Time to Turn to Trojans to Fill Postseason Hearts

If Arkansas fans want their NCAA Tournament fix, it looks like Arkansas-Little Rock is best chance

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Later today the Arkansas Razorbacks will take to national TV for what most expect will be a gruesome slaughter by Kentucky in Rupp Arena where the Wildcats are way more effective than on the road.

Win or lose, the Hogs making it to the NCAA Tournament will still hinge on a miracle run through the SEC Tournament. No one with the slightest sense is betting their home on such a run.

So, with hope pretty much gone for a Razorbacks appearance, it's time to turn to a new beacon of opportunity. Unfortunately for the state of Arkansas, there appears to be only a single team that has a chance to squeeze its way into the Big Dance – Arkansas-Little Rock.

Right now, the Trojans sit atop the Ohio Valley Conference. Studded by former Razorbacks and Hog adjacent athletes while also being coached by a former Arkansas legend, it's not hard for Razorbacks fans to squint and see Arkansas-Little Rock as the team they've followed for years.

Leading the way in both points (16) and assists (4.5) is KK Robinson. Arkansas fans will remember him from the two Elite 8 teams Musselman put together early in his tenure in Fayetteville. There's also Makhel Mitchell who served as a literal identical replacement to his twin, Mahki, on last year's Sweet 16 team. 

Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Eric Musselman  celebrates with forward Makhel Mitchell after defeating the Kansas Jayhawks at Wells Fargo Arena / (Reese Strickland –USA TODAY Sports)

Also chipping in for 11 minutes per game is Creed Williamson. the slightly taller son of Razorbacks legend Corliss Williamson. Mix in Darrell Walker, an Arkansas Hall of Honor player from the Eddie Sutton years in Fayetteville and it might as well be a Hog ball family reunion. 

To make things even easier for Razorbacks fans, the Trojans have won 11 of their last 12 games. If Arkansas-Little Rock can take down Tennessee Tech at home Saturday, a team that is eight games behind the Trojans in the standings, they will claim the Ohio Valley Conference championship.

Unfortunately, that doesn't mean anything in today's world. It once guaranteed a spot in the NIT, but the NCAA changed its rule of giving automatic bids to conference champions who don't get into the NCAA Tournament.

Instead, only the two highest NET ranking teams from the Power 6 basketball conferences (the usual Power 5 plus the Big East) get automatic bids. That means the path to the postseason pretty much requires a conference championship for Arkansas-Little Rock.

Still, it gives Arkansas fans a few games of meaningful basketball in which they can invest their emotions. Literally every game Arkansas-Little Rock plays the rest of the season has something on the line.

The OVC Tournament takes place March 5-9. Should the Trojans lock up the No. 1 seed, that would mean they don't play until Friday, March 8 in the semifinals against either the No. 4, 5 or 8 seed. That game will take place at night on ESPNU with the championship game the next night at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

HOG FEED:

• Entire Arkansas pitching staff combining for ridiculous numbers

• Hagen Smith follows historic outing with another impressive performance despite early blemish

• KJ Jefferson must be licking his chops with UCF

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