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As the season winds to a close and we inch ever closer to the NCAA Tournament, Arkansas still finds itself within striking distance of the bubble.
The Razorbacks obviously need to control what they can control - beating Texas A&M on Saturday and then winning a game or two in the SEC Tournament next week - but it also wouldn’t hurt to get some help from teams across the country.
Here is a rundown of some teams you should be cheering for this weekend - in addition to Arkansas - who could make the Razorbacks' path to the big dance a little easier:
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~Georgia Tech - at Clemson (6 p.m. CT Friday, ESPN2): It required overtime and a prayer at the buzzer by Mason Jones, but the Razorbacks escaped Atlanta with a win back in November. The Yellow Jackets struggled most of the year, though, so it hasn’t seemed like that big of a win. However, they’ve shot up 19 spots to No. 74 in the NET rankings thanks to winning eight of their last 11 games - including an upset over No. 5 Louisville. Why is that significant? If Georgia Tech can stay in the top 75, it will be a Quadrant 1 win for Arkansas. That probably requires a win over Clemson on Friday.
(Update: The Yellow Jackets rallied from a nine-point deficit in the second half and actually hit a shot with 15.7 seconds remaining to beat Clemson 65-62. It will be Georgia Tech's final game of the season, as it is skipping the ACC Tournament because it is on probation. Arkansas will have to hope the Yellow Jackets did enough to hang on to a top-75 NET ranking.)
~LSU - vs. Georgia (1 p.m. CT Saturday, ESPN2): The only other game on the Razorbacks’ resume that is a borderline Quadrant 1 win came Wednesday, when they knocked off LSU. Because the game was played at Bud Walton Arena, the Tigers need to be a top-30 NET team for it to be considered a Quadrant 1 win and they are currently No. 33. A win of Georgia might not be enough to push LSU up three spots, but it would put it in a position to do so at the SEC Tournament.
~Tulsa - at Wichita State (3 p.m. CT Sunday, CBSSN): Since being blown out at Bud Walton Arena, the Golden Hurricane have emerged as one of the top teams in the American. In fact, with one game remaining, lead the conference by one game and are guaranteed at least a share of the regular-season title. Tulsa’s ranking in the NET has crept up to No. 75, which puts it just inside the cutoff to be considered a Quadrant 2 win for the Razorbacks. Beating the Shockers (No. 48 NET) likely secures it a top-75 ranking.
~Western Kentucky - at Florida International (6 p.m. CT Saturday): The Hilltoppers’ win over Arkansas back in December was costly, as NBA prospect Charles Bassey suffered a season-ending knee injury. They’ve been able to put together a decent season and are currently tied for second in Conference USA, but they haven’t been near as good as expected. As of right now, the Razorbacks don’t have any Quadrant 3 or 4 losses. If Western Kentucky limps to the finish with a loss to FIU and in the conference tournament, it could possibly slip from No. 125 in the NET to No. 136, which would make it a Quadrant 3 loss for Arkansas.
~Houston - vs. Memphis (11 a.m. CT Sunday, CBS): Memphis has clawed itself back into the conversation for an at-large big thanks to a win over Wichita State on Thursday. A road win at Houston would be another boost.
~Harvard - vs. Yale (6 p.m. CT Saturday, ESPN+): With a No. 66 NET ranking, Yale is still clinging to its at-large hopes. A second loss to arch rival Harvard would likely end that and ensure the Ivy League is a one-bid conference. (The Bulldogs also play Dartmouth at 6 p.m. Friday, but losing to the Crimson is more likely.)
~Wyoming - vs. Utah State (10:30 p.m. CT Friday, CBSSN): Arkansas would probably like Wyoming’s Cinderella run through the MWC Tournament to continue for just one more game. If the Cowboys (No. 273 NET) knock off Utah State (No. 38 NET) on Friday, the Aggies would have a much tougher time earning an at-large bid, plus San Diego State, which needs to beat Boise State on Friday and is a lock for the big dance, would have an easier path to the tournament title.
~Duquesne - vs. Richmond (6 p.m. CT Friday, ESPN+): Richmond is considered one of the "first four out" teams ahead of Arkansas on BracketMatrix.com.
(Update: The Razorbacks will have to wait until the Atlantic 10 Tournament for the Spiders to lose, as they beat Duquesne 73-62.)
~Wake Forest - vs. North Carolina State (6 p.m. CT Friday, ACCN): North Carolina State is considered by some to be in the "last four out/in" discussion.
(Update: The Wolfpack cruised to an easy 84-64 win over Wake Forest, keeping their NCAA Tournament hopes alive.)
~Oklahoma State - vs. Texas (3 p.m. CT Saturday, ESPN2): Rooting against the Longhorns should come naturally for Arkansas fans - and it would benefit them because Texas is considered a "last four in" team on BracketMatrix.com.
~USC - vs. UCLA (2:15 p.m. CT Saturday, CBS): UCLA is yet another bubble team in the "last four in" conversation.
~Liberty - vs. Lipscomb (2 p.m. CT Sunday, ESPN): Despite their 29-4 record, there’s no guarantee the Flames would be considered for an at-large bid because they are No. 70 in the NET. However, they could completely remove themselves from that conversation by beating Lipscomb to win the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament.
~Northern Iowa - MVC Tournament: The Panthers are 25-5 and No. 36 in the NET, so they’ll be firmly on the bubble if they won’t take care of business at Arch Madness. They open up against Drake at noon CT Friday, followed by the semifinals on Saturday and MVC championship game on Sunday, if they keep winning.
(UPDATE: Northern Iowa lost its first game in the MVC Tournament, but that might not necessarily be a bad thing for Arkansas. Because they lost early and badly - 77-56 - to a No. 167 NET team in Drake, the Panthers will probably have a hard time earning an at-large bid)
~East Tennessee State - vs. TBA (11 a.m. CT Saturday, ESPN+): The Southern Conference Tournament begins Friday with Samford and VMI playing for the right to face No. 1 seed East Tennessee State. At 27-4 and with a No. 39 NET, the Buccaneers could steal an at-large bid if they don’t earn the automatic bid. Another team to watch in the SoCon is No. 2 seed Furman, who will play Friday’s Wofford/The Citadel winner at 5 p.m. CT Saturday. It would benefit Arkansas two-fold if it lost early. Not only are the Paladins the top competition for ETSU, but they could also make a case for an at-large bid if they make a deep run in the conference tournament.
(Update: East Tennessee State will play VMI, which is just 9-23 this season, on Saturday. Furman faces a 17-win Wofford team.)
