The team was led by sixth-year head coach Mike Anderson, and played their home games at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas as a member of the SEC.
Arkansas did not continue the momentum it had built in 2014–15, after finishing second to Kentucky in the SEC and winning a game in the NCAA tournament for the first time in seven years.
They lost Chicago Bulls forward Bobby Portis to the NBA and Michael Qualls also declared but was not drafted after sustaining a knee injury.
Seniors Rashad Madden and Alandise Harris graduated, and Nick Babb elected to transfer to Iowa State.
Beard was suspended for the first semester and Thomas had to sit out the season anyway as part of NCAA transfer rules.