Beating Texas Opens Door for Arkansas Fans to Dream

How big, whether it includes former Hogs coach Eric Musselman will wait to be determined

Former Arkansas coach Eric Musselman reacts to a mistake made against the Kentucky Wildcats. / Nelson Chenault – USA TODAY Sports

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas fans don't appear to be willing to play the "What if?" game when it comes to Texas.

The win over Georgia can be rationalized as a team with its back against the wall coming together after losing freshman guard Boogie Fland. The Kentucky win can be socked away as players being in a familiar building dead set on winning one for their coach.

However, not only would a win over Texas and streaky former Razorback Tramon Mark be hard for fans to rationalize, it would require a full shift in mindset. It would mean Arkansas was one pass to the corner against Oklahoma from being 4-0 since Fland departed for hand surgery.

Through that framework, the team could no longer be seen as a group of guys who squeezed out a couple of fortunate wins in the midst of the SEC schedule. The Razorbacks would have to be seen as a team stacking up Quad 1 wins that has turned the corner with John Calipari driving the bus straight for postseason contention.

Right now, even an appearance in the NIT seems too much to fathom. Yet, that has to change with a win over the Longhorns.

Win down in Austin and suddenly Hogs fans can allow themselves to playfully dream about former coach Eric Musselman bringing his Trojans into Bud Walton Arena or even meeting up with him in an NCAA play-in game.

Per usual, he has USC building momentum in late January and early February for a run down the stretch filled with key wins. Knock off Texas, and it will appear Calipari is doing the same, just with a tougher slate ahead of him.

A victory Wednesday night puts the Hogs 3-4 wins from the NIT. As for the NCAA Tournament, it's harder to say because of how ridiculous the SEC is this year, but most likely six wins is the magic number.

That's a number that is way too big for Arkansas fans heading into the Texas game as it would require winning six of the 10 guaranteed remaining games left after beating the Longhorns on the road. However, don't forget the required mind shift should this win happen.

The schedule is no longer viewed as who Arkansas might be able to beat. It then shifts to getting looked at as who can beat this improved, driven version of the Razorbacks. 

That's a different story. Suddenly, wins start popping up where they weren't before.

Although, if Arkansas doesn't beat Texas, it doesn't matter much. Outside of an SEC Tournament run in that scenario, the NIT is about as big as fans can dare to dream, and even that gets hard when looking at what's left of the schedule through those same tired eyes of the past month.

Musselman has been doing his part to make wildest dreams come true. Wednesday night will show whether Arkansas can handle it's end.

HOGS FEED:

• Knox finally growing into player coaches anticipated

• One word can keep Calipari's Hogs winning

• Ivisic Slowly Coming into Own with Hogs After Facing Kentucky

• Kentucky needs to have perspective time to time

• Longhorns' Johnson, Razorbacks' Fland considered elite NBA picks

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