Arkansas vs. LSU Tip Time Moved Up Amid Winter Storm Threat
Saturday’s SEC showdown between Arkansas and LSU is still on - just a little earlier than expected. With a major winter storm bearing down on the region, the Razorbacks’ home game has been bumped up to a 4:00 p.m.
(CST) tip to get ahead of the worst of the weather. The game will still air on SEC Network as originally planned.
The matchup was initially slated for a 7:30 p.m. tip in Fayetteville, but forecasts calling for up to a foot of snow across Northwest Arkansas prompted the change. According to the team, the game will go on as long as LSU and at least two officials can safely make it to Bud Walton Arena.
The storm is expected to roll into the area by Friday night, with a brief break Saturday evening before another round hits late that night into early Sunday. Local authorities are urging residents to stay off the roads this weekend, anticipating hazardous conditions. In response, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency on Thursday as the state braces for the impact.
Arkansas fans know this isn’t the first time winter weather has thrown a wrench into the basketball schedule, but it’s been a while. The last notable disruption came back in 2010, when snow forced a game between the Razorbacks and Ole Miss to be pushed back a day. Arkansas went on to win that one, 80-73.
Despite the weather, the Razorbacks aren’t sweating the change. Assistant coach Chuck Martin spoke with reporters Friday and made it clear the team’s mindset is locked in - snow or no snow.
“We’re ready, man. Snowmobiles, shovels, all of the above,” Martin joked.
He recalled a snowstorm from his time at St. John’s in New York City, when a game against Boston College in 2004 went on despite an empty, half-frozen arena.
“It was a mess,” he said.
But Martin doesn’t expect anything like that in Fayetteville. In fact, he’s confident the Arkansas faithful will show up and bring the energy - just like they have all season.
“The buzz on campus has been great with our student body,” Martin said. “They were unbelievable.
The atmosphere at our last game, the Vandy game, was incredible, and it has been all year. So, I don’t anticipate this slowing our guys down - meaning our student body and our fans.”
For now, the plan is simple: bundle up, tip off early, and let the basketball do the talking before the snow settles in.