What will it take?

[The Truth]

The Truth hurts: right now, as the non-conference schedule comes to a close, the Hogs probably aren't an NCAA tournament team.

(In the most recent "Bracketology," ESPN's Joe Lunardi had the Hogs at a 10 seed, but that was on Dec. 17, before the loss to App State: sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology )

According to one of the better computers, the Hogs currently have an RPI of 75:
http://www.realtimerpi.com/rpi_Men.html

Beating Baylor on their court would be a good start, but we have no real signature wins, especially not on the road or at neutral sites, and the loss to App. State would give the committee a good reason to leave us out.

So what do we need to do, in a weak SEC, to make the Tournament? A .500 record won't get it done, in my opinion.

[g.lynn]

The Hogs play best when they run and gun,
but Defense wins championships and the Hogs have none.

[collenfan16]

It's true. The SEC is down..We have 3 teams we need to worry about in the SEC. Vandy, Ole Miss, and Tennessee. I think we need to finish 5 games about .500 and atleast make it to the Semifinals.

[jst01]

Its prob gonna take around 11 or 12 SEC wins and maybe a few wins in the SEC Tourney.  If Beverly and Weems can make shots, Townes and Thomas will score in the paint.  As long as Ervin is on the Bench we have a chance. 

[The Truth]

By the way, App. State lost today to East Tennessee State, 72-69.

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=273642193

More bad news for the Hogs.

[kcstar]

And they hit 10 of 21 free throws versus 12 of 12 against the Hogs.  They hit 39% from the field vs 67 % against the hogs.

[chiefsfan]

We're gonna need at least 9 SEC wins, and then a couple tourney wins

I think if we get 10 SEC wins its a lock for the tourney.   Do that and we are guranteed 20 wins.

[rude1]

It's true. The SEC is down..We have 3 teams we need to worry about in the SEC. Vandy, Ole Miss, and Tennessee. I think we need to finish 5 games about .500 and atleast make it to the Semifinals.

This team isn't good enough to only have to worry about 3 teams in the SEC. This team better worry about every team on its schedule, especially if it's a road game.

[northsidegrizzly06]

This team isn't good enough to only have to worry about 3 teams in the SEC. This team better worry about every team on its schedule, especially if it's a road game.

I agree

[Modsquad24]

time and time and time again here on these boards noone listens to the broadcasters we are Arkansas a top 10 basketball school like Rainwater said 20 wins and 9-7 sec on any Arkansas team equals NCAAT on any planet, any year, whether the sec is up down or sideways we are Arkansas basketball, the national media always favors us because of tradition, think about it there have been years we started out in the preseason polls and didnt really deserve it, etc, they always do the same for us in march if history always repeats itself as they say. GHG!

[baylrballa]

Beating Baylor on their court would be a good start,

that's going to be pretty impossible to do.

[Modsquad24]

its not their court its Dallas or as they said in the SWC days barnhill south, the hogs will have tons more fans present im sure, especially with the cotton bowl in Dallas on NYD, sure lots of folks will stay the week there, GHG!

[12247]

Our Arkansas team hasn't shown it can beat anyone on the road nor anyone average at home.  What we need to get to the NCAA tourney is 40 minutes of all out effort per game, a defense playing as a team that refuses to be denied, and an offense that works for a good high percentage shot.  We must shoot exceptional at the freethrow line and figure out who has the hot hand on any given night and feed that person.  So what if a 9-7 conference record means an NCAA bid, we can't get to 9-7 unless we show drastic improvement.  These guys on average aren't SEC basket players.  I have never seen a team that couldn't offer effort and decent defense even if they weren't very good basketball players.  Defense is attitude and effort.  These guys have the wrong attitude and little effort.

[The Truth]

that's going to be pretty impossible to do.

Picky, picky, baylrballa. What exactly are the odds on "pretty impossible," anyway?

[baylrballa]

Picky, picky, baylrballa. What exactly are the odds on "pretty impossible," anyway?

last I checked they were at 425:1 

want some action?

[The Truth]

Update:

The win over Baylor in Dallas will help the hogs. In case you're interested, Lunardi's got UA as a 10 seed in the Januar 7 "Bracketology": http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology

I now think a 9-7 SEC record will probably be good enough to get us in. I'm also hopeful that we can win one or two more than that.

Go hogs!

[opineonswine]

CollegeRPI.com has us as an 8 seed as the fourth and last team from the SEC.

[kuhog]

time and time and time again here on these boards noone listens to the broadcasters we are Arkansas a top 10 basketball school like Rainwater said 20 wins and 9-7 sec on any Arkansas team equals NCAAT on any planet, any year, whether the sec is up down or sideways we are Arkansas basketball, the national media always favors us because of tradition, think about it there have been years we started out in the preseason polls and didnt really deserve it, etc, they always do the same for us in march if history always repeats itself as they say. GHG!

I disagree with Rainwater. First of all, as much as hate to say it, we are not a perceptional top 10 basketball school. Top 15 is more likely. Secondly, 20 wins does not assure an invitation to the NCAA's. At one time yes. But not anymore. Due to parity in college basketball, there are more mid-major conferences getting 2-3 teams in the tournament than ever before. The only way a team is guaranteed a invititation with only 20 wins, is if it's in a very strong conference. Unfortuneatly, we are not.

[Reservoir Hogs]

Heres a number that worries me... The number of times Baylor guards drove past our defense.  A team with depth, that won't wear out, will have it's way!

From my seat at home watching TV it looked as though we made some defensive adjustments that stopped them from driving right down the lane.  That is one thing I love about Pel, you can see the adjustments he makes during the game, something the previous staff apparently did not see a need for.

[yocdaddy]

Its prob gonna take around 11 or 12 SEC wins and maybe a few wins in the SEC Tourney.  If Beverly and Weems can make shots, Townes and Thomas will score in the paint.  As long as Ervin is on the Bench we have a chance. 

No way will it take 11 or 12 SEC wins to make the tourney.  9-7 will get it done, that's 20-10.  No signature wins...........We have wins over Missouri, Baylor, ORU, VCU, and Missouri St.  They may not look like great wins now, but by the end of the season, those non-conference wins will be big.  Now, we can't go 7-9 like last season and get in, but 9-7 should do it.

[HawgG]

Must somehow sweep Ole Miss and beat Tenn in Knoxville, and continue to own Vandy.

Anything less then that and there will be no NCAAT in '08 for the HOGS IMO, well outside of winning the SECT.

Make no mistake about it, even though the SEC is really down, the Razorbacks will lose games on the road to some of these bad teams just like everyone else.They are going to need to win all of the games against the probable NCAAT teams.

[HoginHouston]

I don't think the situation is as dire as some posters seem to think. We could easily go 10-6 in conference, which would make us 21-9 and a sure thing for the tourney. We would have wins over Mizzouri, VCU, Missouri State, Oral Roberts, Baylor, and maybe some against Ole Miss, Florida, Vandy, or Tennessee. I think we will be just fine...

[The Truth]

Must somehow sweep Ole Miss and beat Tenn in Knoxville, and continue to own Vandy.

Anything less then that and there will be no NCAAT in '08 for the HOGS IMO, well outside of winning the SECT.

Make no mistake about it, even though the SEC is really down, the Razorbacks will lose games on the road to some of these bad teams just like everyone else.They are going to need to win all of the games against the probable NCAAT teams.

This seems like a pretty desperate scenario.

I don't think the hogs need to sweep Ole Miss or beat Vandy. We could end up a solid 11-5 with the following results:

Wins:
at Auburn
Alabama
South Carolina
Ole Miss
at LSU
Miss St.
Florida
LSU
at Kentucky
at Alabama
Auburn

Losses:
at Georgia
at Ole Miss
Tenn
at Miss State
Vandy

No way the committee leaves out a 22-8 Arkansas team.