STILLWATER – The Oklahoma State basketball team will renew its rivalry with Arkansas for the eighth installment of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on January 30, 2021 in Gallagher-Iba Arena.
Separated by just 180 miles, this will be the 52nd meeting between the Cowboys and Razorbacks, and the third matchup in the Challenge since 2017. Oklahoma State leads the all-time series with Arkansas, 36-15, and has won five of the last six games and 10 of the last 12 meetings dating back to 1966. Against Arkansas in Stillwater, OSU is 13-3 with four straight victories.
Oklahoma State is 5-2 in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, including last year’s 73-62 win at Texas A&M. The Cowboys have split home-and-home matchups against Arkansas in the Challenge, with Phil Forte III setting the program’s career 3-point record in OSU’s victory in 2017 (97-71 in GIA) and the Razorbacks returning the favor in a thriller in Fayetteville in 2018 (65-66).
Big 12 teams are 40-30 (.571) in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge after a tie in 2020. The Big 12 has a yearly Challenge record of 4-1-2 with wins in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2019. The first tie occurred in 2017 (in case of a tie, the trophy stays with the conference that won it the previous season).
The Cowboys and Razorbacks both have six Final Four appearances apiece, which ties them with Cincinnati and Syracuse for 10th among all programs nationwide. Arkansas went to the Final Four in 1941, 1945, 1978, 1990, 1994 and 1995, while Oklahoma State went in 1945, 1946, 1949, 1951, 1995 and 2004.
The Cowboys and Razorbacks have another thing in common – Naismith Hall of Fame inductee Eddie Sutton. Sutton spent 11 seasons in Fayetteville (1975-85), and piled up a 260-75 record that included five Southwest Conference titles, nine NCAA Tournament appearances and a trip to the Final Four in 1978. After four seasons at Kentucky, Sutton returned to Oklahoma State and spent the next 16 seasons (1991-06) racking up a 368-151 record, 13 NCAA Tournament appearances and trips to the Final Four in 1995 and 2004.
Television and tipoff information for the Challenge will be released when they become available. Oklahoma State is expected to have a final 2020-21 schedule ready for release in the coming weeks.
Oklahoma State in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge
2020 - at Texas A&M – W, 73-62
2019 - South Carolina – W, 74-70
2018 - at Arkansas – L, 66-65
2017 - Arkansas – W, 99-71
2016 - at Auburn – W, 74-63
2014 - at South Carolina – L, 75-49
2013 - South Carolina – W, 79-52
2021 SEC/Big 12 Challenge
Auburn at Baylor
Iowa State at Mississippi State
Kansas at Tennessee
Texas A&M at Kansas State
Alabama at Oklahoma
Arkansas at Oklahoma State
TCU at Missouri
Texas at Kentucky
Texas Tech at LSU
Florida at West Virginia
