Nashville, Tenn. – Arkansas's basketball took a step to obtain an NCAA tournament offer in the debut season of coach John Calipari.
Barely.
The Ninth Sowed Razorbs clung to overcome South Carolina 72-68 on Wednesday in the SEC tournament after almost losing an advantage of 20 points.
“We have a lot of boys who compete and did what they had to win the game, so I'm happy,” said Calipari. “Would you like to have a great score? Yes.
“But at this time of year, everyone struggles for their lives.”
Arkansas (20-12) advanced to play the eighth sown Ole Miss in the second round on Thursday.
After the Razorbs led 59-41 with remaining 14:18, they lost 12 straight shots in more than 11 minutes and their cushion cut with an advantage of a point.
DJ Wagner, who played for Calipari in Kentucky, broke the field goal drought with 2:37 remaining in a triple to put Arkansas ahead 64-60 and maintained that advantage.
Calipari has led the Razorbs to a season of 20 wins with a large number of transfers, including the old Wildcats, in its first season with the program.
He led Kentucky for 15 seasons, winning a national championship in 2012, before leaving to happen to coach Eric Musselman.
Arkansas did not win an NCAA offer last season after advancing to the second weekend in three consecutive tournaments.
On Wednesday he marked the victory of the 25 -year tournament in Calipari, drawing Wimp Sanderson for the third place of any chief coach (Adolph Rupp 57, Billy Donovan 27).
Did Calipari believe that Razorbs have done enough to show the selection committee that belong to the annual showcase of university basketball?
“I don't know,” he said. “I'm not in the room.”
The information of ESPN Research and Associated Press was used in this report.
