BASKETBALL
Arkansas men to host Gardner-Webb
The University of Arkansas men's basketball team is set to play Gardner-Webb on Nov. 13 at Walton Arena, according to a game contract obtained Tuesday through a Freedom of Information Act request.
The game was finalized last month.
Arkansas is 1-0 all-time against Gardner-Webb, defeating the Runnin' Bulldogs 79-63 on Nov. 27, 2004, in Fayetteville. A member of the Big South Conference, Gardner-Webb finished 2020-21 11-15 overall and 10-10 in league games.
The game against Gardner-Webb is the fourth known home date for the Razorbacks in the 2021-22 season. They are also scheduled to host the University of Central Arkansas on Dec. 1; Elon on Dec. 21; and West Virginia on Jan. 29 as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
The Razorbacks are scheduled to participate in the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Mo., on Nov. 22-23. Arkansas will be joined by Illinois, Kansas State and Cincinnati at the event.
The Razorbacks remain under contract to play Oklahoma at the BOK Center in Tulsa on Dec. 11.
Cal to visit UA women
The University of Arkansas' women's basketball team will host California in nonconference play in December.
The Razorbacks are scheduled to play the Golden Bears on Dec. 5 at Walton Arena, according to a game contract obtained Tuesday through a Freedom of Information Act request.
A game time has not been set. The game was finalized late last month.
The Razorbacks have played Cal four times, once since Arkansas won 112-80 in the 1987 NWIT Championship Game. The Razorbacks lost 84-80 at Cal in November 2019 in the first game of a home-and-home series.
The teams were scheduled to meet in Walton Arena last season, but the game was canceled because of covid-19. The series is tied 2-2.
The Golden Bears finished the 2020-21 season 1-16 overall and 1-12 in Pac-12 play. According to the team's schedule, Cal had nine games postponed.
-- Scottie Bordelon
SOFTBALL
Arkansas adds Alabama transfer
KB Sides, a three-year starting outfielder at Alabama, will transfer to Arkansas for her final season in 2022.
Sides, 5-7, was on the All-SEC defensive team this year when she started 47 of 48 games for the Crimson Tide. Alabama (52-9) lost in the semifinals of the Women's College World Series.
Sides had a .314 batting average and an OPS of .814 as a fourth-year junior. During the pandemic-shortened 2020, Sides had a .483 batting average and a 1.128 OPS.
A Dora, Ala., native, Sides was her state's 2017 Gatorade player of the year at Sumiton Christian School. As a senior she earned the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's Golden Shoe Award, which is presented to the nation's best base stealer.
Sides started 143 games at Alabama and was successful in 43 of 48 stolen-base attempts.
Arkansas has added two SEC transfers this offseason. Former Tennessee left-handed pitcher Callie Turner committed to the Razorbacks last week after compiling an 18-10 record and 2.50 ERA in 1681/3 innings with the Lady Volunteers.
-- Matt Jones