21. Arkansas (1-1)
Fayetteville became quite the hotbed of offseason news when Eric Musselman bolted for USC and the Razorbacks then lured John Calipari to town. This program has been in fine shape in recent years, though is coming off something of a disappointing season. Most of the faces are brand new, with Calipari bringing his own talent and flair to Arkansas. Will his first season be a successful endeavor?
The Razorbacks took on a tough mid-major in their opener on Wednesday, battling Lipscomb in a 76-60 win. The defense looked good while freshman Boogie Fland led the way with 17 points in the season opening win. Saturday’s challenge was a bit harder, with Arkansas falling 72-67 in Dallas to a talented Baylor squad. They played solidly in a fight with the Bears, getting 24 points and 6 rebounds from Adou Thiero.
With what’s basically a brand new roster, Arkansas wasn’t exactly going to be a world beater from day one. It’s going to take Calipari and this rotation some time to figure things out, and they still played well against a strong Baylor team on a neutral court. They do get something of an easier road in the coming weeks, with a number of home games ahead, though it’ll be interesting to see which of these players emerge as playmakers.