The day Arkansas basketball fans have been waiting for is here at last.

Head coach John Calipari and the Razorbacks open the 2024-25 season against Lipscomb on Wednesday, starting a non-conference gauntlet that’ll prep Arkansas for a a grueling SEC slate and lead to a hopeful run into the latter stages of March.

Arkansas enters its opener ranked No. 16 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll. The Hogs went 1-1 in preseason exhibitions against Kansas and TCU, ushering in a new roster with one returnee from last year’s team that failed to make the NCAA Tournament.

Lipscomb (1-0) began its season Monday night with a 77-72 road victory over Duquesne. Jacob Ognacevic led the way with 30 points and 10 rebounds, while the Bisons shot 42.8% from three in the victory.

Here’s how to watch the Arkansas and Lipscomb game, including time, TV schedule and streaming information.

What channel is Arkansas basketball vs. Lipscomb today?

• TV channel: N/A
• Streaming: SEC+ (ESPN+)

Arkansas vs. Lipscomb will not be on TV, but the matchup is available to stream via SEC+ on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.

Arkansas basketball vs. Lipscomb start time

• Date: Wednesday, November 6
• Start time: 7 p.m. CT

The Arkansas vs. Lipscomb game will be played at approximately 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.

Arkansas basketball news

Arkansas basketball 2024-25 schedule

Quarterback Jaxson Dart and wide receiver Jordan Watkins both had enormous games on Saturday as Ole Miss took down rival Arkansas 63-31 in Fayetteville.

Dart was named National Quarterback of the Week by the Davey O’Brien Foundation on Tuesday alongside Maxwell Award Player of the Week, honors given to the best overall player on a week-to-week basis. Dart was also named AP National Player of the Week on Monday.

Jordan Watkins also made waves on Tuesday, bringing home the Walter Camp Offensive Player of the Week Award after earning SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors earlier this week, splitting the title with Dart.

On Saturday, Dart went 25-for-31 through the air for 515 yards and six touchdowns. Watkins caught five of those scores alongside eight total catches and 254 yards. The two formed a lethal dynamic duo against the Razorback secondary.

With Tre Harris absent from last week’s contest, these honors serve as a tremendous confidence booster for the Rebel offense. With Harris missing, Watkins has more than stepped up to compensate in his absence. Another standout performance will be crucial for the Rebels to keep their playoff hopes alive by beating No. 3 Georgia this weekend.

While Watkins’ had 254 of Dart’s passing yardage, Dart added an additional 261 yards among five different recievers. Spreading the ball around again Saturday will also be a major factor in the Rebels securing a win.

The Rebels and Bulldogs are set for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff, and the game will be televised on ABC.

When John Calipari left Kentucky over the offseason to become the next head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks, he brought three of his players with him, and all three are expected to play big roles with the Hoop Hogs this season.

One of those players is D.J. Wagner, a point guard heading into his second season of college basketball.

Fans got their first look at Wagner during the Razorbacks’ 85-69 win over the No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks on Oct. 25 and he put on quite a show. Wagner led the Hogs in scoring with 24 points and he had four rebounds in 35 minutes of action.

“Just going out there and playing with confidence,” Wagner said after the game. “My teammates, my coaches tell me to go out there and play with confidence. If I’m open, shoot it, so just going out there knowing that they have my back like that, it was easy just to let it go.”

In Arkansas’ second preseason exhibition game at TCU on Friday, Wagner scored six points on 3-of-9 shooting (0-of-3 3PT) with two rebounds, two assists, one steal and five turnovers.

HawgBeat will profile each key part of Arkansas’ roster ahead of the season. In this profile, we’ll take a closer look at Wagner, what he brings to the table for the Razorbacks, where he needs to improve and where he fits in the rotation.

Wagner’s freshman season at Kentucky was less than ideal, as he battled an ankle injury that took away from his athleticism and burst which, in turn, dropped his draft stock.

Make no mistake, though, Wagner has all the talent and potential necessary to make a huge jump from his freshman to sophomore season and be a force in the Southeastern Conference.

Now in a Razorback uniform, Wagner is healthy and looking to show NBA scouts he has the tools to be effective at the next level…