As I write this, I have just turned off CBS coverage of the Arkansas-North Carolina game. With the Tarheels up by more than 30, what’s the point?
If Arkansas ever has hopes of returning to a top tier NCAA basketball program, they cannot allow things like this to happen in the tournament.
Inconsistency equals disaster against the really good teams.
Here’s something to think about. Did the Razorbacks rise to the occasion to win their first round game against Indiana, or were the Hoosiers playing uninspired basketball due to all of the turmoil they’ve been through the past couple of weeks?
We shall find out today when Arkansas takes on tournament favorite North Carolina in the home state of the Tarheels.
Most sports commentators are easily looking past the Hogs to a possible Tennessee-North Carolina match-up in the next round.
Here’s my take. If the inconsistent Hogs can rise to the occasion and “show up” for their game against North Carolina, they have a good chance to pull off an upset. If they play uninspired basketball, they could lose by 20 or more.
It’s all up to them. Is Arkansas basketball back? If our team plays hard and inspired for their new coach, the answer could very well be yes. They don’t have to win this one to prove they are back, but they have to stay with the Tarheels for all 40 minutes.
I thought Arkansas was well on its way to finding its groove after taking out Vandy and Tennessee in the SEC Tournament. All looked promising as they were scheduled to go against Georgia in the championship game…a team that had played two, count ‘em, two games the previous day to get to the championship match. Honestly, I didn’t think it would be that close in the second half. Georgia had other plans and Arkansas failed to show up for the first 15 minutes of the first half.
Georgia’s Cinderella run in the tournament made them the darlings of the media and it showed during the game on Sunday. “Can they do it! Can they do it!,” was the constant shout from announcers calling the game. There was a short-lived glimmer of hope in the second half when Arkansas pulled close for a short time before again being outdistanced by the Bulldogs.
Now that that tragedy is over, what about the NCAA Tournament? It looks rough for the Hogs as they go against Indiana in the first round and — and if they are lucky enough to win — tournament favorite North Carolina in the second.
But there is hope. That is if Arkansas can finally decide that it wants to be “Big Time” once again and actually compete against the good, Top 25, teams.
We shall see on Friday.
From HogWired.com
The Razorbacks showed some character this afternoon at Bud Walton Arena, beating Vanderbilt in a 78-73 thriller.
Home wins have been common for the Hogs, but if they are to go anywhere in the SEC and NCAA tournaments, they’re going to have to find ways to win away from Bud Walton.
According to TV commentators, the win should guarantee Arkansas a first-round bye in the SEC tournament. If they show well, they should make it in to the big dance.
Here’s the ESPN recap.
Here we are near the close of another underwhelming year of Arkansas basketball. The Razorbacks have shown brilliance at times on the court, but have choked in the big games all too often.
Today, they take on Vandy, the undisputed up and comer in the SEC. If the hogs are able to pull off an upset, they might be able to pull back into the collective coaches and sports writers’ mind share prior to the start of the SEC and NCAA tournaments.
Even with a win again Vandy today, the Hogs must have a really good showing in the SEC tournament to have a chance at a birth in the NCAA tournament. Probably only a first or second-place finish will do to get them in.
John Pelphrey is a good coach, but he had an extremely difficult job taking over after Stan Heath and seems to have only been marginally successful taming some big egos.
I wish the Razorbacks the best as the season winds down. Beating the Commodores would be a good start at showing what they are made of.
