TAT: Hogs Look to Break Losing Streak Against ACC

This article originally appeared on December 5, 2013 on The Arkansas Traveler website, uatrav.com.

Arkansas’ men’s basketball team’s nonconference schedule is widely considered very weak. Other than a trip to the Maui Invitational in Hawaii, the Razorbacks’ only high-profile non-conference opponent is Clemson.

The Tigers have played Arkansas only once, in a game during the 1961-62 season. That game was won by the Razorbacks 62-60 at a neutral site in Greenville, S.C.

While it has played Clemson just the one time, Arkansas has played other Atlantic Coast Conference teams in its history.

Last year, current ACC member Syracuse came into Bud Walton Arena as the No. 6 team in the country and defeated the Razorbacks 91-82. It was the only home loss by Arkansas last season.

However, the Orange were members of the Big East at the time of the game. The last time Arkansas played a team that was an ACC member at the time of the game was in the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

After beating Indiana in the first round, the Razorbacks lost to the No. 1-overall seed North Carolina 108-77. The Tar Heels reached the Final Four before falling to eventual National Champion Kansas.

Despite the blowout loss in 2008, the Razorbacks have had success against North Carolina. In 1984, the Tar Heels traveled to Pine Bluff to face Arkansas.

Entering the game, North Carolina was the No. 1 team in the country and featured future NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. Jordan hit a jump shot with less than a minute remaining, but Charles Balentine answered with a shot of his own to give the Razorbacks a 65-64 upset victory.

The Razorbacks also defeated the Tar Heels in the 1995 Final Four to advance to the national championship game.

The win over Jordan is considered by some to be the second most memorable victory in UA basketball history. The only game ahead of it also came against an ACC team: Duke.

Arkansas’ only national championship came in 1994 and it beat the Blue Devils in the title game to win it. Scotty Thurman’s three-point shot with 53 seconds left in the game clinched the 76-72 victory.

At Bud Walton, the Razorbacks have played an ACC opponent just twice. Both resulted in losses to Wake Forest. Overall, Arkansas owns a 12-17 record and has lost four-straight against the ACC.

Arkansas will try to reverse this trend Saturday against Clemson. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Bud Walton Arena.