The only way I know to close out the 2024-25 Razorback Basketball season is with a sustained standing ovation – a thunderous one at that. This team came so far and should hear nothing but praise from any and all Hogs’ fans. They hit a dark patch midway through the season, kept grinding and came out of the tunnel as a cohesive brotherhood, bound by blood, sweat and tears; and coincidentally, played some of their best ball down the stretch with a whole six-and-a-half healthy players, tops. Matter of fact, they played it ’til they became one of the better stories in all of college hoops.
WooPig!
John Calipari and his patchwork team of never-say-die kids injected so much energy into Razorback Nation this year, achieving a level of success few envisioned – ‘specially once conference play opened, and then superstar PG Boogie Fland went down with an injury and sat out 15-straight SEC games. So, kudos to the team and coaching staff for holding it all together, as the bag/balloon coulda popped long ago.
Still though, what in the heck happened? Up by 16 points, followed by a terribly dry scoring spell, resulting in a tie ballgame? And then OT? But when that final horn blew the news that the Red Raiders had won the game and would be advancing on to the Elite Eight, ending the Hogs’ hoop hopes and dreams of glory, it was time to hold our collective heads high, high, high. This team gave us all hope, at least for a little while, and in todaze world, I’ll take it.
But didn’t they seem poised to advance just one more round? Get past TTech and then try to beat Florida? But the Gators have played some of the more elite-level ball all year long and still are, so it woulda been a tall task, indeed, to send them packing. But this is March Madness, where tricks will be played and magic is possible, just not this year, Cinderella.
Equally important are the chances of Coach Cal assembling another formidable lineup next year – cuz they are as high as a Georgia pine. Jonas Aidoo and Johnelle Davis, the only two seniors on paper, are gone pecan, along with Fland, who opted for the NBA, and BIGZ$, who decided to portal his way to the University of Illinois to suit up alongside his twin brother.
But odds are that several of the eligible players will return to the Hill next season. Talkin’ about Karter Knox, Billy Richmond III, Trevon Brazille and DJ Wagner – a most-solid core.
Meanwhile – much as I hate to admit it and as much as I love Razorback ball, I’m pretty sure the older I get that my ticker and chi prefer the cadence of baseball over the hiccup-quick pace of D1 NCAA hoops.
And with that I proudly present to you Dave Van Horn – skipper extraordinaire. Once again, his squad is rolling right along behind a gang of arms and loads of pop in the lineup – from the leadoff man on down. Ain’t no doubt they will be contenders in Omaha come CWS time. They started out hotter than any Razorback team in history and continue to take three-game series from SEC teams every weekend.
Last Saturday and Sunday they pitched and raked their way to a lopsided sweep of the Missouri Tigers, filling the scoring boxes with tons of crooked numbers in all three games, while limiting our neighbors to the north to a few, paltry runs here and there.
It is shaping up to be one of the best rosters DVH has ever assembled. Perhaps this is the year he brings home the big prize. This team is currently ranked in the Top 10 in ERA, Scoring and Fielding% stats like these have never been achieved by one team before, and no other teams are even ranked in the Top 20 in all three categories.
The women’s softball and gymnastics teams are also winning and forging new ground, clawing and scraping their way to the top.
And if all that weren’t enough, spring football practice is under way and pigskins are a flying.
GoHogs!