John Calipari has won his first SEC Basketball Tournament since 2018. Will he and the Arkansas Basketball team make a run in the NCAA Tournament?
John Calipari has brought Arkansas to achievements it has not had in 26 years. The Razorbacks have had some goon runs in March this decade, but are looking for another one.
How they got there:
Arkansas came into the season with huge expectations. This was a team ranked 21st in the AP Poll who returned three key players from last season in Trevon Brazile, DJ Wagner, and Billy Richmond III, along with high-profile freshmen in Meleek Thomas and Darius Acuff Jr.
As was the case with many college programs that had a completely new roster and a tough November, Arkansas lost to Michigan State and Duke, but as the season went along in the non-conference, it beat then-No. 6 Louisville and Texas Tech.
The team stayed in the AP Top 25 poll throughout the season, even though it struggled on the road, losing to Auburn and Georgia in dominant fashion, and at home to Calipari’s former team, Kentucky.
The Razorbacks lost a double overtime thriller in Tuscaloosa and to the Florida Gators, before rolling with three close games in Nashville to cut down the nets in the Music City.
General Information:
Team: Arkansas
Location: Fayetteville, AR
Record: 26-8 (13-5)
Head Coach: John Calipari (2nd season with Arkansas, 34th overall)
What to know about Arkansas basketball:
Arkansas is a young team with a high-octane offense with firepower in its front and back courts. They ranked sixth in KenPom in offensive efficiency and are led by potential lottery pick and 2026 SEC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, Darius Acuff Jr.
“It is about the name on the back of the jersey. Yes, we’re doing it for Arkansas. I’ve kind of been that way and done alright at every school I’ve been at,” said Calipari after the SEC Tournament.
Everything you need to know about Acuff and Arkansas can be found by watching highlights of their SEC Tournament Championship game against Vanderbilt. Acuff Jr. led the way with 30 points, 3 rebounds, and 11 assists in an 86-75 surge.
The strength of this team lies in their back-court with Acuff Jr. and Thomas carrying the scoring as a Freshman duo, combining to average 38 a game for a team that averages 89.9 points per game.
The one knock on Arkansas basketball is that it is not the deepest team with Karter Knox out for the season, with only a seven-deep rotation, which can really be hindered by foul trouble to its key contributors.
NCAA Tournament prediction for Arkansas basketball: Sweet 16 exit
Seed: 4
This Arkansas team has the mold to make a deep run in March, with dynamic guard play and a Hall of Fame National Championship-winning head coach.
Arkansas has made the second weekend multiple times this decade, including last season, but it will have its hands full with a hungry Hawaii team and a long trip all the way to Portland, Oregon.
From there, It will have to go through one of the best teams in the country if it wants to make a final four run, but with the dynamic guard play with athletic wings, it can give anybody a run for its money on any given day.
A Sweet 16 feels good with the makeup of this team, but it would not be shocking if they pull off some upsets in the second weekend on their way to the Final Four for the first time since 1995. The route will not be easy with the likes of potentially Wisconsin, Arizona, Gonzaga, and Purdue all in its way on the road to Indy.