Musselman not too worried about NET rankings just yet
Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman isn't worried about his team's low NET ranking just yet.
NET rankings debuted for the 2023-2024 season Monday, with Arkansas coming in hot at No. 117, the fourth lowest in the SEC ahead of only Georgia, LSU and Vanderbilt. The Razorbacks peaked at No. 107 on Tuesday after a win over Furman, but have dropped back to No. 112 in the days following.
"It's way too early, so to me it's irrelevant," Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman said Wednesday. "We have a whole SEC schedule that is going to determine a lot for us just as anyone we play. Once you get into conference play... It is what it is.
"We have a game Saturday. That's really all we should focus on. People start talking about March Madness and it's December 6 or something like that. There's a lot of stuff that's going to happen. It gives (the media) something to talk about and gives something for me to be in a bad mood about."
Musselman is correct that a full conference slate ahead will provide ample opportunities for the Razorbacks to bolster their resume and get out of the NCAA Tournament bubble cellar where they currently sit. Everyone knows the NET is factor in determining the NCAA Tournament field and seed lines, and it is also early in the season so the data points for the formula are wonky, but it does matter to be aware of the situation early on in the season.
Arkansas went out of its way to schedule tougher this season. The Razorbacks played Duke in Bud Walton Arena for the first time ever, accepted an invite to the Battle 4 Atlantis where they faced Stanford, Memphis and North Carolina, and they are set to play Oklahoma in Tulsa on Saturday.
On top of all those games against major opponents, in typical Arkansas fashion under Musselman, by way of scheduling mastermind Anthony Ruta, the Razorbacks are facing a healthy amount of teams from low and mid major conference picked to win or finish in the top three of their respective conferences.
In the past, this formula has always benefited Arkansas in the NET rankings by the end of the season. Even in 2021-2022, when Arkansas dropped a home game to Hofstra, it managed a 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament and finished with a NET ranking of No. 21. What it took to get there was nothing short of remarkable, though.
Arkansas finished the regular season going 15-5 after the Hofstra loss, including winning streaks of nine and five games, before ultimately returning to the Elite Eight. Can that happen again? Absolutely, but what makes this year different?
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