Arkansas Remains Biggest Sleeper Entering NCAA Tournament Behind Lethal Offense

The Razorbacks have the talent to compete with anybody in the country

Mar 4, 2026; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari during the second half against the Texas Longhorns at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 105-85. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Sans the buzzsaw Arkansas ran into in Gainesville last weekend, the Razorbacks have been playing really good basketball for the last six weeks and they are flying under the radar entering the NCAA Tournament.  

After a 20-point thrashing of Texas earlier in the week, Arkansas went to Missouri and beat the Tigers in overtime without superstar guard Darius Acuff Jr. It proved that this team is not just a one man show, rather they are deep, talented and capable of making another NCAA Tournament run.

A year ago, as a 10-seed, John Calipari led an upset of No. 2 St. John’s and had Texas Tech dead to rights before crumbling at the end of regulation to eventually lose in overtime. It proved that his team gets better as the season progresses and it’s on display again.

Despite losing five games before January 20, Arkansas was competitive nearly every time it took the floor. They nearly won on the road Michigan State while battling Duke and Houston in neutral sites.

After two straight road losses against Auburn and Georgia, Calipari got the attention of his team, and it started rolling. Now, the Razorbacks are hoping it translated into March success.

Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas are as good of an offensive backcourt as there is in the country. Trevon Brazile brings experience to the frontcourt while Billy Richmond and D.J. Wagner have learned what it takes to win this time of season.

The SEC isn’t as deep as it was last season, but Arkansas finished in a tie for second place with Alabama, losing the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament on its loss to the Tide three weeks ago in Tuscaloosa in double overtime after leading by as many as 14 points.

Most experts project Arkansas to be a No. 4 or No. 5 seed and assuming they are able to make it out of the first weekend in the NCAA Tournament, the talent on its roster could be a nightmare for a No. 1 seed to have to contend with.

The Razorbacks are hoping to make noise at the SEC Tournament this weekend and want a rematch with Florida after its 34-point whipping.