Eight Razorback Teams Have Made NCAA Tournament With Double-Digit Losses

What were the circumstances and what was the most losses Arkansas has ever carried into March Madness?

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
Feb 2, 2023 1:48 PM EST
Original:
Feb 2, 2023

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The current iteration of the Arkansas Razorbacks seems to have begun to figure it out and looks poised to make a patented Eric Musselman February run.

However, even the most optimistic of Razorback fans have to concede that at least three more losses before the NCAA is a reasonable projection, putting Arkansas in double-digit losses for the first time since Musselman's first season.

The Hogs have managed to squeeze their way into the NCAA Tournament eight times with double digit losses. Here are those teams and how they fared listed from best to worst in terms of number of losses going into the tournament.

2000-01

COACH: Nolan Richardson
RECORD: 20-10
SEED: No. 7
RESULT: Lost in first round

Nolan Richardson had put together a loaded roster highlighted by Joe Johnson, Janero Pargo, Brandon Dean and Teddy Gipson.

Arkansas played a brutal schedule this particular season. Losses came to No. 7 Florida, No. 10 Kentucky, No. 11 Oklahoma as part of a schedule that featured 23 games against teams that finished the season either ranked or in the "others receiving votes" category in the final AP poll.

Richardson's team posted wins over No. 10 Kentucky, No. 12 Memphis, an Alabama team that was No. 12 the first time and No. 18 the second time, and a Tennessee team that was No. 8 when they played.

Arkansas finished No. 2 in the SEC West behind No. 14 Ole Miss.

The Razorbacks lost to No. 10 seed Georgetown 61-63 in Idaho.

1998-99

COACH: Nolan Richardson
RECORD: 20-10
SEED:
RESULT: Lost in second round

It can't be said often of Nolan Richardson teams because of the amount of talent he attracted, but if there's one team that played above its head, it was this one.

The second of three consecutive double-digit loss teams to make the tournament under Richardson was the swan song of Pat Bradley and Derek Hood as they prepared to give way to heralded freshman Chris Jefferies.

This team will be most known for knocking off No. 6 Kentucky and No. 2 Auburn in a span of four days. They also beat No. 21 Florida in their first game of the SEC Tournament before advancing to the finals.

That success put Arkansas at No. 17 in the final AP poll.

Richardson's team took down Siena at a No. 4 seed in the opening round before falling to No. 21 Iowa, 82-72, two days later.

2007-08

COACH: John Pelphrey
RECORD: 22-11
SEED: No. 9
RESULT: Lost in second round

Led by Patrick Beverley, Darian Townes and Sonny Weems, this was the only decent team under Pelphrey.

Arkansas lost five of its last eight to close the regular season against a schedule light on ranked teams. However, when the Razorbacks did face a ranked team, they usually found a way to come away with a win.

The Hogs beat No. 4 Tennessee, No. 20 Florida and No. 18 Vanderbilt twice while also advancing to the SEC championship game.

Arkansas took down No. 8 seed Indiana convincingly in the first round, but had to face overall No. 1 seed North Carolina in the second round. It was a blood bath as the Tar Heels blasted the Razorbacks 108-77.

2017-18

COACH: Mike Anderson
RECORD: 23-11
SEED: No. 7
RESULT: Lost in first round

This team featured three 4-star freshmen, led by No. 39 recruit Daniel Gafford of ElDorado. Freshmen Khalil Garland and Darious Hall joined seniors Daryl Macon and Jaylen Barford as part of a loaded roster.

Anderson's team struggled early in conference play, going 4-6 between Jan. 2 and Feb. 3.

Notable wins included an overtime wins over No. 14 Minnesota and No. 19 Tennessee in December, No. 14 Auburn and No. 21 Texas A&M.

The Razorbacks got shipped to Detroit for their efforts where they lost to Butler, 62-79, in the opening round.

1995-96

COACH: Nolan Richardson
RECORD: 18-12
SEED: No. 12
RESULT: Lost in Sweet 16

After back-to-back runs to the NCAA Tournament finals, including a national championship in 1994, the Razorbacks fell back to the pack a bit with the lowest win total of any Arkansas team to ever make the NCAA Tournament.

Freshmen Kareem Reid and Pat Bradley joined the twin towers Lee Wilson and Darnell Robinson and team star Jesse Pate for this season.

Sunday Adebayo also averaged over 10 points per game for Arkansas, but he was ruled ineligible for the final 11 games of the season after it was determined that an error had been made by administrative offices in processing his junior college paperwork, which allowed him to start practicing eight days earlier than he should have.

This team got into the NCAA Tournament on the strength of the two previous seasons and also as a reward for playing such a difficult non-conference schedule. There was little in the way of signature wins.

The Hogs lost to Michigan State, Cincinnati, and Arizona, the latter of which were No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Memphis, which was a Top 10 team at the time before settling in as a No. 5 seed, also handed Arkansas a loss.

The only win of note that season was over Mississippi State, which went on a Cinderella run that left the Bulldogs eight points short of facing Kentucky for the national championship.

The Razorbacks made a Cinderella run of their own, knocking off No. 18 Providence and No. 20 Marquette before falling to No. 1 UMass in the Sweet 16. The Minutemen advanced to the Final Four where they tell to Kentucky.

1984-85

COACH: Eddie Sutton
RECORD: 21-12
SEED: No. 9
RESULT: Lost in second round

Led by Notre Dame transfer Joe Kleine, this Arkansas team was once again the beneficiary of playing a tough schedule.

The Razorbacks traveled to Ohio State early in the season, suffering an 84-85 loss. They also beat a Tulsa team that finished No. 17, before losing to No. 1 Georgetown, No. 7 SMU, No. 17 Texas Tech, Virginia, and Iowa.

The Hogs were a bubble team at best heading into March before a win over Baylor to close the regular season and a run to the SWC Tournament championship game that included a win over SMU helped them squeak into March Madness.

Sutton managed get Arkansas out of the first round with a revenge win over No. 8 seed Iowa, but fell three points short of knocking off No. 1 seed St. John's in Salt Lake City.

2006-07

COACH: Stan Heath
RECORD: 21-13
SEED:
RESULT: Lost in first round

The final season of the Stan Heath era was the culmination of a steady rebuilding of the Razorback program from the single-digit win season in his first year.

Heath had just landed Patrick Beverley out of Chicago to join Darian Townes and Sonny Weems. The Hogs finished the regular season at 18-12 with a 7-9 SEC record.

The only thing they had going for them was beating nearly ranked team they played.

No. 8 Alabama? Absolute toast, 88-61.

No. 16 LSU? Absolute toast on CBS, 72-52.

No. 12 Alabama goes down in Tuscaloosa.

No. 19 Vanderbilt rolled in Nashville.

Still, it took a surprise 4-day run to the SEC championship game where Arkansas lost to No. 6 Florida. That put Arkansas among the last teams in as a No. 12 seed.

USC easily dispatched the Razorbacks in the opening round.

1999-00

COACH: Nolan Richardson
RECORD: 19-14
SEED: No. 11
RESULT: Lost in first round

Arkansas closed the season with six straight games against ranked opponents, going 2-4 over that period to finish the regular season at 15-14.

The Hogs only won two games away from Bud Walton, but wins over No. 24 Vanderbilt and No. 19 Auburn served as a precursor of what was about to happen.

Freshman Joe Johnson held his own in leading the team along with Chris Walker as the Razorbacks set off on a miracle run through the SEC Tournament.

Georgia, No. 16 Kentucky, No. 10 LSU and No. 19 Auburn all fell to the Razorbacks as Richardson's team earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

Arkansas entered the tournament as a No. 11 seed where they faced No. 23 Miami in Nashville. The Razorbacks put up a good fight, but the Hurricanes held on, 75-71.