21. Arkansas (2-1)
The Razorbacks look very different than last season and we don’t yet know if that’s a good or bad thing. Bringing in a Hall of Fame coach like John Calipari is certainly a good thing, but it’s just too early in the season to make sweeping statements. Last week’s loss against Baylor was tough but not disaster and Arkansas will certainly have more chances to make an impression.
This week was not really that opportunity for impressions, as the lone game on the schedule was a home date with Troy in the middle of the week. Another fine defensive effort saw the Razorbacks win 65-49 over the Trojans. Big men Adou Theiro and Zvonimir Ivisic both scored 19 points while the Razorbacks had a much better time shooting from outside the arc than in the opening week of the season.
This is an almost completely new roster that’s still adjusting to a new coach, new program, and different surroundings. The defense has handled a pair of solid mid-major programs and did solid work against Baylor in that loss; it’s all about if the Razorbacks have enough offense to win consistently in the SEC. The shooting was certainly better this week; but will that trend continue? The next three games are all against mid-majors at home, so there’s certainly opportunity to stockpile wins in November.