowa State
No. 5 – UCONN
No. 6 – Purdue
No. 7 – Gonzaga
No. 8 – Houston
No. 9 – Michigan State
No. 10 – BYU
No. 11 – Louisville
No. 12 – North Carolina
No. 13 – Vanderbilt
No. 14 – Arkansas
No. 15 – Nebraska
No. 16 – Alabama
No. 17 – Kansas
No. 18 – Illinois
No. 19 – Texas Tech
No. 20 – Tennessee
No. 21 – Auburn
No. 22 – St. John’s
No. 23 (Tied) – Florida
No. 23 (Tied) – Virginia
No. 25 Georgia

Source link

Arkansas

Arkansas Lottery Cash 3, Cash 4 winning numbers for Dec. 14, 2025

Published

1 day ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

The Arkansas Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025 results for each game:

Winning Cash 3 numbers from Dec. 14 drawing

Evening: 0-8-3

Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 4 numbers from Dec. 14 drawing

Evening: 7-8-7-9

Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 14 drawing

08-23-32-33-34, Lucky Ball: 15

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Natural State Jackpot numbers from Dec. 14 drawing

06-11-17-18-37

Check Natural State Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Arkansas Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Cash 3 Midday: 12:59 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
Cash 3 Evening: 6:59 p.m. CT daily.
Cash 4 Midday: 12:59 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
Cash 4 Evening: 6:59 p.m. CT daily.
Lucky For Life: 9:30 p.m. CT daily.
Natural State Jackpot: 8 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
LOTTO: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arkansas editor. You can send feedback using this form.

Source link