Very pleased with progress our Basketball program has made . . . but . . .

[WizardofhOgZ]

The following reality just kind of hit me yesterday.  At this time, we are like Tom Penders' Texas teams . . . very good, possible Sweet Sixteen team . . . and UK is Nolan's Arkansas teams - better in all areas (some more than others) and a real threat to win it all.

Of course, we can continue to improve.  But if we don't, we're going to be consistently frustrated when we run into Kentucky.  Yes, we won some games recently, but we caught the Cats at just the right time, as they were in transition.  But NO team in the country is going to win  more than they lose against UK until Calipari moves on.

However, upsets DO happen, and if someone (us or someone else) takes them out, you never know who may end up winning the tournament (see UConn last year).

[Iwastherein1969]

The following reality just kind of hit me yesterday.  At this time, we are like Tom Penders' Texas teams . . . very good, possible Sweet Sixteen team . . . and UK is Nolan's Arkansas teams - better in all areas (some more than others) and a real threat to win it all.

Of course, we can continue to improve.  But if we don't, we're going to be consistently frustrated when we run into Kentucky.  Yes, we won some games recently, but we caught the Cats at just the right time, as they were in transition.  But NO team in the country is going to win  more than they lose against UK until Calipari moves on.

However, upsets DO happen, and if someone (us or someone else) takes them out, you never know who may end up winning the tournament (see UConn last year).

I agree with all you laid down above, until the thought hit me of where our program has been since the 2000 SEC tournament.....15 years of wandering through the wilderness of one head coach who was hired so JFB could win a lawsuit and another coach who was hired by some "head hunter's" agency for 750k per year...the more I think about what Mike has done, the more I respect CMA...this program was on life-support until Long came to his senses and hired Mike

[LR_Matt]

In my opinion you are correct.... I'm also afraid that Anderson can't make us a contender. Sorry, but that's how I feel. It's been a LONG time since we danced.

[WizardofhOgZ]

I absolutely appreciate and respect Mike for bringing our program back to relevance, and thank him for doing so.  Just trying to realistic about where we are, now.  It can and I hope, will continue to get better.  If Portis and Qualls stay, with the 2 guys we're bringing in, we should have a seasoned, talented team next year while UK will probably be more like last season, when they were plugging wholesale replacements in for talented underclassmen that left for the NBA.  I like our chances in such a scenario, especially if UK has to come to Bud Walton.

I agree with all you laid down above, until the thought hit me of where our program has been since the 2000 SEC tournament.....15 years of wandering through the wilderness of one head coach who was hired so JFB could win a lawsuit and another coach who was hired by some "head hunter's" agency for 750k per year...the more I think about what Mike has done, the more I respect CMA...this program was on life-support until Long came to his senses and hired Mike

[Danny J]

I absolutely appreciate and respect Mike for bringing our program back to relevance, and thank him for doing so.  Just trying to realistic about where we are, now.  It can and I hope, will continue to get better.  If Portis and Qualls stay, with the 2 guys we're bringing in, we should have a seasoned, talented team next year while UK will probably be more like last season, when they were plugging wholesale replacements in for talented underclassmen that left for the NBA.  I like our chances in such a scenario, especially if UK has to come to Bud Walton.

Correct......UK will go back to being what they were last year. They may be this good once every 3 years. We will be better too. We also get them at home next year with no return trip. I would imagine if Portis came back we would have a chance to beat them like they beat us. We will probably beat them anyways.

[lefty08]

Correct......UK will go back to being what they were last year. They may be this good once every 3 years. We will be better too. We also get them at home next year with no return trip. I would imagine if Portis came back we would have a chance to beat them like they beat us. We will probably beat them anyways.

Is the schedule already out?

[labb]

until yesterday we had won 3 of the last 4

[regi]

What Cal, World Wide Wes, Jay Z, Nike and LeBron do in recruiting for the Cats. Nobody can match. UK is more of a College B-Ball problem than just a UofA problem. But, since they are a huge draw. ESPN/SEC/College Basketball is just enjoying the ride. So nothing is really going to change Arkansas' future in College Basketball, no matter the coach, as long as Cal is doing what he is doing at UK. Hopefully they will have some poor point guard play with departures, short of that. Good luck

[Danny J]

Is the schedule already out?

The games rotate. So we play Mizzou twice every year. As for every other team it goes...home year one, away year two and home/away year three. It began this way when the league expanded and lost divisions. So we played them home/away last year....played them away this year and next year we get them at home only.

[Danny J]

until yesterday we had won 3 of the last 4

Technically of the last 5 with three being in a row. We have still won 4 of the last 6.

[gmarv]

if portis and qualls comeback next year will be a fun game in the bud.the place will be loud and proud.just like the olden days.

[pigroots]

We are definitely making progress. One difference is the thickness of our players. Penders vs Nolan is a good comparison. Penders had those athletic guys who could get hot and beat you but Nolan had those grown men with great athleticism who eventually wore you down....Big O, Corliss, Adebayo, Stewart, Wallace, Beck,..and I'm leaving out several

[Razorback_Mack]

This thread makes Absolutly no sense. We had a NIT team last year and they were the ncaa runner up, yet we still beat them at rupp. People are saying this UK team is the best college team in the last 40 years, so let's not jump to conclusions. Additionally, if we have a halfway decent team we should always beat them at BWA.

This has nothing to do with coaching. In terms of Cal you're talking about a coach who's led programs that altered SAT scores, paid players, and gave star players relatives free vacations.

Mike is building a program. He don't have 9 mcdonalds all Americans suspiciously popping up out of nowhere.

[pigroots]

This KY team is not the best in the last 40 years. 94 Hogs smoke em....Running Rebels run them out of the gym. They are good. If they stayed 4 years maybe so but they are young. They may win it all but they are not the best team in the last 40 years...nowhere close!

[3kgthog]

This KY team is not the best in the last 40 years. 94 Hogs smoke em....Running Rebels run them out of the gym. They are good. If they stayed 4 years maybe so but they are young. They may win it all but they are not the best team in the last 40 years...nowhere close!

Especially when you consider that talent stayed in college in previous decades. The competition was much stiffer. Just look at the future NBA All-Stars the Hogs faced en route to the national title in '94 and the runner up in '95.

[ICEman]

Kentucky will continue to bring in 5 out of top 10 high school recruits year in and year out.  But like a couple of years ago (Goodwin year), those recruits will not necessarily mesh well together and the Cats will have an off year record wise.

[Chic-Hog-Oh]

Kentucky will continue to bring in 5 out of top 10 high school recruits year in and year out.  But like a couple of years ago (Goodwin year), those recruits will not necessarily mesh well together and the Cats will have an off year record wise.

^This

[jimmur74]

In my opinion you are correct.... I'm also afraid that Anderson can't make us a contender. Sorry, but that's how I feel. It's been a LONG time since we danced.

. What in hades are you talking about!!!  We have contended this year. Mike took us out of the ditch. Get over whatever pre conceived notion or bias you have against ma

[Biggus Piggus]

The following reality just kind of hit me yesterday.  At this time, we are like Tom Penders' Texas teams . . . very good, possible Sweet Sixteen team . . . and UK is Nolan's Arkansas teams - better in all areas (some more than others) and a real threat to win it all.

Of course, we can continue to improve.  But if we don't, we're going to be consistently frustrated when we run into Kentucky.  Yes, we won some games recently, but we caught the Cats at just the right time, as they were in transition.  But NO team in the country is going to win  more than they lose against UK until Calipari moves on.

However, upsets DO happen, and if someone (us or someone else) takes them out, you never know who may end up winning the tournament (see UConn last year).

Arkansas will not surpass Kentucky this season, but Kentucky's a new team every year. If Arkansas maintains better continuity, the Razorbacks will continue holding the upper hand in the series the way they did in the past couple of years.

[MountieDawg]

Correct......UK will go back to being what they were last year. They may be this good once every 3 years. We will be better too. We also get them at home next year with no return trip. I would imagine if Portis came back we would have a chance to beat them like they beat us. We will probably beat them anyways.

Why do you say UK will be good once every 3 years.... Right now in the last 5 years, they have an Elite 8, then a Final Four, then a NCAA Chapionship, then the NIT after Nerlens Noel was out for the season, then a NC Runner Up last year and this year they are 29 and 0.

I see that as bad once every 6???

[lefty08]

Why do you say UK will be good once every 3 years.... Right now in the last 5 years, they have an Elite 8, then a Final Four, then a NCAA Chapionship, then the NIT after Nerlens Noel was out for the season, then a NC Runner Up last year and this year they are 29 and 0.

I see that as bad once every 6???

I think he means untouchable

[Corkscrew Johnson]

The following reality just kind of hit me yesterday.  At this time, we are like Tom Penders' Texas teams . . . very good, possible Sweet Sixteen team . . . and UK is Nolan's Arkansas teams - better in all areas (some more than others) and a real threat to win it all.

Of course, we can continue to improve.  But if we don't, we're going to be consistently frustrated when we run into Kentucky.  Yes, we won some games recently, but we caught the Cats at just the right time, as they were in transition.  But NO team in the country is going to win  more than they lose against UK until Calipari moves on.

However, upsets DO happen, and if someone (us or someone else) takes them out, you never know who may end up winning the tournament (see UConn last year).

A lot of judgment based on one game.  A few things to keep in mind:
1.  We had beaten Kentucky in 4 of the previous 5 games.  They are not an Alabama behemoth, so let's not treat them like one.  In fact, they cannot be an Alabama behemoth because of the turnover of the one-and-dones.
2.  We had to play them at Rupp.  Bad year to play them away from the Bud.  Kentucky, like Arkansas, has shown a propensity to play sluggish on the road.  They have almost lost to some average-to-pretty good teams on the road this season.
3.  We did not shoot well.  We had open looks at 3's all game, and just didn't hit them.  Think about this, if we had just hit our season average percentage on 3's in the 1st half, it would have been a one possession game at halftime.   To beat the #1 team in the country on the road, you have to shoot well.  We didn't even shoot average.
4.  We need more of these games.  This is basically our first high-profile, nationally televised, tournament-implications game all year (and practically speaking, years).  Some of our guys made very uncharacteristic mistakes and were clearly affected.  Playing under the spotlight is an acquired skill, and I'm glad we got some exposure to it before the big dance.  I hope we get a second crack at the nut in the SEC tourney.  Don't think we'll win, but it will give us more experience before the NCAAs.

[cj_sez]

No buts...very pleased with the improvements and expect that to continue.

[HSVhogfan2]

AR still has a couple of huge liabilities on offense, that MA has now choice but to give significant playing time, because they play such good defense.

AR is not a good jump shooting team. If they woulda just hit half of their OPEN jumpers against KY, they may not have won, but that game woulda been an instant classic.

The monumental improvement in this team has been their ball movement, and a couple of the guys who are offensive liabilities adapting to being role players. They get TONS of open looks in the structure of their offense.

It is only going to get better as the personnel improves. Losing Portis and Qualls will hurt next year, but it will also be an opportunity for MA to sell the fact that there is another SEC school that can fast track you to a pro career.

[bigdaddyhawg]

Kentucky will always produce superior teams as long as Calipari is there, AND also long as they keep the current freshman eligible/one and done rules in place.

Arkansas will only be a better team than UK once in ten years perhaps when everything falls right for us and not so much falls right for them.

[Danny J]

Why do you say UK will be good once every 3 years.... Right now in the last 5 years, they have an Elite 8, then a Final Four, then a NCAA Chapionship, then the NIT after Nerlens Noel was out for the season, then a NC Runner Up last year and this year they are 29 and 0.

I see that as bad once every 6???

As lefty mentioned.....I used the word "this" good. They were "this" good as a team back in 2012 but not quite as good as they are now but close. I think next year they will go back to what they were last year but that doesn't mean not capable of again being national runner-up. As it is with all young teams they need time together and right now we really don't know what their roster will look like but they are going to lose a lot.

[Corkscrew Johnson]

Why do you say UK will be good once every 3 years.... Right now in the last 5 years, they have an Elite 8, then a Final Four, then a NCAA Chapionship, then the NIT after Nerlens Noel was out for the season, then a NC Runner Up last year and this year they are 29 and 0.

I see that as bad once every 6???

Last year weren't they an 8 or 9 seed?  Hell of a run.  So in the last 3 years they have been a 1 seed, an 8/9 seed, and an NIT team.  Just sayin.

[william.lane123]

I don't believe NR 1994/95 team could win a 10 game series against this KY team!!! Spit away!!!

[bigdaddyhawg]

I don't believe NR 1994/95 team could win a 10 game series against this KY team!!! Spit away!!!

And just how often has UA had a basketball team as good as that 94/95 team?

[latrops]

The following reality just kind of hit me yesterday.  At this time, we are like Tom Penders' Texas teams . . . very good, possible Sweet Sixteen team . . . and UK is Nolan's Arkansas teams - better in all areas (some more than others) and a real threat to win it all.

Of course, we can continue to improve.  But if we don't, we're going to be consistently frustrated when we run into Kentucky.  Yes, we won some games recently, but we caught the Cats at just the right time, as they were in transition.  But NO team in the country is going to win  more than they lose against UK until Calipari moves on.

However, upsets DO happen, and if someone (us or someone else) takes them out, you never know who may end up winning the tournament (see UConn last year).

Gotta walk before you can run.  The 2nd half of the Nolan era didn't measure up to the first half.  That is an incredibly difficult standard, to be a perennial national title contender.  Nolan himself couldn't sustain it.  Duke, Kansas, and Kentucky are the only teams on that list right now.  I would love if Anderson could get us back to that level, but that is a very tall order.  Given where we've been over the last 15 years, that really shouldn't even be our concern YET.  Let's first get to where the expectation is that we are going to the NCAAT and competing in the top 4 of the conference consistently...then we can concern ourselves with getting to the next level and competing evenly with the elite basketball programs. 

[Dirty]

In my opinion you are correct.... I'm also afraid that Anderson can't make us a contender. Sorry, but that's how I feel. It's been a LONG time since we danced.

You are batting a thousand!

[choppedporkextrasauce]

And just how often has UA had a basketball team as good as that 94/95 team?

90-91. That was a great team that suffered injury in the 2nd half to Bowers and Miller of the Elite 8 game against Kansas. That's the team that went 34-4 and averaged 99.6 points a game and had 20 games scoring 100 or more.

[HognitiveDissonance]

Kentucky will continue to bring in 5 out of top 10 high school recruits year in and year out.  But like a couple of years ago (Goodwin year), those recruits will not necessarily mesh well together and the Cats will have an off year record wise.

The difference is that they had three guys come back(Harrison twins, Cauley-Stein). So this year they had experience to match all that talent.

The leveling of that playing field is that no matter how talented guys are 1)they're still freshmen, away from home for the first time 2)it takes time to build a team

By the end of last year, the frosh had time to put it together, and they made the Finals. Earlier in the year, they looked lost when they played us in Rupp, then lost to S Car on the road.

[Randy Johnson]

you are a good poster...but

[Temprees]

I don't believe NR 1994/95 team could win a 10 game series against this KY team!!! Spit away!!!

That Arkansas team would win every game until they got bored, and Kentucky might slip up and win one.   Hogs were loaded with shooters, and Beck, McDaniel, and Roger Crawford would frustrate and turnover Kentucky's guards. 

[Pinkyhog]

SMH. Outta the ten year lost decade toilet, finally about to dance and cry babies not sure it's enough, wow!

[bigdaddyhawg]

SMH. Outta the ten year lost decade toilet, finally about to dance and cry babies not sure it's enough, wow!

Well, I don't think it is enough, for the long term.  Which is what he was addressing.

Sure, we're tickled to death to be near the top of the conference and a decent NCAA seed, but this can't be the highwater mark.

Hopefully it's just the beginning, and there's nothing wrong with stating that perspective, too.

[mhuff]

This KY team is not the best in the last 40 years. 94 Hogs smoke em….Running Rebels run them out of the gym. They are good. If they stayed 4 years maybe so but they are young. They may win it all but they are not the best team in the last 40 years…nowhere close!

Personally speaking I think this team is a little above average for a Ky team. Look at the teams that almost beat them. We just had a poor game plan and blew the game early on...... It's almost like we helped them by not playing a good solid game..... Throwing up crap by everyone just isn't the way to win against anyone.

[sadhogfan]

The following reality just kind of hit me yesterday.  At this time, we are like Tom Penders' Texas teams . . . very good, possible Sweet Sixteen team . . . and UK is Nolan's Arkansas teams - better in all areas (some more than others) and a real threat to win it all.

Of course, we can continue to improve.  But if we don't, we're going to be consistently frustrated when we run into Kentucky.  Yes, we won some games recently, but we caught the Cats at just the right time, as they were in transition.  But NO team in the country is going to win  more than they lose against UK until Calipari moves on.

However, upsets DO happen, and if someone (us or someone else) takes them out, you never know who may end up winning the tournament (see UConn last year).

I think you make some assumptions about Cal's Kentucky teams that aren't quite accurate.

For as long as Cal is at Kentucky (or until rules change) he will consistently get the best recruiting class in the country, and load his team with McDonalds' AAs and one and dones.

Having said that, not every #1 class is the same, and not every #1 class is good enough to dominate college basketball for that season.

Additionally, some years, the bulk of his class goes to the NBA, and when that happens, the next year's team struggles. It is when players from his talented classes DO NOT perform well as freshmen and then return that the next team is very dangerous.

What all this means is that every year Kentucky will be loaded with talent, but only occasionally will they have the combination of talent and experience that makes them virtually unbeatable.

To illustrate:

YEAR/RECORD/NCAA FINISH/VS. ARK RESULT/KEY PLAYERS
–2009-10/35-3/Lost Elite 8/Beat Arkansas 101-70/John Wall (Fr), Demarcus Cousins (Fr), Patrick Patterson (Jr),  Eric Bledsoe (Fr)
–2010-11/29-9/Lost Final 4/Lost at Arkansas 77-76/Brandon Knight (Fr), Terrence Jones (Fr), Doron Lamb (Fr), Darius Miller (Jr)
–2011-12/38-2/National Champions/Beat Arkansas 86-63/Anthony Davis (Fr), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Fr), Terrence Jones (So), Doron Lamb (So), Darius Miller (Sr)
–2012-13/21-12/No NCAA appearance/Lost at Arkansas 73-60/Archie Goodwin (Fr), Nerlens Noel (Fr), Alex Poythress (Fr), Kyle Wiltjer (So)
–2013-14/29-11/Lost National Championship/Lost at Arkansas 87-85, to Arkansas 71-67/Julius Randle (FR), James Young (Fr), Andrew Harrison (Fr), Aaron Harrison (Fr), Willie Cauley-Stein (So)
–2014-15/30-0/?/Beat Arkansas/Devin Booker (Fr), Willie Cauley-Stein (Jr), Aaron Harrison (So), Andrew Harrison (So), Dakari Johnson (So), Trey Lyles (Fr), Karl-Anthony Towns (Fr)

This is Cal's 6th year at Kentucky, and in that time, he has had three outstanding teams (09-10, 11-12, 14-15). Those teams had in common outstanding freshmen classes (Wall/Cousins/Bledsoe, Davis/Kidd-Gilchrist, Towns/Lyles/Booker) AND quality veteran players (Patterson, Jones/Lamb/Miller, Cauley-Stein/Harrison/Harrison/Johnson).

He has had two good, but beatable teams (10-11, 13-14). Those were teams where there was little veteran leadership, it was largely up to the freshmen, and those freshmen did not fully live up to the hype (Knight/Jones, Harrison/Harrison). However, those teams both got better as the season went on and performed very well in the NCAAT. Still, both teams lost to Arkansas.

Cal has had one mediocre Kentucky team (12-13). That teams was lacking in veteran leadership, had freshmen who didn't live up to the hype (Goodwin, and Noel got hurt), and was very beatable, including by Arkansas.

In conclusion, Cal's type of recruiting guarantees that there will always be a lot of turnover and transition. In those years when everybody leaves and he has to reboot from scratch, the next year's team will be beatable. If the freshmen are good, they will gel as the season goes on and be dangerous in March. If the freshmen underperform, they will be very beatable.

If only a few players leave and several return, and then several top HS players are added to that mix, THAT'S when you need to watch out.

[Pinkyhog]

Well, I don't think it is enough, for the long term.  Which is what he was addressing.

Sure, we're tickled to death to be near the top of the conference and a decent NCAA seed, but this can't be the highwater mark.

Hopefully it's just the beginning, and there's nothing wrong with stating that perspective, too.

Its not gonna be, hun. Arkansas pride, a lotta heart, CMA and a relentless defense will spell success.

[bigdaddyhawg]

Its not gonna be, hun. Arkansas pride, a lotta heart, CMA and a relentless defense will spell success.

Add some top level recruiting to that and you've got a plan that'll work!!

[Piggage]

UK will have another early-NIT exit year...just a question of when.

I think the one-and-done rule will eventually become two-and-done...just a question of when. When that happens, 5-star recruits nationwide won't automatically go to UK and say it's a business decision. They'll consider other schools in the mix, knowing they have to spend two years there.