Have Razorbacks Already Exceeded Midway Expectations This Season?

After beating Kansas in exhbition, Arkansas played games that counted before SEC play when many fans gave up hope

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari motions in a play during an exhibition game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — For a lot of folks, Arkansas just being in the NCAA Tournament is both surprising and expected. The roller-coaster in between has been interesting, though.

Playing Kansas on Thursday night will complete the circle. Getting a sweep isn't guaranteed or assumed by anyone.

"We're in," was the major point of John Calipari's comments after the selection show Sunday evening.

Right up until the show started you could get arguments and predictions on both sides of that statement.

Too many people were already looking where the Final Four was going to be when Calipari was hired last April Considering when he took the job he didn't have a single returning player. Most on the roster were out of town as fast as Eric Musselman. Some ran out of eligibility.

No one, even Calipari, was counting on anything. It's been a long, winding season to get where they were one of a gaggle of SEC teams in. Being left out is the only embarrassing thing for this year.

"The whole point was get in," Calipari said. "It's the first year. Getting things established. Struggling early — and my teams have struggled early in the past,— but not like that, because we haven’t played in a league like that and where schedule will dictate some of it.

"To stick together, to be in dark places yet overcome, to understand the battle that you have is with yourself, the life lessons that these kids take from this is really good. To be able to say, ‘alright, we’re in the tournament’. Hard road. It may be the hardest, but so what, we’re in."

They are there now, though. Playing the Jayhawks in the first round in Providence, R.I., may be a break, though. Kansas is down from the championship levels of the past and Bill Self, the coach, has faced off with Calipari multiple times over the years.

That will helps the entire Razorbacks' staff put together a plan because they know what he likes to do with his teams.

Now Calipari just has to figure out how to manage only about seven or eight plays in March Madness. Even returning guard Boogie Fland will likely see minutes regardless of the condition he's in.

As Cal keeps saying, just take it one day at a time, one day at a time. He really doesn't have much choice right now.

HOGS FEED:

• Self, Jayhawks ready for 'fresh start' against suffocating Hogs

• Football playoff bracket shows Hogs get more respect nationally than at home

• Razorbacks' Calipari sees himself as an underdog, has the seed to go with image

• Two Razorback freshmen come together to cap off Ole Miss series win

• Preseason tilt provides zero insight into Arkansas, Kansas tourney game

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