Rivalry renewed
Bears must beat hot Razorbacks to wrap up first regional crown
» Old SWC foes Baylor, Arkansas fight for Final Four bid.
Baylor’s Scott Drew grew up in Indiana and Arkansas’s Eric Musselman was raised seemingly everywhere but Texas or Arkansas, so the coaching combatants in Monday night’s Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament will have to simply nod and smile at those awash in Southwest Conference sentiment.
The old league disbanded a quarter-century ago, but a couple of its longtime members in Baylor and Arkansas will collide for a spot in the Final Four in Indianapolis. The University of Houston also made the Elite Eight, giving the longdead SWC three teams still standing with seven games to go in the tournament.
“The (Razorbacks) are 12-1 in their last 13 games, so they’re basically the hottest team in the country besides Gonzaga,” Drew said. “You’re playing a team that has a lot of momentum and a lot of confidence, and they’re never out of it with their athleticism and toughness.”
The Bears (25-2) are the top seed in the south region, so the tables have slightly turned from the old SWC days, when the third-seeded Razorbacks (25-6) often ruled the roost. Baylor is seeking its first national title, and this year’s Big 12 regular season championship was its first conference title since winning the SWC in 1950.
“This is just a really, really difficult team to prepare for,” Musselman said of the Bears, who spent a good chunk of the season ranked No. 2 nationally behind Gonzaga. “… You put that (ball) on the deck and they’ll swarm to you – and they attack the ball with multiple people when you try to get in the lane.”
Before Baylor guard Jared Butler was named the Big 12’s player of the year this season, the Bears’ two previous league players of the year both competed in the SWC: former Rockets Terry Teagle (1980) and David Wesley (1992).
Arkansas won its lone national title in 1994 – three years after it split the Southwest Conference for the Southeastern Conference. But eight of the Razorbacks’ 11 Elite Eight appearances occurred as SWC members, while the Bears have had five total Elite Eight showings (including three under Drew, who took over a terrible program in 2003 and has worked what amounts to a miracle on the Brazos since).
“If you’re blessed enough to make the tournament, it’s really hard to win and advance in the tournament,” Drew said. “You never take that for granted. Every time you have the opportunity to do something like this, especially after last year when there was no NCAA Tournament, so many of our guys came back to be a part of this and play in this.
“… You’ve got to take advantage of every opportunity, and obviously we have an opportunity to go to a Final Four, as will (Arkansas). Hopefully we put our best foot forward.”
The Bears haven’t made the Final Four since 1950, the same season they previously won a league regular-season title. Back then the NCAA Tournament was comprised of all of eight teams – an occasionally Un-elite Eight – so the modern accomplishment is a bit of a bigger deal. “When you make the tournament it’s got a little life, then you advance and it’s got a little more life and so forth,” Musselman said of the budding zest among Razorbacks fans.
Baylor was considered one of the nation’s top teams a year ago when the NCAA Tournament was canceled because of the pandemic, while Arkansas was in the first year of a rebuild under Musselman and finished 7-11 in SEC regular-season play.
This season the Razorbacks finished second to Alabama in the SEC regular season with a 13-4 league record, and has taken a rugged route to the Elite Eight.
“We’ve been down now in three (tournament) games and found a way to come back,” Musselman said. “… It’s an incredible feeling to be in an Elite Eight in just our second year – I really can’t describe it.”
The Razorbacks won by double digits in their NCAA Tournament opener against Colgate, but then slipped past another old SWC foe, Texas Tech, 6866 before surviving another two-point game on Saturday night, 72-70 against Oral Roberts.
“It’s wild … a lot of people don’t get this opportunity and it’s crazy,” Arkansas freshman guard Davonte Davis said. “I came to the (Sweet 16) game with my sunglasses on, knowing that I’m coming ready to play, and I know my team is going to compete with me. I know the fans are feeling good … and I know that we’re ready to play.
“This upcoming game (against Baylor), we’re not going to dig a hole. We’re going to come out and compete from the jump, and we’re going to grind it out.”
Meantime rolling Baylor has won all three of its NCAA Tournament games against Hartford, Wisconsin and Villanova by double digits.
“That’s why they’re 25-2,” Musselman said of the Bears’ overall dominance, “and one of the best teams in the country.”