Arkansas aims to snap skid vs. No. 6 Syracuse

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) - Mike Anderson knew what he was getting into with a difficult early schedule.

After back-to-back losses, the Arkansas coach hopes to come through the brutal opening stretch without any long-term damage - a task that doesn't get any easier when the Razorbacks (3-2) host No. 6 Syracuse on Friday night.

Arkansas lost a pair of games during last week's Las Vegas Invitational, falling to Arizona State and Wisconsin. The tournament started a five-game stretch that could go a long way to determining how seriously the Razorbacks are taken as they try to return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2008.

Following the game with the Orange (4-0), Arkansas hosts Oklahoma on Tuesday before traveling to No. 3 Michigan on Dec. 8.