The Night Razorback Basketball was Born

[WizardofhOgZ]

For me, the day Razorback basketball was born was January 6, 1976. That was when Arkansas opened its Southwest Conference schedule against new league member Houston.

The Razorbacks entered the game 7-1, improving fast with a lot of new players. Houston had been decent in recent seasons but carried a strong reputation, being the school that had ended UCLA's long winning streak.

Arkansas looked fantastic before a raucous Barnhill crowd, beating Otis Birdsong and the Cougars 92-47. It was 38-23 at half, then the Hogs outscored the Coogs by 30 in the second half - momentum snowballed. Worst defeat in the history of Houston basketball - and it was their first-ever SWC game.

That game was freshman Sidney Moncrief's first big splash. He scored 17 points to lead the Razorbacks.

You had to be there to know what it was like. Absolutely amazing atmosphere. That's what I miss about Razorback basketball.

With respect to the OP - and I'd agree about us hitting the "elite" status for the first time after beating UCLA - I have to agree with BP about the Houston game serving notice that we were a young program on the rise.

Unfortunately, I wasn't there to see it in person.  I was in Dallas, having just moved there from El Paso after graduating from UTEP in December of 1975.  I had only been in town a couple of days, and was unpacking before starting my new job (at Texas Instruments) the following Monday. 

I was already a big basketball fan, having seen several of the really good UTEP teams (including the 1966 National Champions when the school went by the name "Texas Western"), but I had no expectations for Arkansas basketball.  In my life, they had been an afterthought.

But when we exploded on Houston, with their well-deserved national reputation, the nation got their first look at Barnhill-mania.  And I got my first look at Moncrief, Boot and Delph.  I was hooked.

[lynbug]

I can remember the exact moment I heard Sutton was going to Kentucky - there are only a few things like that you remember in your life. Heartbroken.

I think I cried first, then I got very mad, then came the shock. lol.  But mostly I remember it as the day I learned that nothing lasts forever, even in sports (especially in sports).