Like many Razorback fans, I may have gotten a little carried away in thinking for a while that these Hogs were NCAA material. But after today's win, the Razorbacks remain firmly in line for an NIT bid, and I'm not afraid to say I think snagging an invite to that tournament would be a real accomplishment.
At the beginning of the year, I thought this squad was an NIT team - but that was with Marshawn Powell healthy. To have 17 wins by mid-February without their best player says a lot of good things about Mike Anderson, his staff and these players. Yes, the Georgia loss was beyond ugly, but it was forgivable. This is a young squad that - as a result of Michael Sanchez's shoulder injury - suited up only eight scholarship players for today's game.
Speaking of Sanchez, the man who inherited some of his playing time, back-up quarterback Brandon Mitchell, turned in a fine performance, providing a much-appreciated spark with his eight points and four rebounds. B.J. Young was the star of the day, with 27 points.
Game highlights below, and video of post-game press conferences and a photo gallery after the jump.
Mike Anderson's post-game press conference:
Post-game press conference with B.J. Young and Devonta Abron:
Photo gallery: