Coach John Calipari and his Arkansas Razorbacks men’s basketball team have a point to prove and four SEC games left on their schedule to do so. The goal, as per every season, is to earn a seed in the NCAA tournament; and fortunately, the remainder of the path to that promised land is paved predominantly with unranked cellar dwellers, as opposed to highly ranked powerhouses.
No doubt, competing for 40 minutes at top-ranked Auburn last Wednesday night, before losing a close one, helped their cause tremendously. As did beating #15 Missouri, 92-85, over the weekend in front of another rowdy crowd at Bud Walton Arena. But there is still more chicken left on the bone, as they say.
Included in the 20K+ Hogwild fans in the house Saturday night were Nolan Richardson and 20 of the players/coaches from his heralded 1990 squad, who were recognized and celebrated at halftime. That team finished 30-5, won the SWC regular-season crown and tournament and advanced to the NCAA Final Four before losing to Duke in the semifinals.
After Friday night’s honorary dinner, Calipari invited all those former Hogs to Saturdaze pre-game shootaround, and most of them showed up. A few even felt the urge to address the current team, particularly Todd Day and Darrell Hawkins. “He (Hawkins) went nuts, I listened and told him that I need him here Wednesday at the shootaround,” Calipari said. “Do the same thing and get these guys going.”
Beating Missouri was an absolute must if the Hogs plan on doing any dancing this spring, and Coach Cal let his team know just that. “I told ‘em they must find a way to win this one. No excuses. Gotta have it.”
The game came down to guts and determination, as Arkansas was reduced to a mere six healthy players once Billy Richmond III fouled out after logging only 11 minutes of elite-level PT, and Adou Thiero left the game with leg cramps. Richmond III has been a baller possessed down the stretch and has shown he can handle PG duties with the utmost style and grace when necessary. A most critical role since Arkansas lost Boogie Fland for the season with a thumb injury.
Karter Knox, who has also come into his own lately, started, scored 14 points and played a season-high 36 minutes, all the while providing an intense effort that helped grease the Razorbacks’ wheels enroute to the crucial dub.
And then there was Big Z$, the sophomore center from Croatia. He rebounded from the Auburn game, in which he was held scoreless for the only time all season, and led the effort against Mizzou with 20 points, while filling in every stat box on the scorer’s sheet, save assists. “I missed some shots. I mean, I missed everything. So what? Our team still depends on me, they need me. They’re with me to support me, so that’s it,” the big fella said after the Auburn game.
All things considered, the road to March Madness could be much, much tougher. I mean the Hogs host Texas and #21 MS St., the only ranked team left on their schedule, and then travel to lowly S. Carolina and Vanderbilt to wrap things up.
So without further ado, now is the time for all Razorbacks’ fans to come to the aid of this team, dust off those pom poms and stand up and call those Hogs.
Wooooo…