Win helps, but doesn't secure tournament spot for Hogs
Razorback Road
Matt Jones
Issue date: 3/3/08 Section: Sports
Razorback head coach John Pelphrey seemed pleased with his team's performance in closing out Vanderbilt, but his postgame comments didn't exactly ooze with confidence in his team's ability to close out the season.
"I'm happy that we won," Pelphrey said following the game. "But I'm not happy with this team. Tonight I felt you saw some courage and some heart, some toughness. I want to see that when we have to pack up our stuff and go on the road.
"We have to have a little more character [on the road]. We don't need Mommy cutting the corners off our bread all the time. She doesn't have to cut our chicken nuggets up for us so we can eat them in small pieces. We need to be men and go play that way."
Asked what he thought about his team's NCAA Tournament chances, Pelphrey said, "I'm ready to get started on Ole Miss."
No one can blame Pelphrey for not looking ahead. Nothing is guaranteed in the SEC, especially not when it comes to Arkansas playing on the road.
Remember, it was the Razorbacks' last road game - last week at Alabama - that put them in a must-win position in the first place.
In a game no one would remember if Arkansas took care of business, Pelphrey watched his club underachieve against an undermanned opponent and lose a fourth game this season it should have easily won.
Those losses have put Arkansas and the NCAA selection committee between a rock and a hard place. If the Razorbacks can win out the regular season and at least one game in the SEC Tournament, they should be a lock to advance to the first weekend of the most exciting month in sports.
But if inconsistency is really the only constant with this team, watch out. A slip-up at Ole Miss could be imminent, making Saturday's great win all-for-not.
Matt Jones is the sports editor for The Arkansas Traveler.
"I'm happy that we won," Pelphrey said following the game. "But I'm not happy with this team. Tonight I felt you saw some courage and some heart, some toughness. I want to see that when we have to pack up our stuff and go on the road.
"We have to have a little more character [on the road]. We don't need Mommy cutting the corners off our bread all the time. She doesn't have to cut our chicken nuggets up for us so we can eat them in small pieces. We need to be men and go play that way."
Asked what he thought about his team's NCAA Tournament chances, Pelphrey said, "I'm ready to get started on Ole Miss."
No one can blame Pelphrey for not looking ahead. Nothing is guaranteed in the SEC, especially not when it comes to Arkansas playing on the road.
Remember, it was the Razorbacks' last road game - last week at Alabama - that put them in a must-win position in the first place.
In a game no one would remember if Arkansas took care of business, Pelphrey watched his club underachieve against an undermanned opponent and lose a fourth game this season it should have easily won.
Those losses have put Arkansas and the NCAA selection committee between a rock and a hard place. If the Razorbacks can win out the regular season and at least one game in the SEC Tournament, they should be a lock to advance to the first weekend of the most exciting month in sports.
But if inconsistency is really the only constant with this team, watch out. A slip-up at Ole Miss could be imminent, making Saturday's great win all-for-not.
Matt Jones is the sports editor for The Arkansas Traveler.
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