Arkansas coach Eric Musselman has just two players back from last year’s Elite Eight team. But the master of the transfer portal has simply reloaded.
With six players in via the portal and six freshmen who make up the No. 2 recruiting class in the country, the Razorbacks are expected to not only be SEC contenders, but on the short list of potential national champions.
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi put out his first Bracketology of the offseason and he slotted Arkansas as No. 3 seed. That’s tied for second in the SEC tied with Tennessee, which also earned a No. 3, and behind Kentucky, which was a No. 1 seed.
What’s most fun about Arkansas’ seeding is the potential Sweet 16 matchup. Baylor is the second-seed in the region. The two are scheduled to play in January as part of the Big/SEC Challenge and played in the Elite Eight two seasons ago, the year Baylor won the national title.
Lunardi has seven SEC teams tabbed for NCAA Tournament selection: Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Auburn, Alabama, Texas A&M and Florida.
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