Eric Musselman: 'Bar Has Been Raised' for Razorbacks

After back-to-back Elite Eight appearances have crashed before a Final Four, Hogs coach looks to next step

Author:
Andy Hodges
Publish date:
Mar 27, 2022 12:08 AM EDT

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas coach Eric Musselman wasn't particularly happy after losing to Duke, but he wasn't crushed.

Musselman is not a good loser, which is actually something positive.

Not Saturday night after a 79-68 loss to Duke. Musselman thinks they will probably be national champions, much like Baylor was last year after knocking off the Razorbacks in the Elite Eight.

Now it's on to next year.

Eric Musselman-Duke — Kelley L. Cox / USA TODAY Sports

"The bar has been raised," Musselman said at the end of his press conference Saturday night. "As soon as I get out of here I'm going to start working on next year."

He's got a lot to work with considering the recruiting class coming in.

Maybe for the first time as a college coach, Musselman is going to see if he can do what other coaches have done with a super-talented group of freshmen.

We can talk about that after they get here. Too often everybody goes overboard rambling about players not with the Hogs anymore or haven't got to campus yet.

Saturday night, the Hogs just ran into a Blue Devils' team that has been developed as coach Mike Krzyzewski, maybe the best coach in college basketball history, said last summer this was his final year.

For someone who has never been particularly fond of the one-and-done model, he apparently finally figured out how to make it work.

"Duke was a better team than us tonight," Musselman said.

So did every Jaylin Williams, Trey Wade and JD Notae.

That was, indeed, the case. Now the standard has been set in concrete. Every year anything before reaching the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament is going to be a disappointment for Hog fans.

"We've had two really good seasons," Musselman said. "We will have high expectations all summer."

For a coach that sells his program better than anybody else that's come through in awhile he's embracing the fans as much as anything right now.

"It's a fan base I've never experienced before," he said Saturday night. "The crowds this entire year have been incredible.

"I hope it can be higher next year ... if that's possible."

It is, Muss, it is.