Busting Brackets
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Bracketology 2020: Villanova, Michigan State among this week’s losers

By Andrew Dieckhoff

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 21: Head coach Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats reacts against the Kansas Jayhawks in the first half at the Wells Fargo Center on December 21, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 21: Head coach Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats reacts against the Kansas Jayhawks in the first half at the Wells Fargo Center on December 21, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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LUBBOCK, TX – JANUARY 26: Mason Jones #13 of the Arkansas Razorbacks (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX – JANUARY 26: Mason Jones #13 of the Arkansas Razorbacks (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

Arkansas Razorbacks (16-7, 4-6 SEC)

Staying in the SEC for the moment, Arkansas is another team that did some damage to its tournament stock this past week. The Razorbacks seemed like they were on a path toward the Top 25 polls and a top-eight seeding that could potentially draw them a more favorable Big Dance partner.

But after a week in which Eric Musselman’s team took two losses, the Hogs’ worries have moved away from their future opponents and onto whether or not they will still make the tournament themselves.

The first game of the week was the one that could’ve vaulted Arkansas into the Top 25 for the first time this season. They hosted an Auburn team that was on the verge of surpassing the 20-win mark. It was an opportunity for the Razorbacks to grab their first Q1A win of the season, and just their third Q1 win overall. Instead, the Tigers staved off the upset attempt and send the Hogs home with a three-point overtime defeat.

Surely, the Razorbacks would be able to salve their wounds against a flailing Missouri team.

Right?

Wrong.

Facing a second set of Tigers on the week, Arkansas managed to get the game to an extra stanza for yet again. Unfortunately for the Fayetteville faithful, Cuonzo Martin’s team would not be beaten at home. The loss registers as a Q2 game because it was in Columbia, but for an Arkansas team that doesn’t have much off-setting success, this could be troublesome for their seeding.

The Razorbacks’ 4-6 mark in both Q1/2 and SEC play looks bad at the moment. They have been darlings of advanced analytics throughout the year, but even stat mavens Ken Pomeroy and Jeff Sagarin have cooled on the Hogs recently.

They are still a Top 50 team nationally, but a rocky week has put Arkansas squarely back into the bubble conversation. For the time being, they are still on the right side of things. But if they might need two wins next week—on the road against Tennessee and at home against Miss State—before they start feeling good about their situation again.

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