Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/CHRIS DEAN Arkansas Coach John Pelphrey is not worried about whether his surprising 11-1 Razorbacks team will be nationally ranked when this week's polls are released today.

FAYETTEVILLE - After being picked sixth in the SEC West in a series of preseason polls, the Arkansas Razorbacks have started well enough to at least be considered for inclusion in latest Associated Press media and ESPN/USA Today coaches' Top 25 polls that will be released today.

Arkansas hasn't received any votes in the polls the first eight weeks, but that figures to change with the Razorbacks' 11-1 start, including a 96-88 victory over No. 4 Oklahoma last Tuesday at Walton Arena.

Could Arkansas, with its ninegame winning streak, could even get enough votes to be ranked for the first time in more than a year?

"I have no idea," Razorbacks Coach John Pelphrey said after Arkansas beat North Texas 86-75 on Saturday at Alltel Arena in North Little Rock. "Rankings and predications, that's for media and the fans.

"Even if they did rank us, it wouldn't mean a whole lot to me."

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"The University of Arkansas is not hurting for publicity," Pelphrey said. "Everybody knows how great our fans are and the success that Coach [Eddie] Sutton and Coach [Nolan] Richardson had and the great, great players.

"We're not hurting for being ranked."

Arkansas has not been ranked since being No. 18 in the AP poll and No. 19 in the ESPN/USA Today poll released Nov. 12, 2007. That was before the Razorbacks lost to Providence 67-51 - and tied a school record with 32 turnovers - at a tournament in Puerto Rico.

Arkansas recovered to make the NCAA Tournament and beat Indiana for the Razorbacks' first opening-round victory in nine years.

But after losing seven key players from last year's 23-12 team, the Razorbacks entered this season projected to finish at the bottom of the SEC West because they were relying so heavily on newcomers.

"Before the season, nobody thought we would be here," junior guard Stefan Welsh said of the team's start. "And right now, I'm sure there are still a lot of people around the country that don't believe we are that good.

"We don't even know how good we can be, so we're not getting consumed with [being ranked]. We're going to let our play do the talking, and if they put us in the Top 25, they put us in. If they don't, they don't.

"But we're going to continue to work every day."

Arkansas likely hasn't received any votes in the national polls before this week because until beating Oklahoma, the Razorbacks hadn't played a team from a high major conference.

Excluding Oklahoma, the Razorbacks' other 10 victories are against opponents from the Sun Belt, Southland, Big West, Southwestern Athletic and Mid-Eastern Athletic conferences, and independent North Carolina Central.

Arkansas also has played just two road games, losing at Missouri State 62-57 and winning at South Alabama 79-77.

But Pelphrey isn't apologizing for the schedule, which was designed to help an inexperienced team gain victories and confidence before facing tougher competition in Oklahoma and No. 8 Texas - which plays Arkansas on Tuesday night at Walton Arena - and starting SEC play.

"Much has been made about our schedule, but I think it has been a good schedule for our team," Pelphrey said. "Obviously, we've got a long way to go.

"It's always fun when you win. It hides a multitude of sins.

"We've got a lot of getting better to do."

The Razorbacks are still young and lack depth, especially inside, but it's not an exaggeration to say every player is meeting or exceeding preseason expectations.

"I tell these guys all the time, when somebody is looking at us ... let them point out what we don't have, but there's just something about us that we do play well," Pelphrey said. "That we're going to be there at the end.

"They can't put their finger on it. We're OK with that."