The Arkansas basketball regular season was not what anyone would call successful.
But it doesn’t end Saturday. Not really.
The Razorbacks tip against Alabama on Saturday at 11 a.m. from Tuscaloosa. Arkansas will get another game, at least, in the SEC Tournament. And a win over the Crimson Tide could be the confidence-builder that propels the Razorbacks to three or four games, maybe more, in the league tourney next week.
A loss? Arkansas isn’t expected to beat Alabama, of course, not with the Tide having their sights set on a national championships and the Hogs well outside of the NCAA Tournament picture. Still, Arkansas is good enough – on paper – to play spoiler, not only against the other ‘A’ school in the league, but against just about everyone in the SEC next week.
But with a 15-15 record entering Saturday’s game, the odds Arkansas could pull it off are slim. If the Razorbacks lose against Alabama, it would mark the first losing season since 2009-10.
Alabama is tied for second entering the game with four other teams. The tiebreakers are a bit of a mess, but if the Tide win, they will earn a two-round bye next week. Alabama has beaten Arkansas in the last three meetings and four of the last five.