The Arkansas women’s basketball team will host Arkansas State and Central Arkansas during the 2026-27 season, adding two more in-state Division I opponents to their nonconference schedule. The Razorbacks are set to play Arkansas State on Dec. 6 and Central Arkansas on Dec. 15 at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville.
These upcoming matchups came to light after a Freedom of Information Act request revealed the preliminary schedule for the Razorbacks’ nonconference slate. In addition to those games, Arkansas is scheduled to play Northwestern State on Nov. 6 and Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Nov. 13, both at home. That leaves the University of Arkansas at Little Rock as the only in-state Division I school not yet confirmed on the team’s 2026-27 schedule.
Arkansas women’s basketball head coach Kelsi Musick and Arkansas State coach Destinee Rogers were spotted together before a game at Bud Walton Arena on Dec. 28, 2025, hinting at the renewed focus on state rivalries for the Razorbacks.
The nonconference schedule currently lists 10 known games, but NCAA rules allow for up to 15. Adding more opponents could mean the Razorbacks face all four in-state Division I women’s basketball programs for the second straight year. In the previous season, Arkansas also played Arkansas State, Central Arkansas, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and Little Rock, making for a thorough state sweep that helps fans follow familiar faces and fuels longstanding rivalries.
Playing these Arkansas-based squads benefits not just the Razorbacks but local fans who enjoy seeing teams from across the state compete on the Bud Walton hardwood. It also makes logistical sense, saving travel time and costs in a college basketball landscape often stretching teams coast to coast.
None of the in-state games fall into the conference schedule, as Arkansas continues its run in the Southeastern Conference. Nonconference games give the team a chance to tune strategy, test lineups against diverse playing styles, and foster community enthusiasm early in the season.
Arkansas State, based in Jonesboro, and Central Arkansas, located in Conway, are traditionally competitive programs within the Sun Belt and ASUN conferences respectively. Matches against them typically draw solid crowds, especially in Fayetteville, where Razorbacks basketball commands a loyal following.
Including Arkansas-Pine Bluff, a Southwestern Athletic Conference member, and Northwestern State from the Southland Conference, the nonconference slate brings variety while keeping a strong local flavor.
The Razorbacks’ scheduling moves come amid growing competition in women’s college basketball, where nonconference games play a pivotal role in RPI rankings and NCAA tournament bids. Facing a range of opponents within the state bolsters the team’s regional profile and provides meaningful challenges before SEC play begins.
While Little Rock remains absent from the 2026-27 calendar, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them reappear in future matchups. Their presence would give the Razorbacks a clean sweep of Arkansas Division I programs once again, a point of pride for local fans who keep an eye on all the state’s college hoops action.
For now, ticket-holders and basketball watchers can circle early December dates for those Arkansas State and Central Arkansas games, continuing a tradition of competitive, in-state basketball that feeds the passion of Northwest Arkansas fans.
Source: NWA Democrat Gazette
