| San José State (6-2, 0-0 MW) at No. 11 Arkansas (6-1) | |
| When | Saturday, December 3 | 3 p.m. CT/1 p.m. PT |
| Location | Bud Walton Arena, Nolan Richardson Court, Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Broadcast & Statistics | SEC Network KTRB 860 AM Live Stats |
| Game Notes | San José State | Arkansas |
| Rosters | San José State | Arkansas |
The Spartans are in Arkansas and @CoachMiles is getting the team ready. #AllSpartans | #RunToTheFight pic.twitter.com/44pAOwLsJ1
— San Jose State Men's Basketball (@SanJoseStateMBB) December 2, 2022
After a fifth-place finish at the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship, the San José State men's basketball team goes back on the road this Saturday at 11th-ranked Arkansas. This will be the first meeting between the two schools. San José State enters Saturday's game with a 6-2 record after going 2-1 at the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championships over the weekend, falling to North Texas, 69-54, before defeating Oakland, 80-67, and Ball State, 67-65.
ABOUT #11 ARKANSAS: The Razorbacks enter Saturday's game with a 6-1 overall record after defeating Troy earlier this week, 74-61. Arkansas went 2-1 at the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, defeating Louisville (80-56), falling to Creighton (90-87), before defeating fellow Mountain West school San Diego State in overtime (78-74). Head coach Eric Musselman is in his fourth season at the school, but this is not his first time facing the Spartans. He was the head coach at Nevada for four seasons (2016-2019) and had a 6-0 record against the Spartans during that time.
Series Record - First meeting between the two schools.
SPARTANS VS. THE SEC: The Spartans are 3-8 against current SEC schools all-time. This is the first meeting between the Spartans and an SEC school since the 1996-97 season. That year, San José State upset No. 19 Alabama, 60-59, in the first round of the Cable Car Classic held at the San Jose Arena.
Alabama (1-0) - Dec. 27, 1996 (H) W-OT 60-59
Auburn (0-1) - Dec. 11, 1987 (N) L 65-70
Florida (1-0) - Dec. 30, 1974 (N) W 83-80
Kentucky (0-1) - Mar. 14, 1996 (N) L 72-110, NCAA Tournament
Mississippi State (1-1) - Dec. 27, 1985 (N) L 65-75; Dec. 26, 1986 (N) W 62-57
Missouri (0-2) - Mar. 6, 1980 (N) L 51-61; Dec. 28, 1978 (A) L 61-85
South Carolina (0-1) - Dec. 17, 1977 (N) L 55-76
Tennessee (0-2) - Dec. 22, 1978 (N) L 68-73; Dec. 28, 1982 (N) L 42-50
- In the win over Ball State, San José State had five players score in double figures, led by Robert Vaihola and Omari Moore with 15 points each. Trey Anderson added 11 points, and Alvaro Cardenas and Ibrahima Diallo each scored 10. The five players in double figures are the most since six scored in double-figures in a Portland win on December 17, 2021.
- The Spartans enter Saturday's game with a 6-2 overall record, the best start for a Spartan team since the 1996-97 team. That team started 8-2, winning the Cable Car Classic at the SJ Arena with an upset win of No. 18 Alabama in the first round.
- Alvaro Cardenas and Omari Moore are the only two Spartans this season to play all 40 minutes in a game. Cardenas has done this in three games and all were wins for the Spartans - Alabama State, at Northern Colorado and against Ball State. Moore played all 40 minutes in the win over Ball State this past Sunday. He came close in the win over Alabama State, playing 39:13.
- While not always the main focus of many opponents, Trey Anderson has quietly made an impact on the Spartan team. He scored in double figures the past four games including a team-best 16 points against North Texas. He had his first double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds at Northern Colorado. Anderson has made at least two three-point field goals in the past four games including 4-for-4 against North Texas. He is shooting 54.8 percent from the field, 48.3 percent from three-point range and 94.4 percent from the free throw line.
UP NEXT: The Spartans return to the Bay Area for a home game on Tuesday, December 6, against CSU Bakersfield. The non-conference game begins at 7 p.m., inside the Provident Credit Union Event Center. SJSU stays at home with a cross-town game at Santa Clara on Saturday, December 10, at 2 p.m.
#AllSpartans