Western Kentucky head coach Mike Sanford speaks Wednesday, December 20, 2017, to members of the media during a press conference at E.A. Diddle Arena. (Bac Totrong/photo@bgdailynews.com)

Western Kentucky and Arkansas have agreed to a three-game series over men’s basketball and football which brings the Southeastern Conference’s Razorbacks to E.A. Diddle Arena in 2019-20.

As part of the agreement, the Hilltoppers will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., in 2019 for a single football game and have a home-and-home series in men’s basketball.

Western Kentucky will travel to Fayetteville during the 2018-19 season in men’s basketball and receive a return visit the following season.

“We are always looking for compelling matchups in our football and men’s basketball schedules, and adding the Arkansas Razorbacks is a very exciting addition for both programs,” athletic director Todd Stewart said in a news release. “There was a true rebirth in the atmosphere inside Diddle Arena this season.

“With Wisconsin and St. Mary’s scheduled to visit next year, the addition of Arkansas in 2019-20 continues the upward trajectory of our men’s basketball scheduling. The proximity of Arkansas to Bowling Green will also enable our fans to travel to Fayetteville and experience unique men’s basketball and football environments.”

WKU last squared off against the Razorbacks in men’s basketball during the 1974-75 season when the Hilltoppers came away with a 74-63 victory inside Diddle Arena.

It remains Arkansas’ only visit to Diddle Arena, and the series currently sits at a 4-2 advantage in favor of the Razorbacks.

It will be the first visit to Diddle Arena by an SEC team since Mississippi visited during the 2013-14 season. Coach Rick Stansbury is 16-14 all-time against Arkansas.

The Razorbacks are one of just five current SEC members WKU has never faced on the football gridiron but will become the 10th when WKU travels to Fayetteville for the first time Nov. 9, 2019.

To accommodate the game, a previously scheduled game at Indiana has been moved to the 2022 season.

Current 2018-19 men’s basketball nonconference opponents (Dates TBA)

Austin Peay

St. Mary’s

Wisconsin

At Arkansas (in Fayetteville or Little Rock, Ark.)

At Belmont

At Indiana State

At Missouri State

Future football nonconference opponents

Aug. 31, 2018 – at Wisconsin

Sept. 8, 2018 – Maine

Sept. 15, 2018 – at Louisville

Sept. 22, 2018 – at Ball State

Aug. 31, 2019 – Central Arkansas

Sept. 14, 2019 – vs. Louisville (in Nashville)

Oct. 12, 2019 – Army

Nov. 9, 2019 – at Arkansas (Fayetteville or Little Rock)

Sept. 5, 2020 – Chattanooga

Sept. 12, 2020 – at Indiana

Sept. 26, 2020 – at Louisville

Sept. 11, 2021 – at Army

Sept. 25, 2021 – Indiana

Sept. 3, 2022 – at Hawaii

Sept. 10, 2022 – Austin Peay

Sept. 24, 2022 – at Auburn

TBA, 2022 – at Indiana

Sept. 2, 2023 – South Florida

Aug. 31, 2024 – at South Florida