Getty Arkansas Razorbacks guard Davonte Davis.
The No. 16 Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team will open their season on Tuesday when they host the Mercer Bears at Bud Walton Arena.
The game (8 p.m. ET start time) isn’t on regular TV, but it will stream live on both SEC Network+ (this can be watched on the ESPN app or website if you have a cable package or streaming service that includes SEC Network) and ESPN+.
Here’s a more in-depth rundown of all the ways you can watch Mercer vs Arkansas:
Note: Heavy may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up via a link on this page
ESPN+
Every game that is on SEC Network+ (which is different from the regular SEC Network TV channel) is also available on ESPN+:
ESPN+ will have exclusive coverage of 2,000+ college basketball games during the 2021-22 season. It also includes dozens of other live sports, every 30-for-30 documentary and additional original content (both video and written) all for $6.99 for a month or $69.99 for a year.
Or, if you also want Disney+ and Hulu, you can get all three for $13.99 per month. Separately, the three streaming services would cost a total $20.97 per month, so you’re saving about 33 percent:
Get the ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu Bundle
Once signed up for ESPN+, you can watch Mercer vs Arkansas live on the ESPN app on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4 or 5, Xbox One or Series X/S, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Samsung Smart TV, Oculus Go, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch on your computer via ESPN.com.
FuboTV
You can watch SEC Network+ with a subscription to FuboTV. You’ll need the Sports Plus add-on, but you can include the main channel package and any add-ons with your free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch Mercer vs Arkansas live on the ESPN app (not the FuboTV app), which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), various smart TVs, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the ESPN website.
You’ll be asked to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Fubo credentials to do that.
Vidgo
You can watch SEC Network+ with a subscription to Vidgo. This option doesn’t include a free trial, but you can get your first month for just $10:
Once signed up for Vidgo, you can watch Mercer vs Arkansas live on the ESPN app (not the Vidgo app), which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), various smart TVs, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the ESPN website.
You’ll be asked to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Vidgo credentials to do that.
Sling TV
You can watch a live stream of SEC Network+ with a subscription to Sling TV–you’ll need the “Sling Orange + Sports Extra” bundle. This option doesn’t include a free trial, but it’s the cheapest long-term streaming service with SEC Network+, and you can get your first month for just $21:
Once signed up for Sling TV, you can watch Mercer vs Arkansas live on the ESPN app (not the Sling TV app), which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), various smart TVs, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the ESPN website.
You’ll be asked to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Sling credentials to do that.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream (formerly AT&T TV) has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” You’ll need “Choice” or above to watch SEC Network+, but you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free 14-day trial.
Note that the free trial isn’t advertised as such, but your “due today” amount will be $0 when signing up. If you watch on your computer, phone or tablet, you won’t be charged for 14 days. If you watch on a streaming device on your TV (Roku, Fire Stick, Apple TV, etc.), you will be charged for the first month, but you can get still get a full refund if you cancel before 14 days:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch Mercer vs Arkansas live on the ESPN app (not the DirecTV Stream app), which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), various smart TVs, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the ESPN website.
You’ll be asked to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your DirecTV Stream credentials (may still be listed as AT&T on the list of cable providers) to do that.
Hulu With Live TV
You can watch a live stream of SEC Network+ with a subscription to Hulu With Live TV, which comes with a free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you can watch Mercer vs Arkansas live on the ESPN app (not the Hulu app), which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), various smart TVs, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the ESPN website.
You’ll be asked to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Hulu credentials to do that.
Mercer vs Arkansas Preview
In 2020-21, Eric Musselman’s second season as Arkansas’s head coach, the program posted its best winning percentage since 1994-95, going 27-5 and reaching the Elite Eight. The Razorbacks’ 13-4 conference mark was their best since 1991-92, good for the second in the SEC.
That squad’s two leading scorers, Moses Moody and Justin Smith, have since departed for the professional ranks, but Musselman bolstered the Razorbacks’ depth with an impressive transfer class: forward Trey Wade (Wichita State Shockers) and guards Stanley Umude (South Dakota Coyotes), Au’Diese Toney (Pittsburgh Panthers), Chris Lykes (Miami Hurricanes) and Jaxson Robinson (Texas A&M Aggies) joined the program over the offseason and became immediately eligible, and forward Kamani Johnson sat out last season after coming over from the Little Rock Trojans.
“Just like last year’s team, we’ll have to grow throughout the course of the season,” Musselman said, according to 247Sports. “We’re a work in progress, but they are excited and practicing really hard. It’s an easy group to coach.”
Umude, a graduate student, made the All-Summit League first team for a second time last season, ranking second in the conference in points per game (21.6), sixth in rebounds per game (7), and eighth in assists per game (3).
“I feel like I got way better this summer,” Umude said, according to WholeHogSports. “The coaches definitely fulfilled their promise of putting people around me to make sure I’m getting better every day.”
Last year, the Bears posted just their third losing conference record since the 2007-08 campaign, going 8-9 in Atlantic Sun action and 18-11 overall.
Still, they snapped off three victories in the conference tournament before falling to the UNC Greensboro Spartans 69-61 in the title game; a victory would have sent the program to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014.
Third-year Bears head coach Greg Gary will once again have guard Neftali Alvarez at his disposal. Now a redshirt junior, Alvarez led the Bears in points (13.3), assists (4.2) and steals (1.4) per game a season ago.
He scored a game-high 19 points in Mercer’s preseason tuneup against Division II’s Fort Valley State Wildcats on Wednesday.
Sophomore big man Shannon Grant came off the bench to add 17 points, and his 5 boards tied for the game lead. Across 10 games a season ago, Grant averaged 3.3 points and 6.5 minutes per contest.
“I’m really excited about seeing more from Shannon Grant,” Gary said after the exhibition, according to the school’s athletics website. “He’s got great size and hands, so I’m trying my best to implement him more into our offense and I’m excited to see what he can produce with potentially more experience and minutes.”