WE have to Schedule Better

[Dudeman]

I'd like to see Duke, North Carolina or Kansas scheduled.It would be fun to get to play one of those teams in the ooc schedule.

[JayBell]

I'd like to see Duke, North Carolina or Kansas scheduled.It would be fun to get to play one of those teams in the ooc schedule.

You'd think it wouldn't be too hard for Arkansas to have at least one high profile home and home series every two years.  Arkansas has so much history against top NCAAB teams.  Games against Kansas, Duke, Texas, UCLA, UNC, Michigan, Arizona, etc. would be big national draws every season.

If Arkansas wants to be relevant in basketball again, that means playing other programs that are currently and historically relevant.  Can't just rebuild the program with SEC victories.  Add some games against the elite just to get back on the national stage.

[JONAS]

You'd think it wouldn't be too hard for Arkansas to have at least one high profile home and home series every two years.  Arkansas has so much history against top NCAAB teams.  Games against Kansas, Duke, Texas, UCLA, UNC, Michigan, Arizona, etc. would be big national draws every season.

If Arkansas wants to be relevant in basketball again, that means playing other programs that are currently and historically relevant.  Can't just rebuild the program with SEC victories.  Add some games against the elite just to get back on the national stage.

We played Michigan the last 2 years and Texas not too long ago.  We used to play Arizona.  They may have quit playing us because we beat them.

[Sivad]

You'd think it wouldn't be too hard for Arkansas to have at least one high profile home and home series every two years. 

If Arkansas wants to be relevant in basketball again, that means playing other programs that are currently and historically relevant.  Can't just rebuild the program with SEC victories.  Add some games against the elite just to get back on the national stage.

Mike Anderson has proven to be stubborn and unchanging to a fault. He is not going to do it. He wants his record padded and will keep on keepin on unless forced by outside influences to schedule more respectable opponents.

[poloprince]

I'd like to see Duke, North Carolina or Kansas scheduled.It would be fun to get to play one of those teams in the ooc schedule.

Even when we were a top 5 program we didn't play these teams OOC.

[poloprince]

You'd think it wouldn't be too hard for Arkansas to have at least one high profile home and home series every two years.  Arkansas has so much history against top NCAAB teams.  Games against Kansas, Duke, Texas, UCLA, UNC, Michigan, Arizona, etc. would be big national draws every season.

If Arkansas wants to be relevant in basketball again, that means playing other programs that are currently and historically relevant.  Can't just rebuild the program with SEC victories.  Add some games against the elite just to get back on the national stage.

A large portion of that history is from tournament play, not the home and home series.

[JayBell]

A large portion of that history is from tournament play, not the home and home series.

...right.  Does that disqualify them as candidates for a home and home series?

[Atlhogfan1]

In 91, we played Duke, UNLV and Arizona in the non conference. We played a home and home with KU in the late 80's in addition to Arizona and UNLV after this.  Played Georgetown with Iverson in Memphis.  Some of our matchups came in early season tournaments.  Plus we were in home and homes with Mizzou and Memphis during this time.  Tulsa was usually scheduled as well.  We have played tougher schedules than this season.  Part of getting better is networks helping our schedule with made for tv matchups. 

Played Arizona 5 times from 91-96 with only one coming in the NCAAT.

[urkillnmesmalls]

In 91, we played Duke, UNLV and Arizona in the non conference. We played a home and home with KU in the late 80's in addition to Arizona and UNLV after this.  Played Georgetown with Iverson in Memphis.  Some of our matchups came in early season tournaments.  Plus we were in home and homes with Mizzou and Memphis during this time.  Tulsa was usually scheduled as well.  We have played tougher schedules than this season.  Part of getting better is networks helping our schedule with made for tv matchups. 

Played Arizona 5 times from 91-96 with only one coming in the NCAAT.

Wasn't it just last year that we played Syracuse and Michigan?  I know it was in at least the last two seasons.  OU too right?  I'm not looking it up, but this season seemed like an anomaly with regard to the level of competition.  Hopefully that doesn't continue...

[SPAL]

I've heard this over and over, but the truth is that the you can still do just fine if you win your games.  I know people are ripping on the SEC, but I don't think I could be convinced that it's not tougher than Wichita State's conference, and they're doing fine.  Did they play any big dogs OOC?  Florida is doing OK from the SEC. 

You don't have to play 3 Big 12 and 3 ACC schools to do well.  You have to beat people...a lot, and do it on the road.  Losing to Bama and SC to end the season was terrible no matter how you slice it.  When it mattered the most...we choked, and there's no way to sugar coat it.  The only way to overcome that is experience, and getting some kids in that hate to lose so much that they aren't going to let it happen.  I'm sure we have some kids like that on the team now, but I struggle to see how we could lose to those two teams with a "can't lose" mentality, because we've proven to have more potential than them.  We just don't play up to our potential often enough. 

This is the right answer. People in this thread who proclaim to be forward thinkers are thinking too much on this.

End of the day, we have to be more consistent on the road. You won't convince very many people that our non conference schedule would have kept us out if we had won half of our road games. There would have been no pressure to win at bama if you beat Florida and mizzou at home and Georgia and texas AM on the road.

[hogsanity]

Wasn't it just last year that we played Syracuse and Michigan?  I know it was in at least the last two seasons.  OU too right?  I'm not looking it up, but this season seemed like an anomaly with regard to the level of competition.  Hopefully that doesn't continue...

Yes that was last season.  This year they replaced those 3 with clemson high pt and Savannah state. 

[urkillnmesmalls]

Yes that was last season.  This year they replaced those 3 with clemson high pt and Savannah state.

This debate could go on for infinity.  Regardless, the SEC is still at least respected enough that if we win those OOC games, and do well in conference, we're going to be in the NCAAT.  The issue is, we can't win on the road often enough...period.  I keep hearing that it's the officiating, etc., but Florida managed to go 18-0 in conference this season, so apparently it's not impossible to win on the road in the SEC. 

Now we get to see if the SEC is "down" like the experts have said, because there will be expectations on Florida with their ranking.  Tennessee will give some teams trouble, and KY could sneak up on a team or two.  But...I also think it's a bit of a joke that only 3 SEC teams may make it in this season.  We may not have as many traditional "basketball players," but we have as many athletes that play hounding defense as any other league, and that can give teams fits. 

In truth, it almost seems like the national pundits take some of the football dominance and seem to sort of have a "get back" attitude toward SEC basketball.  NO WAY there are even 50 teams better than the Hogs this season...NO way.   

[JayBell]

NO WAY there are even 50 teams better than the Hogs this season...NO way.

At home or on the road?  There are prep teams that show up better on the road than Arkansas does.

Arkansas had a big chance to increase it's RPI, overall SOS and non-home record in the SEC tournament.  The opportunity was there and they missed it.

[Atlhogfan1]

Who could know when we were making the schedule a 14 team major conference would be as bad as the SEC was this season in terms of quality depth?  We needed to compensate for the conference with better ooc scheduling.  That is like playing in a high mid major conference.  But the team also had chances on the court to win their way in anyway in spite of the schedule strength and lost both ooc and in conference.

[The Hogfather]

Missouri played Southern Illinois, Hawaii, Northwestern, Nevada, UCLA, West Virginia, Western Michigan, Illinois, NC State, Long Beach State, among others.  They went 12-1, including wins over UCLA, Western Mich, and NC State.  Then, they get in the SEC and are only .500 in the SEC.  Since everyone says the SEC is so weak (perception), people totally write them off.

We/they don't really NEED to schedule better.  We/they just need to win more games that we should win.

[hog.goblin]

Honestly I thought we did better this year with MN, Clemson, Cal, SMU, and Gonzaga. All post season bound.  Even High Point is in the NIT (had to throw that in there).

What, one or two more?  I'm okay with that, but it seems like it was a decent number.  Especially if we had just beat Bama and USCe.

The league needs to consider cutting the rotation to playing everyone once.  We beat each other up leaving no room for losses in the nonconference.

[Atlhogfan1]

Honestly I thought we did better this year with MN, Clemson, Cal, SMU, and Gonzaga. All post season bound.  Even High Point is in the NIT (had to throw that in there).

What, one or two more?  I'm okay with that, but it seems like it was a decent number.  Especially if we had just beat Bama and USCe.

The league needs to consider cutting the rotation to playing everyone once.  We beat each other up leaving no room for losses in the nonconference.

It was the extremely low RPI teams we played in the non conference.

[urkillnmesmalls]

Missouri played Southern Illinois, Hawaii, Northwestern, Nevada, UCLA, West Virginia, Western Michigan, Illinois, NC State, Long Beach State, among others.  They went 12-1, including wins over UCLA, Western Mich, and NC State.  Then, they get in the SEC and are only .500 in the SEC.  Since everyone says the SEC is so weak (perception), people totally write them off.

We/they don't really NEED to schedule better.  We/they just need to win more games that we should win.

This is a really good post.  It just illustrates that right now, in the minds of the media and "experts," the SEC is going to be vying for 3-4 invites...AT MOST.  That's not an OOC schedule that will set the world on fire, but they went 12-1, and it wasn't full of complete slouches.  I'll put it this way...those 12 games were harder than many on Wichita State's schedule. 

[urkillnmesmalls]

It was the extremely low RPI teams we played in the non conference.

That does hurt us...no doubt.  But as was suggested earlier, with the complete disregard that is being given to the SEC the past few seasons, you better have a high win total overall or they'll just refer to that as an immediate way to discredit you.  So...if you run around playing these top 50 RPI schools, and don't win, you'll be in the same boat.  In some respects, if you lose them, it just continues to discredit the SEC as a whole. 

What's the first thing the experts refer to with Wichita State?  "They beat a tough TN team, and Alabama on the road."  On one hand, the SEC is horrible and not worthy of anything, but then they turn around in the very same segment and use those two wins to bolster WS's cause by saying they beat up on two "big conference" foes. 

What it boils down to is...the SEC needs to do well this year, and make some noise about it. 

[Inhogswetrust]

We also need to beat some of those teams.

Win enough conference games and OOC games and you're in.

[JayBell]

This is a really good post.  It just illustrates that right now, in the minds of the media and "experts," the SEC is going to be vying for 3-4 invites...AT MOST.  That's not an OOC schedule that will set the world on fire, but they went 12-1, and it wasn't full of complete slouches.  I'll put it this way...those 12 games were harder than many on Wichita State's schedule.

I thought SEC teams had chances all season to prove said experts wrong.  They just didn't.  It might be a self-fulfilling prophecy, but it was very easily fulfilled this season.

Teams like Arkansas, LSU, Missouri and Tennessee had pretty decent non-conference schedules.  On the other end, teams like Alabama, A&M, Georgia and Ole Miss either had really weak non-conference schedules or too many losses before SEC play.  The problem was when you got into SEC play and UK, Tenn, Ark, LSU, Mizzou lost way too many games to Bama, A&M, UGA, OM, Vandy, SC, etc.

With overall poor strength of schedule and teams 3-11 so close, it is pretty reasonable to believe that SEC teams just weren't that good.  Besides the ridiculous home court advantage, the NIT teams lost too many winnable games at home.

SEC basketball may be better than nationally perceived, but SEC teams may also be among the most inconsistent in the nation.  The tournament does not reward inconsistency.  If anything, the selection committee looks for teams that have been consistent through the year and/or are hot at the end of the year.  No one outside of Tennessee came anywhere close to fitting that standard.

[urkillnmesmalls]

I thought SEC teams had chances all season to prove said experts wrong.  They just didn't.  It might be a self-fulfilling prophecy, but it was very easily fulfilled this season.

Teams like Arkansas, LSU, Missouri and Tennessee had pretty decent non-conference schedules.  On the other end, teams like Alabama, A&M, Georgia and Ole Miss either had really weak non-conference schedules or too many losses before SEC play.  The problem was when you got into SEC play and UK, Tenn, Ark, LSU, Mizzou lost way too many games to Bama, A&M, UGA, OM, Vandy, SC, etc.

With overall poor strength of schedule and teams 3-11 so close, it is pretty reasonable to believe that SEC teams just weren't that good.  Besides the ridiculous home court advantage, the NIT teams lost too many winnable games at home.

SEC basketball may be better than nationally perceived, but SEC teams may also be among the most inconsistent in the nation.  The tournament does not reward inconsistency.  If anything, the selection committee looks for teams that have been consistent through the year and/or are hot at the end of the year.  No one outside of Tennessee came anywhere close to fitting that standard.

Hey...I get it, the SEC didn't prove itself in the non-conference this season.  KY lost to Mich State on a neutral court, lost to NC, and Baylor on the road...but close games.  They're considered the power of the conference along with Fla, and even they didn't set the world on fire.  Oh...and their early season OOC games were worse than ours btw.   

I'm not saying the SEC is deserving of 6 bids, but three...with a play in game?  The SEC is predicated on defense and athleticism.  Over the years, we've had teams make runs in the NCAAT due to that distinction.  I just find it hard to believe that there are two conferences with 6, and one with 7...and TN is in the play in game to make our third.  AND they destroyed UVA.  I know..."one game," and that's what the experts keep saying, but isn't that what the NCAAT is about...a series of "one and done" if you lose? 

It just rubs me the wrong way.  It's a complete discredit to our conference.  As you said, the conference did have some nice OOC wins, and some losses as well, but doesn't the fact that we beat KY twice, and many are picking them to beat Wichita State say something?     

[hambone]

we would be a 8-9 seed in the tounry if we had losses on our resume to real teams non conference versus wins against cream puffs

this is what we don't get in.  we play darn non conference schedules against cream puffs all year while everyone else is playing real games that matter and come march we are having to be perfect in conference to have a shot. 


we won't make the tounry until we have a real non conference schedule

Missouri actually did what you are claiming would have worked for us. They even had one more win than we did.

But they didn't make the tournament. Weren't even really in the conversation coming down the last few weeks even while we were.

Something doesn't add up with your logic.

[HawgAdvocate]

Missouri actually did what you are claiming would have worked for us. They even had one more win than we did.

But they didn't make the tournament. Weren't even really in the conversation coming down the last few weeks even while we were.

Something doesn't add up with your logic.

You logic is what is lacking...

Number of 200+ RPI teams Mizzou faced - 3
Missouri's NCSOS - 149
Missouri's RPI & SOS - 49 & 68

Number of 200+ RPI teams Arkansas faced - 6
Arkansas' NCSOS - 199
Arkansas RPI & SOS - 77 & 87

RPI is heavily calculated from SOS.

Missouri wasn't in the conversation coming down to the wire? Total horse crap on your part:

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2014-03-13/bubble-watch-ncaa-tournament-2014-missouri-florida-state-dayton-st-josephs

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2014/03/16/bubble-tracker-which-teams-made-the-final-cut-on-selection-sunday/6467573/

http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/03/post_449.html

http://thebiglead.com/2014/03/13/bubble-breakdown-georgetown-did-not-want-an-ncaa-bid-florida-state-and-missouri-survive-for-now/

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/a-look-at-the-contenders-for-the-ncaa-tournament-s-final-at-large-spots-135125529.html

73. Missouri (22-11, 9-9): For a bubble team from a power conference, Missouri has a bland profile. It boasts a whopping two RPI top 50 wins against UCLA and Tennessee, both at home. Victories over NC State and Arkansas help a bit, as does a solid No. 47 RPI, but the Tigers also managed to mix in bad losses to Vanderbilt and Alabama, which explains how they went 9-9 in a very mediocre SEC. With a profile like this, Missouri needed to leave a good impression on the selection committee -- give members some reason, any reason to take a closer look. Needless to say, losing its regular season finale 72-45 at Tennessee and its SEC quarterfinal to Florida 72-49 didn't qualify. That probably spells NIT for the Tigers.

74. Arkansas (21-11, 10-8): No bubble team left a worse final impression on the committee than the Razorbacks, who fell at woeful Alabama by 25 in their regular season finale and then somehow managed to follow that by losing to South Carolina in the first round of the SEC tournament. That cost Arkansas a crack at Tennessee in the quarterfinals and gave back much of the good the Razorbacks did in winning six straight prior to that to reenter the bubble conversation. Is there hope for the Hogs? Perhaps, but it doesn't look great. A pair of victories over Kentucky and two others over SMU and Minnesota boost Arkansas' chances, but that may not outweigh a bloated No. 68 RPI, a poor strength of schedule and three league losses to teams outside the top 100.

Arkansas had more "big wins" than Missouri did (2 vs Top 50), but Missouri had the better schedule. Had Arkansas not had all those 200+ RPI cream puffs in December, our RPI and SOS would have been much better and we would likely be in the dance. Good luck debunking that logic.

[azhog10]

Arkansas had more "big wins" than Missouri did (2 vs Top 50), but Missouri had the better schedule. Had Arkansas not had all those 200+ RPI cream puffs in December, our RPI and SOS would have been much better and we would likely be in the dance. Good luck debunking that logic.

HA, do you see us dropping the SWAC next year? I know some/most of our schedule might be set, but do you see us trying to reach out to the EAST Coast mid Majors, or try to get a bottom tier team in a top conference? Obviously we have to try to schedule better conferences to help boost our RPI. The SWAC isn't gonna do that. I also see this idea of not playing mid majors on the road going away. THe mid majors are going to start seeing the desperation of teams like us who have to schedule better as a way to get a home and home type of deal?

[kingofdequeen]

take care of business in a perceived dogcrap conference and all this stuff goes away. 

lost some pretty craptastic games, bookend blowouts for conference play, drab showing in sec tourney.  too many close moral wins.

[chiefhawg]

HA, do you see us dropping the SWAC next year? I know some/most of our schedule might be set, but do you see us trying to reach out to the EAST Coast mid Majors, or try to get a bottom tier team in a top conference? Obviously we have to try to schedule better conferences to help boost our RPI. The SWAC isn't gonna do that. I also see this idea of not playing mid majors on the road going away. The mid majors are going to start seeing the desperation of teams like us who have to schedule better as a way to get a home and home type of deal?

We may not be heavy on the SWAC teams but there is no way we drop them. The HBCUs need the finances that the games bring. I just don't see us dropping them. Enough said.

The schedule will be better next year.  IMO this year's schedule was driven by financial considerations. Our only road games where in Maui. Note that we cancelled the road games with Oklahoma and replaced them with a home game with SMU. Oklahoma appears to let us out of the contract without a penalty. I attribute that to Jeff Long's relationship with their AD. We scheduled Clemson with a return trip next year.  It is difficult to get real quality teams without a  return game or at a neutral site with a financial guarantee that usually requires a sponsor to back the game.
Jeff and Mike gambled and almost pulled it off, but it is what it is.

Just my take.

[Danny J]

Arkansas had more "big wins" than Missouri did (2 vs Top 50), but Missouri had the better schedule. Had Arkansas not had all those 200+ RPI cream puffs in December, our RPI and SOS would have been much better and we would likely be in the dance. Good luck debunking that logic.

Yep and we would almost have been better off scheduling a couple Div II teams instead of the Savannah states and High points of the world simply because those games are thrown out and not added into SOS and RPI.

[Fayettechill14]

Next year we've got

@SMU
@Clemson
a Big XII opponent

I'd schedule a home game with an Atlantic-10 team in there, maybe LaSalle or UMass.

The biggest thing for me is that we avoid teams from RPI-weak conferences like the SWAC, MEAC, Big South, and Southland. This year we had Savannah State (MEAC) and High Point (Big South) which killed us.

Schedule C-USA (Tulsa?), Missouri Valley (Indiana State or Missouri State), or even Ohio Valley (Belmont, Eastern Kentucky). Sun Belt isn't a killer either. ULL game did not hurt us at all.

[hambone]

Arkansas had more "big wins" than Missouri did (2 vs Top 50), but Missouri had the better schedule. Good luck debunking that logic.

I believe what I CORRECTLY pointed out is that having a better schedule was NOT the problem here.

Mizzou is the proof. Carry on with your deluded hate though.

[HawgAdvocate]

I believe what I CORRECTLY pointed out is that having a better schedule was NOT the problem here.

Mizzou is the proof. Carry on with your deluded hate though.

Correctly? Haha, not at all. You continue to try and use Missouri as a similar example to Arkansas based on schedule. Mizzou's schedule was not a glaring eyesore. It was their lack of quality wins that held Mizzou back. Missouri had a better (yet not good/great) schedule than Arkansas, yet Mizzou didn't have nearly enough "big wins" over top 50 teams to merit being on the right side of the bubble either.

Arkansas had plenty of big wins that helped counter our poor schedule and keep us on the bubble. A poor SOS led to our "bloated" RPI, and gave little room for error down the stretch.

Bottom line: If Arkansas had just two wins against the Top 50 like Mizzou did, Arkansas would never even be on the bubble come March BECAUSE of Arkansas' NCSOS.

[HawgAdvocate]

HA, do you see us dropping the SWAC next year? I know some/most of our schedule might be set, but do you see us trying to reach out to the EAST Coast mid Majors, or try to get a bottom tier team in a top conference? Obviously we have to try to schedule better conferences to help boost our RPI. The SWAC isn't gonna do that. I also see this idea of not playing mid majors on the road going away. THe mid majors are going to start seeing the desperation of teams like us who have to schedule better as a way to get a home and home type of deal?

I don't know if they'll target certain regions/conferences, but I can't imagine the SWAC getting more than one team on Arkansas' schedule next season considering their top program finished with an RPI around 170 this season. Travel arrangements/costs in November & December will also be a factor to consider too though.

All I can offer is that Coach's A & D have been 'encouraged' to work with another Razorback coaching staff who has a proven history of acquiring and using aggregate RPI data to build a proper schedule. Our staff has been behind the times on using data analysis and was reluctant to accept this assistance prior to now/moving forward. If they HAD accepted this assistance in the spring/summer of 2012 and/or 2013 when it was offered though.......

[hambone]

Correctly? Haha, not at all. You continue to try and use Missouri as a similar example to Arkansas based on schedule. Mizzou's schedule was not a glaring eyesore. It was their lack of quality wins that held Mizzou back. Missouri had a better (yet not good/great) schedule than Arkansas, yet Mizzou didn't have nearly enough "big wins" over top 50 teams to merit being on the right side of the bubble either.

Arkansas had plenty of big wins that helped counter our poor schedule and keep us on the bubble. A poor SOS led to our "bloated" RPI, and gave little room for error down the stretch.

Bottom line: If Arkansas had just two wins against the Top 50 like Mizzou did, Arkansas would never even be on the bubble come March BECAUSE of Arkansas' NCSOS.

It must have been hard on you during our hot streak. Couldn't help but notice you weren't around to enjoy it.

Also, if you are claiming our schedule kept us out of the tourney, you couldn't be more wrong.

Just beat 2 of these 3 (A&M, Bama, and SC) and we were in WITH THIS SCHEDULE.

It wasn't the schedule, but keep on hatin'. LOL!

[PonderinHog]

It must have been hard on you during our hot streak. Couldn't help but notice you weren't around to enjoy it.

Also, if you are claiming our schedule kept us out of the tourney, you couldn't be more wrong.

Just beat 2 of these 3 (A&M, Bama, and SC) and we were in WITH THIS SCHEDULE.

It wasn't the schedule, but keep on hatin'. LOL!

I agree that the schedule didn't keep us out of the NCAAT, but all those cupcakes after Maui didn't help to prepare us for our SEC road games.

[hambone]

I agree that the schedule didn't keep us out of the NCAAT, but all those cupcakes after Maui didn't help to prepare us for our SEC road games.

Now that is a valid point.

[urkillnmesmalls]

I agree that the schedule didn't keep us out of the NCAAT, but all those cupcakes after Maui didn't help to prepare us for our SEC road games.

You ain't kiddin'.  I remember seeing TAMU put that early beat down on us, and thinking..."Well, here we go again."  I would have expected the games with Cal, Gonzaga and Minnesota to prepare us, but apparently not.   

It's sort of like BB gushing about how great their first practice went a few days back, and how thrilled he was.  Hey, I love the enthusiasm, but I ain't believin' squat until that Auburn game.   I've learned my lesson on that one.... 

[thirrdegreetusker]

We also need to beat some of those teams.

THIS^^^^

Face it guys. We would be dancin' if we had beat Alabama and USCe.

If we play a "challenging" non-conf schedule, then you gotta figure we lose 50%, under present cirumstances. Several more losses, no mater what our SOS or RPI was, would NOT have helped us get to the dance.

This ain't Eddie, this ain't Nolan. Sidney and Corliss have no more eligibilty. We ain't there anymore....yet.

[JayBell]

You ain't kiddin'.  I remember seeing TAMU put that early beat down on us, and thinking..."Well, here we go again."  I would have expected the games with Cal, Gonzaga and Minnesota to prepare us, but apparently not.   

It's sort of like BB gushing about how great their first practice went a few days back, and how thrilled he was.  Hey, I love the enthusiasm, but I ain't believin' squat until that Auburn game.   I've learned my lesson on that one.... 

It just cracks me up how Arkansas, California, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, Clemson, LSU, SMU and even High Point all ended up in the NIT.  Arkansas had to set some kind of record for most NIT opponents in one season, right?

Two weeks ago, I thought those wins over Minn, SMU and Clemson would look good on Arkansas' resume, and the losses to Missouri and Cal wouldn't look bad at all.  Arkansas was doomed by the fact that not only did they choke at the end of the season, but so did all of the other teams that they needed to win.

Arkansas ended up playing just 5 games against NCAAT opponents.  Other teams are playing 12-15+.  Part of that was just bad luck, but Arkansas has to do their part and beef up the schedule a bit.

[urkillnmesmalls]

THIS^^^^

Face it guys. We would be dancin' if we had beat Alabama and USCe.

If we play a "challenging" non-conf schedule, then you gotta figure we lose 50%, under present cirumstances. Several more losses, no mater what our SOS or RPI was, would NOT have helped us get to the dance.

This ain't Eddie, this ain't Nolan. Sidney and Corliss have no more eligibilty. We ain't there anymore....yet.

I'm not convinced.  The SEC is viewed as being down so much right now, that I'm not discounting the distinct possibility that they would have discredited our win total, and used our RPI as a whipping post to eliminate us.  We were virtually the same RPI as Indiana State, and if you go look at their schedule, what you'll see is a joke.  It's a list of teams that we would play in the pre-season as speed bumps.  It just goes to show how much the media can impact things. 

KY beat Louisville this year.  TN destroyed UVA.  Mizzou beat UCLA.  Those are just three off the top of my head, but to hear the pundits, you would think the SEC can't beat anyone. 

Meanwhile...we just made ISU look like a tune up pre-season game, and they're the second best team in the MVC.  It's getting to be ridiculous. 

[urkillnmesmalls]

It just cracks me up how Arkansas, California, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, Clemson, LSU, SMU and even High Point all ended up in the NIT.  Arkansas had to set some kind of record for most NIT opponents in one season, right?

Two weeks ago, I thought those wins over Cal, SMU and Clemson would look good on Arkansas' resume, and the losses to Missouri and Minnesota wouldn't look bad at all.  Arkansas was doomed by the fact that not only did they choke at the end of the season, but so did all of the other teams that they needed to win.

Arkansas ended up playing just 5 games against NCAAT opponents.  Other teams are playing 12-15+.  Part of that was just bad luck, but Arkansas has to do their part and beef up the schedule a bit.

Well, we lost to Cal., but minor detail.      That didn't help anything either.  My argument is not necessarily about the Hogs this season.  I think we're probably where we should be given that fizzle finish.  BUT...it's still this lingering cloud over the SEC that's starting to bug me.  It's the principle of the idea that, "You better win almost all of your games in conference in the SEC to get anywhere, because it's down again this year" mentality that is getting old. 

I just hope we show this year that it wasn't deserved, and that winning over 20 games while dealing with the SEC's brutal road schedule and the refs, is nothing to scoff at.     

[JayBell]

Well, we lost to Cal., but minor detail.   

I can't ever keep the games against Cal and Minnesota straight.  They both ended up being pretty meaningless.

My argument is not necessarily about the Hogs this season.  I think we're probably where we should be given that fizzle finish.  BUT...it's still this lingering cloud over the SEC that's starting to bug me.  It's the principle of the idea that, "You better win almost all of your games in conference in the SEC to get anywhere, because it's down again this year" mentality that is getting old. 

I just hope we show this year that it wasn't deserved, and that winning over 20 games while dealing with the SEC's brutal road schedule and the refs, is nothing to scoff at.

I still go back to the inconsistency, even at home.  The ACC had five teams with 5 conference losses or less.  The SEC had one.  SEC teams 2-6 lost way too many games to teams 7-13.  That would look bad for any conference, even one with the reputation of the ACC.

Now, we've seen some media bias before when the Big East was that "competitive," but the SEC can't afford that situation when it is fighting perception.

[hambone]

I can't ever keep the games against Cal and Minnesota straight.  They both ended up being pretty meaningless.

I still go back to the inconsistency, even at home.  The ACC had five teams with 5 conference losses or less.  The SEC had one.  SEC teams 2-6 lost way too many games to teams 7-13.  That would look bad for any conference, even one with the reputation of the ACC.

Now, we've seen some media bias before when the Big East was that "competitive," but the SEC can't afford that situation when it is fighting perception.

Do you even realize that you have just played both sides of the coin?

The Big 12 is considered "deep" when this happens, but the SEC is considered lousy. Everyone talks about parity across the board in college basketball, but when it appears in the SEC it is considered lousy.

You must have missed this past football season when the national media was trying to claim that the SEC wasn't really a great football conference because the top teams won too much against the bottom half of the conference.

You need to quit drinking the kool aid the national media stirs up for you and watch more basketball. You'll soon realize that the SEC ISN'T lousy and quit believing the A10 is a 6 bid conference while the SEC is a 3 bid with one of those being a play in.

[urkillnmesmalls]

I can't ever keep the games against Cal and Minnesota straight.  They both ended up being pretty meaningless.

I still go back to the inconsistency, even at home.  The ACC had five teams with 5 conference losses or less.  The SEC had one.  SEC teams 2-6 lost way too many games to teams 7-13.  That would look bad for any conference, even one with the reputation of the ACC.

Now, we've seen some media bias before when the Big East was that "competitive," but the SEC can't afford that situation when it is fighting perception.

To me...that suggests parity, and we're being penalized for it.  Yes...from the top two down, it gets a little blurry in the SEC.  I'm not suggesting that the 4th and 5th SEC teams would beat everyone in the ACC, A10, or the Big 12 for that matter.  What I am suggesting is that they could hold their own against the 6th teams in for the Pac12 and A10. 

We can whine about it all we want, but the truth is...that perception isn't going anywhere until the SEC digs its way out.  3 teams...is a JOKE, and I'll stand by that. 

[The Hogfather]

Do you even realize that you have just played both sides of the coin?

The Big 12 is considered "deep" when this happens, but the SEC is considered lousy. Everyone talks about parity across the board in college basketball, but when it appears in the SEC it is considered lousy.

You must have missed this past football season when the national media was trying to claim that the SEC wasn't really a great football conference because the top teams won too much against the bottom half of the conference.

You need to quit drinking the kool aid the national media stirs up for you and watch more basketball. You'll soon realize that the SEC ISN'T lousy and quit believing the A10 is a 6 bid conference while the SEC is a 3 bid with one of those being a play in.

EXACTLY!

[thirrdegreetusker]

This is the right answer. People in this thread who proclaim to be forward thinkers are thinking too much on this.

End of the day, we have to be more consistent on the road. You won't convince very many people that our non conference schedule would have kept us out if we had won half of our road games. There would have been no pressure to win at bama if you beat Florida and mizzou at home and Georgia and texas AM on the road.

this^^^

[JayBell]

Do you even realize that you have just played both sides of the coin?

The Big 12 is considered "deep" when this happens, but the SEC is considered lousy. Everyone talks about parity across the board in college basketball, but when it appears in the SEC it is considered lousy.

You must have missed this past football season when the national media was trying to claim that the SEC wasn't really a great football conference because the top teams won too much against the bottom half of the conference.

You need to quit drinking the kool aid the national media stirs up for you and watch more basketball. You'll soon realize that the SEC ISN'T lousy and quit believing the A10 is a 6 bid conference while the SEC is a 3 bid with one of those being a play in.

I didn't play both sides.  Even with four less teams, the Big XII had as many teams with 8 or fewer conference losses as the SEC.  They were better in non-conference play and the top half lost to each other with a rare loss to the bottom half.

You're trying to act like losses to Ole Miss and A&M are the same as losses to West Virginia and Oklahoma State.  The problem is in the SEC, the teams that should have been beating Ole Miss and A&M lost to them far too often.  The Big XII would only be comparable to the SEC if a Texas Tech had rolled in conference play the way Georgia did.

I never said that the A10 is a 6-bid league, nor that the SEC is a 3-bid league.  I only pointed out that the SEC made it extremely easy this year for people to continue to believe that it is a level below and inconsistency is the main reason for that.

[hambone]

I didn't play both sides.  Even with four less teams, the Big XII had as many teams with 8 or fewer conference losses as the SEC.  They were better in non-conference play and the top half lost to each other with a rare loss to the bottom half.

You're trying to act like losses to Ole Miss and A&M are the same as losses to West Virginia and Oklahoma State.  The problem is in the SEC, the teams that should have been beating Ole Miss and A&M lost to them far too often.  The Big XII would only be comparable to the SEC if a Texas Tech had rolled in conference play the way Georgia did.

I never said that the A10 is a 6-bid league, nor that the SEC is a 3-bid league.  I only pointed out that the SEC made it extremely easy this year for people to continue to believe that it is a level below and inconsistency is the main reason for that.

And I pointed out that your assertion was blown to smithereens by the national media just this past season in regards to football. They said the SEC was top heavy because the bottom half of the league wasn't winning enough.

Like I said, quit drinking the kool aid.

[JayBell]

And I pointed out that your assertion was blown to smithereens by the national media just this past season in regards to football. They said the SEC was top heavy because the bottom half of the league wasn't winning enough.

Like I said, quit drinking the kool aid.

I'm not drinking any kool aid.  I'm giving you my side of the argument.  If you don't agree with it that's fine.

It doesn't make you a genius to think that your favorite team's conference is better than everyone else says it is.

[hambone]

I'm not drinking any kool aid.  I'm giving you my side of the argument.  If you don't agree with it that's fine.

It doesn't make you a genius to think that your favorite team's conference is better than everyone else says it is.

You're not drinking the kool aid but you are a verbatim national media sound bite?!

I put in another thread that the SEC 9-4 in head to head competition with a 6 bid league that also has a one seed.

Do a little more research sometime and less licking your finger and sticking it in the air to see which way the wind is blowing to get "YOUR" opinions. It's refreshing.

[The Hogfather]

You're not drinking the kool aid but you are a verbatim national media sound bite?!

I put in another thread that the SEC 9-4 in head to head competition with a 6 bid league that also has a one seed.

Do a little more research sometime and less licking your finger and sticking it in the air to see which way the wind is blowing to get "YOUR" opinions. It's refreshing.

Sadly, this is the "thought process" of many people.