Arkansas
Arkansas baseball: 3 important tasks for Dave Van Horn this offseason
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas baseball head coach Dave Van Horn is already thinking about the future.
The Razorbacks (44-16) watched their season come to an end Sunday in a 6-3 loss to Southeast Missouri State in the Fayetteville Regional. Arkansas was ranked No. 1 in the country for nearly half the season, but the Hogs weren’t even one of the top two teams in their own regional.
A long offseason is ahead, and here are the three biggest tasks Dave Van Horn and his coaching staff must accomplish in the next year.
Develop the bats already with Arkansas baseball
Shortstop Wehiwa Aloy is the only everyday starter from this year’s team projected to return in 2025. After hitting .270 with a team-high 14 home runs and 56 RBIs, he should slot into the heart of the lineup next year.
It’s imperative that hitting coach Nate Thompson maximizes other returnees who are already on the roster. The most notable names in this category are freshmen Ryder Helfrick and Nolan Souza.
More: COLUMN: Arkansas baseball has a postseason problem, and Dave Van Horn has a year to fix it
More: Arkansas baseball: What went wrong in Fayetteville region for Razorbacks
Helfrick arrived in Fayetteville with plenty of hype, but he couldn’t find consistency at the plate and finished the year with a .179 batting average and just eight RBIs. Souza got scorching hot midway through the season and early in the SEC slate, but he fell off a cliff down thme stretch recording just one hit in May.
Helfrick needs to be the starting catcher, and Souza must join Aloy in the middle of the batting order. Get those two rolling, and Van Horn will already have a core group of hitters to build around.
Any other in-house growth would be a bonus. Jayson Jones was the starting left fielder on opening day, but he never got going. Will Edmunson lacked the hitting juice to carve out a meaningful role while Reese Robinett redshirted. Can freshman Kade Smith become a contributor?
Maximizing the pieces already inside the program needs to be the primary focus. This year, Arkansas had just two everyday starters who began their college careers in Fayetteville. Perhaps the reliance on transfers is a reason the offense has struggled so mightily in back-to-back seasons.
An open competition for the weekend rotation
It was obvious from the beginning of the fall that Hagen Smith, Brady Tygart and Mason Molina would be the weekend starters for Arkansas in 2024. All three of those arms are likely leaving the program this offseason.
Who replaces them in the rotation will be a key storyline. Rising sophomore Gabe Gaeckle figures to be a starter, but the other two spots are wide open. Ben Bybee made seven starts this spring, but he finished with a 5.83 ERA. Gage Wood moved into the rotation late in the year and faired well, while freshmen Colin Fisher and Hunter Dietz both dealt with injuries.
Those five names figure to be the leading candidates, but there are only three spots in the weekend rotation, and there could be some other competitors on the way.
Land (at least) three big fish in the transfer portal
Aloy, Molina and Hudson White were the headliners of the 2023 transfer class. Arkansas needs three more stars this offseason.
The Hogs will undoubtedly target two more bats, but there’s a case for trying to get three with how many starting spots are up for grabs. Bats are the top priority, but Van Horn and pitching coach Matt Hobbs will surely try and find another pitcher who can compete for a starting role.
Arkansas
What channel is Arkansas basketball vs Arizona on today? March Madness game time, TV, streaming
Ian Eagle recalls wildest memories from past NCAA Men’s Tournaments
Announcer Ian Eagle has been providing analysis for March Madness for decades. He joins us to talk about his partnership with Great Clips.
Darius Acuff Jr. and the fourth-seeded Arkansas Razorbacks will face Brayden Burries and the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats as the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament continues with the Sweet 16 Thursday in San Jose, California.
The Razorbacks (28-8) reached the West Region semifinals by beating Hawaii and High Point. Meanwhile, the Wildcats (34-2) beat Long Island and Utah State.
Here’s how to watch the Razorbacks-Wildcats game, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:
Watch March Madness live with Sling TV
What time is Arkansas vs Arizona today? When is NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game today?
- Date: Thursday, March 26
- Start time: 8:45 p.m. CT
- Where: SAP Center in San Jose, California
What channel is Arkansas vs Arizona on today? How to watch, stream NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
- TV: TBS/truTV
- How to watch online: Sling (free trial)
Arkansas vs Arizona betting odds for March Madness Sweet 16 game
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Thursday, March 26:
- Moneyline: ARI -375 | ARK +290
- Spread: Arizona (-8.5)
- Over/under: 165.5
All times CT
All times CT
Print your own March Madness bracket for 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament
Arkansas
Arkansas vs. Arizona Prediction, Odds, Best Prop Bet for NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
The Arkansas Razorbacks parlayed an SEC Tournament Championship into two straight wins to start their NCAA Tournament run, getting past Hawaii and High Point in impressive fashion. Now, they’ll face their toughest challenge yet, a Sweet 16 showdown with the 1-seed Arizona Wildcats.
Arizona cruised past both Long Island University and Utah State in the first two rounds, and still has just two losses on its record all season. As you’d expect, they’re favored in this SEC vs. Big 12 showdown. Let’s take a look.
Arkansas vs. Arizona Odds, Spread, and Total
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook
Spread
- Arkansas +7.5 (-110)
- Arizona -7.5 (-110)
Moneyline
- Arkansas +278
- Arizona -355
Total
- OVER 166.5 (-110)
- UNDER 166.5 (-110)
Arkansas vs. Arizona How to Watch
- Date: Thursday, March 6
- Game Time: 9:45 pm ET
- Venue: SAP Center at San Jose
- How to Watch (TV): CBS
- Arkansas Record: 28-8
- Arizona Record: 34-2
Arkansas vs. Arizona Betting Trends
- The OVER is 9-2 in Arkansas’ last 11 games
- The OVER is 5-1 in Arkansas’ last six games vs. Big 12 opponents
- Arkansas is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 games as an underdog
- Arizona is 4-1 ATS in its last five games
- The OVER is 4-2 in Arizona’s last six games
- Arizona is 5-1 ATS in its last six games vs. SEC opponents
Arkansas vs. Arizona Best Prop Bet
- Brayden Burries OVER 17.5 Points (-106) via FanDuel
Brayden Burries has a chance to have a phenomenal performance on Thursday night. Arkansas may be a strong offensive team, but its defense leaves a lot to be desired. They rank 200th in the country in defensive efficiency and are allowing 80.3 points per game this season, which ranks 325th. If Burries brings his best stuff, the Razorbacks are going to be in trouble.
Arkansas vs. Arizona Prediction and Pick
Let’s try our best not to overreact to Arkansas being in the Sweet 16. They had a relatively easy path to win the SEC Championship, squeaking by both Oklahoma and Ole Miss by just three points before beating Vanderbilt in the final, completely avoiding the Florida Gators. Then, in the NCAA Tournament, they had the easiest path to the Sweet 16, getting to face a 13-seed and a 12-seed in the first two rounds.
The Arizona Wildcats are no joke and will be by far the Razorbacks’ biggest challenge. There’s a case to be made that Arizona is the best team in the country, and they have the interior defense to completely shut down the Arkansas offense. The Razorbacks rank 50th in the country in two-point shot rate. Now, they have to face an Arizona defense that ranks second in the country in opponent two-point field goal percentage, keeping teams to shooting just 43.7% from two-point range.
Arizona also mainly shoots two-point shots, ranking third in two-point shot rate, and now they get to face an Arkansas team that ranks 278th in opponent two-point field goal percentage, allowing teams to shoot 54% from two-point range.
This is a nightmare matchup for Arkansas.
Pick: Arizona -7.5 (-110)
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Arkansas
Community rallies behind Arkansas mother, GoFundMe more than doubles in less than 24 hours
LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — An Arkansas mother fighting for her life is now facing her transplant journey with renewed hope after an overwhelming surge of community support.
Just one day after sharing her story, 31-year-old Brittany Slater’s GoFundMe has skyrocketed from $4,300 to over $22,000; more than doubling her original $10,000 goal in less than 24 hours.
Slater, a mother of two, is battling both advanced kidney disease and heart failure.
She has been approved for a rare dual kidney and heart transplant, but needed financial help to cover expenses during a required 12-week recovery period away from home.
Since the story aired Tuesday afternoon, donations have poured in from 249 contributors. Among them, one person gave $2,000, three donated $1,000 each, and several others contributed hundreds more, reflecting what Slater calls an outpouring of love from both her local community and strangers.
“I was actually at the grocery store when it happened,” Slater said. “My mom called and told me to check it, and I just sat in the parking lot for about an hour crying. I was just full of joy. It was wonderful.”
The financial milestone is doing more than easing immediate concerns; it’s shifting Slater’s mindset as she prepares for the fight ahead.
“It’s making me want to push even harder, to keep fighting even harder,” she said. “If you’re going through something like this, don’t give up. Just keep going and have faith.”
The funds will help cover temporary housing near the transplant center, caregiving needs, childcare for her children, and basic living expenses like food and gas during recovery.
While insurance, including Medicare, is expected to cover much of the transplant itself, the additional costs tied to recovery created a significant burden for the family.
Slater’s mother, Carmenlita Bryant, who is also undergoing chemotherapy, started the fundraiser and said the response has brought both relief and reassurance during an already difficult time.
“It brings a lot of relief,” Bryant said. “Just knowing she’ll be away for three months and we have to figure out care for her children, this takes a huge burden off of us.”
Bryant said she never expected the level of support her daughter received, calling the response overwhelming.
“It just showed me that humanity still exists,” she said. “People who don’t even know us read her story and gave. We’re just so grateful.”
For Slater, the support goes beyond financial help; it’s a message she plans to carry with her into surgery and recovery.
“I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart,” she said. “Every donation, every prayer, it all means so much to me and my family.”
If you would like to support Brittany, you can access her GoFundMe here.
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