Hogs' Coach Eric Musselman Has Been Here Before

Knowing how to prepare a team at tournament time is kinda what he does best.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — This is kinda the times when Arkansas coach Eric Musselman shines brightest.

He had NCAA Tournament success at Nevada, which got Razorbacks athletics director Hunter Yurachek's attention after firing Mike Anderson.

That decision has looked pretty good.

Now is another big challenge for Musselman with a team that doesn't even resemble the team that went to Europe last summer.

Starting the tournament with a 73-63 win over an Illinois team that really wasn't very good was exactly what they should have done. Kansas is next. Yeah, the defending national champions that had an easy first-round win over a No. 16 seed.

This may be the earliest Musselman's had to come up with a plan against a team that good this early in the tournament, especially with the Hogs.

He tends to do pretty well with a. short turnaround, which may be because this year he's changed lineups on a frequent basis. There's no telling who will be the first five on the floor to begin the game.

Thursday's opening game, though, showed he's got some experienced guys that can step up and some really talented freshmen that may not have been able to rise to the occasion of the spotlight in the tournament. None of that's unusual.

Davonte Davis is back in tournament form and Ricky Council IV seemed to regain his shooting touch against Illinois. That had disappeared for a lot of the SEC schedule and the tournament.

But none of that may be the biggest factor.

With their head coach out following some medical issues, the Jayhawks have been fine, but now every game is more challenging. The whole goal in March is win and advance, especially in the final 32.

The Hogs are there again.

With Musselman, somehow you think they have a shot ... even against the defending national champions.

HOGS FEED:

DEFENSE REASON FOR TWO BIG MOVES BY RAZORBACKS IN WIN OVER ILLINOIS

MUSSELMAN KNOWS PAST MEANS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FOR THIS YEAR IN NCAA TOURNAMENT

TREVON BRAZILE SAYS HE COULD PLAY 'RIGHT NOW' FOR HOGS AFTER REHABBING FROM SURGERY

ANTHONY BLACK GETS HIS NBA 'PROVE IT' MOMENT AGAINST ILLINI'S TERRANCE SHANNON

ARKANSAS OVERCOMES EARLY DEFICIT TO HOLD OFF SALTY UNLV ON THE DIAMOND

WATCH: RAZORBACKS COACH DAVE VAN HORN AFTER WIN OVER UNLV

WATCH: HOGS KENDALL DIGGS, AUSTIN LEDBETTER, HAROLD COLL AFTER WIN OVER UNLV

SEC GIVES HINT OF DIRECTION HEADED WITH SCHEDULING ON FORMAT FOR SEVEN DIFFERENT SPORTS

HOGS HAVE COACHING ADVANTAGE IN NCAA TOURNAMENT WITH ERIC MUSSELMAN

CURRENT, FORMER RAZORBACKS MAKE 2023 TOP TRANSFER LIST

ILLINOIS APPEARS TO BE PERFECTLY BUILT TO TAKE ON RAZORBACKS

MUSSELMAN WILL NEED TO BUILD TEAM CHEMISTRY THIS WEEK, JUST NOT WITH THIS ARKANSAS TEAM

RAZORBACKS WILL OPEN WNIT AGAINST LOUISIANA TECH ON THURSDAY AT BUD WALTON ARENA

HOGS' PITCHER PICKS UP LEAGUE HONOR AFTER SATURDAY'S COMPLETE GAME PERFORMANCE

WHERE DID ARKANSAS LAND IN NCAA TOURNAMENT?

RAZORBACKS COMPLETE WEEKEND SWEEP, DOWNING LOUISIANA TECH ON SUNDAY

NCAA TOURNAMENT BRACKET

ARKANSAS BASEBALL SCHEDULE

FAYETTEVILLE WEATHER UPDATE

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