For the fourth straight season, Arkansas fans are asking themselves if head coach Eric Musselman has the magic to turnaround another dreadful conference start.
After a 90-68 blowout loss to the Florida Gators littered with low effort performances and defensive miscues, it's fair to question whether or not the Razorbacks (9-7, 0-3 SEC) have the juice to climb out of the steep hole they find themselves in.
In 2020-21, Arkansas started SEC play with a 2-4 record. The following season, the Hogs began 0-3 against Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Texas A&M. The worst opening stretch came last year, when the Razorbacks got out to a 1-5 beginning.
RELATED: Razorbacks can't overcome defensive disaster in loss to Florida
All three of those seasons ended in a magical postseason run — including two Elite Eights and a Sweet Sixteen. Fast forward to now, and things really do feel different for this version of the Hoop Hogs.
"We’re through three SEC games and we’re not playing … We’ve been here four years and we’ve been a team that’s been super tough minded, we’ve been a team that competes, we’ve been a team that battles," Musselman said after the game. "We’ve been a team that has grit. We have not done this year at all."
Heading into the season, most believed that Arkansas could avoid another rough start due to the experience added through the transfer portal combined with returning players like Davonte Davis and Trevon Brazile. The opposite has been true, though, and the solution isn't clear.
"Well, this group does not have the characteristics of our past four years," Musselman said. "I mean, you can see that. We have a lot of holes in a lot of different areas. So our job as a staff will be continue to do what we can.
"Try to provide teaching points, to try to continue to give scouting reports that are effective. That’s what we’re supposed to do, is continue to try to get guys better and get the collective whole better."
RELATED: Fans frustrated as Arkansas gets blown out by Florida
As things currently stand, the Razorbacks rank 73rd in the country in scoring offense (79.1 points per game) and 301st in scoring defense (76.8 points allowed per game).
Arkansas is also rated 92nd overall by KenPom — including the 84th best offensive efficiency rating and 101st best defensive efficiency rating. That's not exactly a recipe for success.
"Of course, you know, we all think we have a chance to turn this thing around," guard Layden Blocker said after the game. "Coach tells us every day we're not playing as our best, but we still have a chance to be great if we go to March and make something happen. Even go to the tournament sometime. We've got to keep getting better day by day."
Arkansas will have its chance to get things back on track on Tuesday, as the Hogs welcome the Texas A&M Aggies (10-6, 1-2 SEC) into Bud Walton Arena. The game is set to tip off at 8 p.m. CT and will broadcast on the SEC Network.
