Arkansas basketball coach Eric Musselman has been in a more pleasant mood lately in his post-game press conferences, Tennessee notwithstanding.
No one would call him giddy, exactly, but his team has played much stronger basketball in recent weeks. So much better, in fact, the Razorbacks are actually projected as winners Saturday.
ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gives Arkansas a 68% chance to beat visiting Missouri when the Tigers and Hogs tip off at Bud Walton Arena at 11 a.m. It’s the first time the Razorbacks have been projected to win by the metric in about a month.
Arkansas is coming off a victory over Texas A&M from Tuesday. The Aggies are a borderline NCAA Tournament team and the Hogs’ win was on the road, to boot. Before that, Arkansas nearly beat Mississippi State on the road in a game that was in doubt until the final seconds.
That’s hardly a glimmering endorsement, one straight win. But in a season that has seen the Razorbacks struggle throughout, a brief shine is cause for a good mood.