Saturday was an important night for the Arkansas basketball team.
Minutes before the Razorbacks tipped against No. 6 Kentucky, the team announced that four-year starter Devo Davis had stepped away from the club. About two hours later, after their best effort in weeks, the Hogs fell by just six points, 63-57.
Emotions were high throughout on both the Arkansas bench and among the thousands of a packed house at Bud Walton Arena. Speculation ran rampant about the reasons for Davis’ absence and his team appeared galvanized in a game Musselman said was closer to what he expects from his now .500 bunch.
Kentucky coach John Calipari had nothing but words of praise for Arkansas, saying the tough times were going to be temporary. The Razorbacks need a miracle to make a fourth straight NCAA Tournament, but if with continued games like Saturday’s, the final half of SEC play can end better than it began.
As for what’s to come in the next several days, who knows. But for one night, even a night in which the team lost, Arkansas basketball showed a heart.