Commentary

Tournament run needed to make this team memorable

Arkansas players, including Manny Watkins, Dusty Hannahs, Moses Kingsley and Adrio Bailey, huddle during the Razorbacks' 92-73 home win over Missouri on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2017.

Mike Anderson is making progress, maybe just not as fast or as grand as some had hoped.

The Hogs’ winning percentage the past three years is the best in the program since the mid-90s. You know the era with the Final Fours, national championship, etc.

The Hogs are making their second trip to the NCAA Tournament under Anderson and play Seton Hall on Friday in Greenville, S.C. That’s another measuring stick on building a program - consistent tournament appearances.

Anderson will be going to for his second win in three tourney tries with the Razorbacks. He'll attempt to win a first-round game for the sixth in eight NCAA trips at UAB, Missouri and Arkansas.

But what has eluded Anderson during his six years in Fayetteville are signature wins, ones that are replayed and watched again later. Upsets against highly-ranked teams, buzzer-beaters, epic conference clashes and postseason thrillers have been scarce.

Those kind of games and moments were plentiful in former UA coaches Nolan Richardson and Eddie Sutton highlight reels.

Anderson's top game probably would be the 87-85 win against No. 13 Kentucky during the 2013-14 season at Bud Walton Arena. You remember the one, where high-flying Michael Qualls grabbed a Ky Madden air ball and dunked it home at the buzzer.

That kills a couple of birds with one stone on the signature win criteria - a win against a ranked conference opponent on an amazing last-second shot. The feat that many Hog fans forget is that the Hogs beat Kentucky again that season at Rupp Arena when the Wildcats were No. 17. That was the first time Arkansas had won in Lexington in 20 years. That was a huge accomplishment and would have meant a lot more if Arkansas had mad the NCAA Tournament. Instead, the Razorbacks went to the NIT.

When the Hogs did go dancing in 2014-15, they were 0-4 against Top 25 teams. One of those losses was a setback to North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament at Jacksonville, Fla.

This year the Hogs were 1-3 against ranked teams. So, the two teams that Anderson has coached to the tournament are a combined 1-7 against ranked foes. That’s hard to believe. So is this stat: Anderson’s teams are a meager 9-21 against ranked teams in his six years.

While Anderson has moved things in the right direction, it hasn’t necessarily been exciting. This year may have been one of the most unappealing winning teams Arkansas has produced.

There was a win at No. 21 South Carolina, which bottomed out after. A lot of wins were over average teams. There were some bad losses, including one against bottom Missouri, and sound defeats at the hand of ranked teams.

The highlights included a late-game comeback at Vanderbilt, which looked far from an NCAA Tournament team at that time.

But alas, that could all be forgotten starting Friday. If the Hogs can get by Seton Hall, Anderson has his second tournament win of his tenure and will most likely face No. 1 seed North Carolina, a rematch of the second round from two years ago.

That game would be a golden opportunity for a breakout. With a win, Arkansas would play in its first Sweet 16 in 21 years. Let that sink in for a bit.

That instantly would give Anderson more credibility and a place in Hogs lore. It's what happened at UAB when his No. 8 seed Blazers upset No. 1 Kentucky in the second round in 2004.

If Arkansas can advance past this weekend in Greenville, it would advance to Memphis to play in the regional semifinals. The FedEx Forum might look a lot like old Reunion Arena or “Barnhill South” in Dallas back in the old Southwest Conference Tournament days.

Of course, Kentucky is in that bracket and would have something to say about that.

First thing's first. There has really been nothing that would indicate that a first-round win over Seton Hall is a lock or the Hogs can give the Tar Heels a tussle.

There have been glimpses and a hot streak at the end of the season, but when Arkansas played quality ranked opponents, (Kentucky and Florida) it really wasn’t even close. There was a definite difference.

The beauty of the tournament, though, is it just takes one game to erase whatever happened before it.

Arkansas should be fired up after what happened in the final minutes of the SEC Tournament championship game against Kentucky. Multiple national media outlets have taken shots at Anderson and seniors Dusty Hannahs and Moses Kinglsey for hard fouls. After Anderson vigorously defended his team on national TV, that is most likely a rallying cry for them as they prepare for Friday.

In one weekend, Anderson has a chance to make a hum drum season exciting.

Nate Olson is a contributor for WholeHogSports