FAYETTEVILLE — Mike Anderson's measurement for success for this year's Arkansas team was always going to be different than a season ago.
That team was led by Southeastern Conference Player of the Year Bobby Portis and had every right to expect the 27 wins and league runner-up finish that it achieved.
This season's team was missing 79 percent of its scoring from a year ago to begin the season. It was never thought of as a conference contender and there have been plenty of low points.
However, a late-season surge has helped ease the disappointment of the fall from a year ago — earning Anderson plenty of credit along the way for piecing together an overhauled roster and likely keeping alive his streak of never having a losing season as a head coach.
"Sometimes you lose faith in what you're doing," Anderson said. "They've never wavered, and I think through the adversity and through the losses, I think this team kind of persevered and learned."
Heading into Saturday's regular-season finale against South Carolina (23-7, 10-7 SEC), Arkansas (16-14, 9-8) has won four straight games. It's a winning streak that seemed unlikely to imagine when it began, coming on the heels of a shocking home loss to Auburn two weeks ago.
As despondent as the Razorbacks were following that defeat, one in which they allowed the Tigers to shoot a season-high 61 percent from the field, they channeled their frustration into improving a defense that had struggled for much of the season. The result has been an Arkansas defense that's held opponents to a paltry 39.1 percent shooting (90 of 230) during the four-game winning streak.
And the improvement hasn't come because of some dramatic schematic or lineup change, but rather a characteristic that has made this team one of Anderson's favorites, if not most successful, to coach.
"Pride," point guard Jabril Durham said. "I'd say it was pride more than anything, and ownership. Taking that Auburn loss to heart was just the start of the pride thing."
Despite the late turnaround, Arkansas has little hope of reaching the NCAA Tournament for a second straight year, barring a championship at next week's SEC Tournament. Even an NIT berth is doubtful without an extended stay at the conference tournament, thanks to an RPI that ranks 109th.
However the season ends, Anderson's disappointment with the drop off from a year ago has been eased by the knowledge that a top recruiting class is on its way, one that will join likely All-SEC center Moses Kingsley and a host of other returners.
That, and because of how much progress the Razorbacks have made this year after they appeared on the way to becoming Anderson's first losing team in 14 seasons as a head coach.
"I really feel as this season's gone on, this team has really grown closer together," Anderson said. "They may not be the most talented team, but I think it's a team now that's learning how to win."