Razorbacks on verge of bursting NCAA bubble
Before Arkansas’ 59-56 loss to Alabama Wednesday night, players like Steven Hill, Charles Thomas and Sonny Weems spoke about making improvement, not fouling, being more aggressive and putting themselves in a better position for the NCAA Tournament.
Well, for four of the Hogs’ last five games, those words have not translated well on the court.
The Hogs committed 22 fouls against the Crimson Tide Wednesday and scored their lowest point total of the Southeastern Conference season to lose their sixth conference game of the year.
The road stumble also marked the worst stretch of the season for the Razorbacks (losers of four of the last five games).
The Hogs’ NCAA Tournament resume is slowly edging its way to the end of the NCAA Selection Committee’s desk. Soon that resume — complete with a loss to Providence, Appalachian State and lowly Alabama — may find itself in the NCAA’s trash can labeled “NIT.”
But there is hope. The Hogs return home Saturday to face No. 14 Vanderbilt. Vandy, if you haven’t heard, beat the No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers Tuesday in Nashville. And, amazingly, with the Hogs’ RPI ranking hanging at No. 45, a triumph over the Commodores could help Arkansas’ tournament resume tremendously.
We mentioned in a couple of posts already that the Hogs needed to win at least one road game and all of their home games in the last stretch of the SEC season to secure a ticket to the Big Dance.
Well, that still holds true.
Arkansas will most likely have to win its last three games (Vanderbilt, at Ole Miss, Auburn) to punch its ticket. Anything less will require a win or two in the SEC Tournament, and with the Hogs almost assuredly locking up the No. 2 seed from the SEC West, that could be hard with a bye in the first round of the tourney.
Should be interesting, as has been the case the last three years with the Hogs down the stretch.
Question is, can the Razorbacks make another run for the third straight year to make the NCAAs?
Stay tuned.
Quotable:
“Congratulations to Alabama. But we surely didn’t do much tonight to get in their way. I am disappointed in our effort. At no point have we played that way over a 40-minute period. It’s disappointing and hurtful. Especially at this time of year.”
- Arkansas head coach John Pelphrey after the Hogs’ 59-56 loss to Alabama on Feb. 27
10 Responses to “Razorbacks on verge of bursting NCAA bubble”
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Talking about ugly, I watched the game and our guys were lousy. If we were trying to hit the floor they would miss. I lost count of turn overs… too many. and fouls, four of our guys had three early in second half. I will be glad when our look-alike players graduate and we can get new guys who want to play. I have been a Hog fan and I mean a die hard fan since 1957 and I don’t remember a season like this. I really don’t believe we will will win another game this season. What is wrong with our guys, we get the ball and get down the court quickly and immediately throw up a long three, it doesn’t even hit the floor, defense gets rebound. I wish coach would take these guys out and practice two days straight shooting free throws and working for a 2 pointer. I forgot which one of them got arrested this week?
That game was sickening. BB 101-2008 should be required watching tapes of TN-MFS and TN-Vandy. These guys just don’t get it.
If Gary Ervin figures out that he is not a Center and should never be in the lane, Charles Thomas figures out he is not Guard and should never dribble the ball, and everyone on the team figures out that Steven Hill is not an offensive threat….then we should be good. Even though the Miss St. game was a loss, the guys still made it a contest and put themselves in a position to win….can’t say the same about Bama. Thank god Vandy is at home. I haven’t looked at the standings recently, but i believe we pretty much have a lock on the 2nd seed in the west…which would give us the bye in the tourney and maybe we win a game or two and improve our seed for the NCAA’s, but after last night…that’s a big maybe. i hope the seniors start playing like seniors and get back on the winning track.
I watched the game last night - and once again - it comes down to heart. During one five minute stretch, with three 6-11 or better players on the floor, Arkansas couldn’t find a way to 1) get one of those players posted IN the paint nor 2) find someone to penetrate the paint and force the issue. Once stretch saw eight straight shots from 3-point land or near.
I love my Hogs - but I’m looking forward to this group of seniors graduating (or whatever) and giving Coach P a new start with new minds. The existing group of seniors are not a cohesive nor committed group.
I just read the stats. What a mess. i am more than a little ready for this “talented” group of seniors to hit the road…. for good.
Their selfish and underachieving ways are only outweighed by the lack of cohesion or team chemistry that this “talented” group has forever shown.
PEL has a top ten recruiting class on the way next year and will instill a mental toughness and team first mentality in them that the outgoing group will evidently never know.
These players are just pathetic. I’m so ready for this group of Seniors to be gone, they have been nothing but disappointments since stepping on campus. On top of that, even Beverly is sucking it up something awful this year. Since our chances of going to the tournament are done, Pelphrey needs to bench all those horrible seniors and Beverly and let the other guys play. At least the guys riding the bench will actually show some heart and determination if they get on the court. Something that other group of bums definitely doesn’t have…
We have a top caliber coach and assistant staff, seasoned seniors who have been playing in the SEC for 3-4 years, big men to stuff the paint and a supportive fan base. What is the problem??? Is it all about the lack of a true point guard or beyond that?? I’m sick about how this year is ending and it appears to be a potential NIT season (if that) AGAIN!!!
Though I am deep in the heart of Texas, I believe that’s part of the problem, ohiohawg. Ervin is a definite liability, yet the seniors have also been “seasoned” [under Heath] in most of the wrong ways. In addition to consistent bad habits on the floor, they are soft mentally, in my opinion.
Help is on the way. PEL will turn this thing around, starting next year with an outstanding incoming freshmen class. He will instill a mental toughness and team oriented mindset. Good things will come.
I couldn’t agree more, dwp. These guys have not had heart from day 1. It is so apparent with this senior class that is the case. There seems to be no angst or no anger towards the fact that another season is going down the crapper. That’s the reality, and there is no leadership on the team that will get in anyone’s face and make it happen at the end of a game when they need it most. Nothing is showing me that there is anything different from this crew than what they have shown the last 4 years.
These boys are not tough at all. They pout and hang their heads instead of showing some nuts and getting after it. They have no basketball IQ. If they can’t run the called set on offense that particular trip down the floor they look like they’ve never been on the floor together. I get as frustrated at Gary Ervin as everyone else, but it isn’t always his fault. Our bigs are brain-dead… if your point guard goes to the rack and draws your defender, STEP TO THE OPEN SPOT AND PRESENT YOURSELF FOR THE BALL. Hell these guys look suprised if the ball comes their way on that type of play. And then they aren’t ready to make a move because they were never ready for the ball to start with. I can understand Gary’s hesitants at times. I’m so disappointed in the way these guys have developed. The previous coach holds some blame, but these boys have played together long enough to play better than they are regardless of coaching. I love post play and I was so excited about our frontline, but these guys don’t have a clue. A very salty AAU team could put it on the Hogs at this point.
COME ON SPRING FOOTBALL!