One thing was painfully obvious in Bud Walton Arena on Monday night.

Arkansas fans weren’t interested in showing up for the exhibition game against Dillard.

Empty seats in Bud Walton Arena

An announced crowd of 2,278 attended the Razorbacks’ 77-59 win in Bud Walton Arena. There were rows and rows of empty seats, something I tried to document with a photo from my Blackberry. It was a Monday night. And it is in the middle of football season, but I don’t remember BWA being that empty for a hoops game in my time here. Pelphrey was asked about it after the game.

Another crowd shot

“That’s more than we ever got at South Alabama,” Pelphrey said. “I think it’s the time of the year. I think we’re playing basketball earlier than we ever have. Obviously football season is still in full swing. Am I surprised? I’m probably not real surprised by anything when it comes to college athletics. But the bottom line is we know how great our fans are.”

I was able to dig up the box scores with attendance figures for exhibition games the past three seasons (which included Pelphrey’s first two years on campus and Stan Heath’s final season with the Razorbacks). Here is what Arkansas recorded, attendance-wise:

2008-09: Campbellsville — 4,500 (estimated); Dillard — 7,100 (estimated)

2007-08: West Florida — 9,493; Campbellsville 8,476

2006-07: Xavier-New Orleans — 5,839; California University (Pa.) — 6,237