Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Happy Monday, everyone. This is Ethan Westerman filling in as host today. Regular season is over for Arkansas Men's basketball. Finished up the regular season at Missouri with an 88, 84 win in overtime. Now it's on to the postseason with SEC tournament starting this week. And then, of course, after that, that's whenever the big dance starts. Anthony, happy to have you with me today on the show. And you were there in Columbia. Just, I don't know what are your. You've had a couple days to maybe reflect on that game a little bit now. What are the main things that kind of stuck with you from, you know, that. That last game of the regular season for the Razorbacks?
[00:00:35] Speaker B: Well, the first thing that sticks with me is the fact that the WI Fi just straight didn't work for most of the day. So that made it. That made it a little difficult to do things.
But, I mean, just talking about the game just in general, you know, Arkansas was without Darius Acuff, and, you know, the big question going into it was, you know, how would they play? How do they replace that product?
And you knew, you know, DJ Wagner and Malik Thomas were both going to have the ball in their hands a lot more without Darius Acuff, you know, being available. And I thought that was the.
I thought that was the biggest thing that you notice is just how, I guess, prepared, you know, Malik Thomas was especially, you know, he scored 30 points and, you know, he had a. He had a really nice night. Just offensively, he had a. I believe he had an assist as well. D.J. wagner scored 10 points on 10 shots, so not necessarily the most efficient shooting night, but he had a team high in assists and. And, you know, I thought he had a decent night defensively as well, and, you know, to go on the road and get, you know, a win over a projected tournament team, you know, without, you know, your potential player of the year. You know, I thought that was a. I. I thought that was a really impressive, you know, performance from them. And then, you know, I thought Malik Ewan had a really good game. I thought Trevor Brazil had a good game. I thought Nick Pringle had some nice moments as well. So getting those guys going and playing well is obviously going to be important as you get into postseason, but ye. I think those are probably all of the. All the things that stick out immediately beyond just the. The WI FI concerns that we had.
[00:02:07] Speaker A: Yeah. And it's funny because, you know, kind of going into this game, and I think that if there were larger implications for Arkansas as far as, like, we knew they were going to either be the two or the three seed. They could have lost this game. And just how things shook out, I believe, still been the three seed.
It's.
It was one of those things going into it where it was kind of like you knew by not playing Darius Acuff that the implications, like, you're valuing the health of your really good player over maybe, you know, another W on the. On the, you know, win, loss column, because it wasn't, like, super influential for Arkansas with at least what it has going on in the postseason. But for Missouri, on the other hand, this was actually a pretty big game for them because I believe they were in a weird situation going into the day where they could have finished anywhere from, like, 4th to 10th in the SEC. So that's a difference in a couple days of rest.
I guess from your perspective, it seemed like it was a. At least from the tv, like a phenomenal crowd there. It was Senior Day. I know it felt like it was a lot to play for for Missouri. So I guess for Arkansas to even have a game where, like, you don't have your normal, you know, you don't have Darius Akov and you're. You're really relying on some other people more, I guess. What did you learn about this team and the fact that they were able to win without him and it wasn't like a game where, you know, they're playing a team that didn't have something to play for.
[00:03:28] Speaker B: Yeah, I think the biggest thing is that, you know, you have.
You have the option if he's playing poorly or, you know, if his shots just not falling or, you know, whatever it may be, if he's out for any other reason, you know, you're not.
You're not staring down disaster necessarily. You know, they went on the road, like you said, in a very hostile environment against a team that had a lot to play for and still got out of it with, with a really nice win, I thought. And, you know, it showed, and not that we didn't know this before, but, you know, it showed that you can rely really heavily upon Malik Thomas to, you know, have those big games offensively if. If Darius Acuff isn't going to be available or is, you know, maybe not having his best shooting night or whatever, whatever it may be.
So I think those are all.
I think that's probably the biggest thing that we. We learned per se, you know, and, yeah, you just look at, you know, just everything else that kind of transpired. Trevor Brazil having a really nice game, you know, Back where he started his career. And you know, DJ Wagner, like we mentioned, having a nice defensive game, having a nice distribution game, even though the shot wasn't necessarily, you know, falling at
[00:04:40] Speaker A: a high clip, played all 45 minutes.
[00:04:43] Speaker B: Yeah, exactly. So I think that, that there shows you just how much, you know, his val, you know, how valuable he was on the floor, you know, so I, I think all of that is maybe not necessarily things that we didn't know going into it, but I think it's, I think it, I guess just gave it a bigger spotlight given that, given Darius Akov wasn't available for that game.
And you know, I think that's a, I think that's a promise, promising thing for Arkansas. When you look down the stretch, obviously SEC tournament, they're have the double buy, have two days off and you know, could potentially have a nice showing there. You know, you get to, you know, the NCAA tournament and you know, if, if, you know, things aren't going well for, for, you know, him individually, you know, he doesn't have to, you know, be the hero. He could defer and, you know, give, give the ball to, you know, Malik Thomas. I mean, not that you necessarily want to take the ball out of Darius Aoff's hands just because, you know, he's had maybe some inefficient night, very rare time to time, but still has come up with big shots, you know, so. But it, it shows you that, you know, it doesn't need to be maybe one dimensional, I guess is the best way to put it.
[00:05:57] Speaker A: Yeah, that makes sense. And I feel like for Malik Thomas especially, which I know you were all over this initially they gave him 28 points. That got changed to 30, right? Yes.
[00:06:08] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, they, they initially credited a first half basket, I think with about six minutes left to Trev in Brazil when it was actually Malik Thomas who scored.
[00:06:17] Speaker A: Yeah, well, Malik Thom felt to me in that game, which we saw this actually a little bit, you know, obviously Darius Akov had the game of probably the year, at least in the SEC against Alabama, even though it came in a loss to where you just knew who kind of needed the ball in his hands. But Malik Thomas in that game, I remember, also wanted the ball in his hands because he was making shots and he actually, you know, he made that three pointer that Caliperi called a timeout right before down there in Tuscaloosa. And he's, you know, for a freshman, he's one that just feels like he wants that moment. And in Missouri, without Darius sake of in the equation I think it may be, at least to me, felt like freed him up to know that he just kind of was that guy. Like he was their best scoring option. And I mean, obviously he had a huge game, five of six from three. And there was that stretch in the game where it felt like it didn't matter what he was taking.
He was making it, I guess, for. For him to have that type of game to where he, like, we know Darius Sakov can take over a game. I feel like this was one of the. We've seen it. You know, obviously Malik Thomas be able to score the ball this year, but there just hadn't, at least in my opinion, been that type of game yet where it was like, all right, Malik Thomas, you take over this a little bit. And it feels like we kind of got that.
[00:07:26] Speaker B: Yeah, I think there's been moments in which he's had spurts of that. You know, you mentioned the Alabama game. I think there was a stretch where he scored, you know, six, eight points in a row, if not like a good portion of points over a stretch for Arkansas. So, you know, we've seen it in. In, I guess, blips, if you will.
And yeah, the game, you know, at Missouri without Darius Acuff and, you know, it gave him the opportunity to, I guess, just be the guy for the entire day.
And, you know, I think that it just goes to show that that is an option for him to, to be. Obviously, you know, Darius Acup is going to be that guy when he's on the floor and, you know, for good reason. You know, there's. There's a reason he's going to be most likely a lottery pick in the NBA draft in June.
So, you know, that's not to say, you know, get the ball out of Darius Acoff's hands, give it to Malik Thomas at all, all times. Because, I mean, you want the ball in Darius Acuff's hands. But, you know, Malik Thomas is that kind of guy who, you know, can and, you know, probably will at some point or just did, you know, take over a game and really, really show just how good of a player he is. Because, you know, there have been times this year where May hasn't gotten, you know, as much shine just because of how much of the attention goes to Darius Auff and, you know, you know.
Yeah, and he just went out and showed that he's, you know, all, you know, he. He's very capable of having those kinds of performances. And I thought that was really, really good for. For him to show that he, you know, can do that, you know, and he's, he's, he's, he's had good performances before. Like we mentioned Alabama, he had 24 points.
You know, he had 21 against South Carolina. But South Carolina, you know, you know, I thought he was great against James Madison and non conference play. You know, he, I thought that was another instance and where it showed that he could, you know, have those kinds of games. Winthrop, I thought he was huge.
You know, if Arkansas loses that game to Winthrop, you know, if you Remember that was 8483 and a big time upset bid. You know, how different are we looking at Arkansas? Is that a seedline bump from a five down to a six? You know, maybe. But you know, a big reason for that is because, you know, a big reason why that isn't the case is because Malik Thomas had a really nice game there. And then I thought Nick Pringle had some really good plays in that game as well down the stretch. But he's shown that he can do that. And, but this I feel like is probably the, the most high profile of those of those examples.
[00:09:57] Speaker A: Yeah. And what I think was encouraging, at least for Arkansas, it's postseason outlook from this game is I felt like Saturday was an instance of, you know, everybody kind of wondered like what would this team even look like without Darius Sakuff? Because a lot of times there is that real like kind of oh crap moment. I think whenever you don't have a player that's been that good for, you're just like what does this look like? And it just felt like a game where Arkansas understood its personnel at least in that game of like Malik Thomas needed to be putting up more shots.
You know, the big men stepped up. It just felt like the type of game where you at least saw Arkansas in real time adjust to a different looking lineup than, than what we're used to. Yeah.
[00:10:36] Speaker B: And talking to, to Malik Thomas after the game, he had talked about how they, they had been working on that, how they had been working on, you know, playing without Darius Acoff for, for extended periods of time. And I thought that was that, I thought that was very evident. It didn't look like there was any confusion as to what the roles were going to be, you know, in that game. And you know, they've played well without Darius Acuff in the past as well. I, you know, if you remember the home game against Missouri, Darius Acuff sat the last five min seconds of the first half in that game and Arkansas went on a 19 to 6 run. So you know, I don't know if that's just be, I don't know if that's becoming a Missouri thing or if that's just, you know, the case. But you know, it, I, I, yeah, you've, we've seen it a couple of times this season where you know, they've got, they've, they've gotten some good showings without Darius Akoff on the floor. But you know, like we keep saying, you know, you obviously you want Darius Akov on the floor as much as you can, especially in, you know, these, these high pressure moments that are going to be coming in, in the SEC and NCAA tournaments. So. But yeah, it did show that they're, they're prepared. Everybody seems to know their roles whenever there's a given, a given five on the floor.
And yeah, like you said, I feel like from an Arkansas perspective, I felt like that was really encouraging.
[00:11:50] Speaker A: Yeah. And it's for me it was also the fact that they didn't, it's not like they adjusted in the game to like, like what is life without Darius? AKA like they threw the first punch at least in that game. And it was Missouri that honestly had to make those adjustments to, to, to really tighten things up, you know, by the end of the first half. And obviously they took the lead in the second half.
And part of the reason for Arkansas taking that early first lead was obviously Trevin Brazil who came up big for them at the end of the game too with that three pointer. But I, I forget how many he had in the first half, but he was all over the stat sheet.
I, you know, for as much as like rightfully so. A week ago we were talking about the Arkansas front court and how much it like, I mean it just got bullied at Florida and there's no real other way to put it that they just, they weren't even a match for him. They had a really good bounce back week between what Trevor Brazil did on his senior night against Texas and then at Missouri. Trevor Brazil and Malik Ewan was huge and Nick Pringle made some plays. I know Nick Pringle fouled out like which is pretty, it's not like crazy that Nick Pringle fouled out, but he had good plays before that that happened. I feel like the Arkansas front court against Missouri that might have been, you know, probably the most encouraging development I would think for Arkansas. Like I know Mark Mitchell had 32 points and I don't know how many Sean Phillips had, but I think Arkansas out rebounded them and Arkansas had Big men that stepped up. It wasn't like it just felt like a good bounce back week for them. You know, there's still obviously questions for the postseason how they'll fare against, you know, some of those really elite big men in the, in the nation. But I would at least with, with what had just happened, I'd have to think this past week was a step in the right direction.
[00:13:29] Speaker B: Oh yeah, no, for sure. I mean especially, I mean like you mentioned it with, with the front courts that they went up against, I mean Texas with Mataspokotitis and, and you know, all the guys you know there who, I don't know if you just heard that ding on my laptop. I apologize if you did.
I thought it went into automatically DND when I was on a zoom anyway.
But yeah, I mean you look at, you know, Texas with its front court, I mean obviously Matas Vocatitis, Dalen Swain, you know, guys who can really hurt you, you know, in, in those kinds of moments. Camden, Heidi as well, you know, a really experienced guy. And then Missouri with, with, with like you mentioned, Mark Mitchell and Sean Phillips and you know, everybody they've got there, Trent Pierce, I mean Missouri's got one of the biggest lineups in the country and you know, Arkansas and like we mentioned, I mean Mark Mitchell I thought had a phenomenal game and you know, he's, he's very much well worth, you know, being an all SEC selection in my opinion. And you know, he's been, you know, a big reason why Missouri's turned around its season.
But yeah, you look at just how well Arkansas's front court bounced back after, you know, really dang him kind of a bad performance against Florida. Just to put it frankly, you know, I thought that was impressive, encouraging. And you know, Florida is, you know, Florida has the number one front court in the country in my eyes. I mean you look at some of the other teams around the country, you're going to throw Michigan into that conversation. You're going to throw probably Arizona into that conversation. Houston, you know, you would have Texas Tech in there if J.T. toppin wasn't injured.
And you know, obviously that, that stinks for, for Texas Tech and but you know, Arkansas beat Texas Tech with JT Toppin on the floor. But also Bamboy wasn't available in that game for Texas Tech, so I guess there's some give and take. But anyway, good front court performance, you know, for, for, from the Arkansas big guys this past week. And yeah, like you mentioned, I feel like that's, it's it's an encouraging sign to see that when you know you're, you're going into the postseason, when you're going to see a lot of, you know, big time, you know, elite front courts down the stretch. If you make a run.
[00:15:48] Speaker A: This literally just in, while we are recording this, Malik Thomas was named SEC freshman of the week. So how about that with 30 points. I know Anthony will be all over that as soon as we finish this show, but yeah, all that to say, you know, really good game for Malik Thomas. He's the type of freshman that honestly I've been saying this all year about Malik Thomas, that if this was a different year, like there's so many just star freshmen this year that it is crazy to me that Malik Thomas, with what he's doing, he kind of fades into like a little bit of a background role nationally. And it is crazy to me because
[00:16:24] Speaker B: he cannot be projected as a first round pick is kind of wild.
[00:16:28] Speaker A: And the fact that he is having the year that he's having and we don't hear about him more is just, it just goes to show, I think, how many elite freshmen there this year. Because I think you could throw Malik Thomas in a lot of these other recent freshman classes and he's like a headliner.
[00:16:42] Speaker B: Oh yeah, no, for sure. Like, like I said, it's kind of crazy to think about how, you know, and obviously this is because of just how loaded this freshman class is. But like, you know, he's not a projected first round pick right now. You know, in most mock drafts, I mean you look at just kind of around the country like Tunde yesifu. Yeah, Baylor stinks. But he's been phenomenal and you don't really hear a lot about him. E.
You know, Buka Corey at Stanford is probably a guy who is probably getting more hype on, you know, NBA draft radars than maybe people think, but is not really a guy you hear a lot about probably because Stanford's also not that great. But no, I mean he's been. Malik Thomas has been, you know, phenomenal. And you know, maybe, maybe it comes down to just the, the freshman class being what it was like. I mean, I think right now 9 of the first 10 picks in the NBA draft are projected to be current freshme.
And I mean, yeah, like you said, if, if this was a normal freshman class, you're probably hearing, you know, a ton more about him and you know, so I mean, and maybe that, maybe that helps too. Maybe, you know, not having that big of a spotlight on you at all. Times, you know, helps, you know, with his development. I don't know. That's not something I've, I've asked him about and maybe it's something I should have asked him about after the Missouri game. But.
Yeah, but he's been, he's been phenomenal and you know, he's deserving of, of that kind of spotlight. You know, whether or not he's gotten it to this stage of the season yet, you know, I, I think is, you know, irrelevant to the fact that, you know, he has been, you know, one of the most important players Arkansas has had and you know, with, with regard to the success Arkansas's had this season as well. So yeah, I don't even remember what the original point was.
But, but yeah, no, when you look at him in, in regard to this freshman class, you know, he's, he's still, you know, among the better players in the class. It's just that there's, there are so many really good elite freshmen in this class that, that, you know, it sometimes, especially when one of the best is also your teammate, you know, it may be, might, might be easy for, for a guy like him to maybe go a little under the radar and, and like I said, maybe that's helped him, you know, develop a little bit outside of the spotlight or not outside of the spotlight because people still talk about him but, but not as, as much of the spotlight. But you know, like I said, I should have asked him about that after the Missouri game and I didn't. So maybe I'm back at the job. But it's what it is.
[00:19:17] Speaker A: Want to tell you about our friends at Bentonville Glass. Serving its community since 1971, Bentonville Glass is committed, professional and versatile. Looking for a quality leader in northwest Arkansas. Looking for skilled craftsmanship. Choose Bentonville Glass for all your glass market needs with the highest quality products. You can come by and see them today at 5:07 South Main and Bentonville or online at bentonvilleglass.com Anthony before we land this plane today, we got to talk about the SEC tournament a little bit.
Obviously Arkansas earns the 3 seed and not good for us or for the the, you know, sleepy eyes of Razorback fans because they will be playing like they they throw this estimated time out there of 8:30pm Central but it really could be later because it's just 30 minutes after the 6pm game ends which I just have a hard time thinking that they're going to start on time at 8:30. Maybe I'll be shocked but Alabama will place somebody right before Arkansas on the same court and then 30 minutes after that, then it's time for the Razorbacks. They're the three seed. If they win, then they would move to the semifinals because they got the double buy. So they're already well along into the quarterfinals of this bracket and then obviously the semifinals is at 2:30pm Central on Saturday. And if they win that, they would go to the championship at noon Central on Sunday. You kind of look at this path that maybe the Razorbacks could have to get to that title game. What stands out to you from, from the bracket?
[00:20:46] Speaker B: Yeah, so I mean, I think the first thing that you look at is, you know, the potential matchups that they would have on, on Friday and that would be Texas A and M, South Carolina or Oklahoma.
And I mean they went 30 against those teams and I mean the most trouble they had was with Oklahoma and Oklahoma's been, been playing a lot better of late. I think they've won six of the previous eight games and you know, I've really, really kind of turned it around. So they're a team.
[00:21:12] Speaker A: I feel like there's not a whole lot of teams going into this SEC tournament as far as ncaa. I know Auburn's one of them, but it feels to me like Oklahoma, they're not getting mentioned too much right now, but they're going to go into their thinking that they could make some noise. Yeah.
[00:21:26] Speaker B: Yeah. So, I mean, they're, they're playing really well and you know, I think that's maybe a credit to Porter Moser for, for getting them to, you know, forget the, the really, really bad start they had to league play. I think they started 0 and 9 and SEC play and then to turn it around and you know, having won, like I said, I think it's six of eight games, if I'm not mistaken, to, to finish SEC play and you know, so that's, that's, yeah, it's impressive to turn around. I don't think that's a team that's going to be in the tournament or anywhere near the tournament. But regardless, it's still, you know, they're playing well. They're, they're in some of the best form in the SEC entering the tournament maybe besides like Florida, you know, just from a strict, you know, wins and losses basis from, you know, the previous 10 or so games or whatever. But anyway, yeah, I mean, Arkansas went 3, 0 against the teams that it could face on Friday.
So that's, you know, something to monitor. You know, that's a team or.
And yeah, I mean A and M's obviously, you know, had a really nice season under Bucky McMillan, you know, especially with how late he got hired. You know, South Carolina has been pretty bad again, just like it was last year, but I believe finished 14th in the, in the league after being finished or picked 16th. So maybe some overachievement, if you want to call it that, even though they do stink.
But yeah, you, you look at that and you know, on paper it's favorable. You know, obviously tournament basketball, anything can happen. So there is that. And then, you know, if they're to go to the, the semi final, they'd see probably Alabama again, but then they'd also have the opportunity of Georgia, which obviously those are two teams that they lost to. And then, you know, there's Ole Miss and Texas there as well, who, you know, are the potential opponents if you, if you're going to get to semifinal Saturday. But I think the main thing that you look at from an Arkansas perspective, you know, with this bracket is, you know, the, the, that first potential matchup with any of A and M, South Carolina or Oklahoma, just because, I mean, those are three teams that you've already, you've already seen and beaten.
And for the most part you did so with, I don't want to say relative ease because nothing really necessarily comes easy. But you did, you know, you handled your business if you're Arkansas in those games. So you like, you, you probably like that, you know, those are your potential matchups going into the tournament.
[00:23:55] Speaker A: Yeah, I honestly, I mean, maybe people have differing opinions on conference tournaments for, you know, teams that are like Arkansas that already have an auto bid. I. Or not gonna have an auto bid, but are gonna be at large bid.
I like, I love a conference tournament because they're fine and obviously I think you want to win it. But I personally think that bigger than any win that Arkansas will get at this tournament is the fact that Darius, that they won last Wednesday and secured a double buy and rested Darius Acuff and so. And then they don't play till Friday because of a double buy. I feel like that's the real win here for Arkansas is that they are getting some much needed rest and they won't have to play until Friday.
Say they had to play in Oklahoma or somebody.
If they played in Oklahoma or South Carolina, that would be a team that had played two days in a row and then you, you're getting arrested. Darius Acuff back. I just feel like that rest element for Arkansas this time of year, that, that was what was so huge. About securing a double buy.
[00:24:52] Speaker B: Yeah, no, for sure. And, you know, sometimes you can see teams make runs, right? I mean, you look, I mean, look at the Sun Belt, Georgia Southern, five, five wins in five days to make it to the championship game, which is so fun. And they're playing Troy tonight. So I'll be, I'll be, I'll be locked in on, on Georgia Southern versus Troy while everybody else is doing productive things.
But yeah, I mean, so teams can make runs, right? I mean, it's happened and, you know, it will continue to happen. That's just the nature of college basketball.
But I think you'd much rather have the rest than not. And especially when, you know, Darius Acuff has been in a boot and, you know, they've been talking about how he could have, you know, sat out against Florida or sat out against Texas and whoever and to, you know, I've clinched the, clinched the double buy with the win over Texas and just, you know, basically have had the three seed locked in, you know, going into the Missouri game with, you know, the opportunity of getting the two seed with a win and Alabama losing to Auburn. And I mean, let's be honest, Alabama was never going to lose to Auburn in that game.
Just, I mean, that was.
Having watched it, I know the final score was closer than what the game kind of felt, but kind of like
[00:26:11] Speaker A: Arkansas, Florida the weekend before.
[00:26:13] Speaker B: Yes, very much so.
Yeah. So I, I, you know, long story short, you very much vastly prefer having the rest, and especially, you know, with Darius Acuff getting, I guess, some something of extended rest without having to play, you know, in that Missouri game. So I think that is definitely big and you definitely want to get out of the SEC tournament healthy, you know, with the NCAA tournament right around the corner as well. So, yeah, they've, they've gotten, you know, a lot of what they want, I think is the, is the main, the
[00:26:43] Speaker A: main story of the day, Anthony, all that I know is it is the best time of year right now. I'm having a lot of fun watching conference tournaments, especially the ones where like, like, like I said, for Arkansas, a team like, like them, it, it doesn't carry as much weight as some of these smaller conferences where, like, teams are going out there and they know their season is over if they don't win.
I love this time of year. And so it's, it's one of those deals where like, like SEC tournament, like, I don't know if it's really even ideal sometimes to play all the way to the championship and be tired for ncaa, but they're, they're fun nonetheless. Like I love a conference tournament, so I know you are a junkie of them too.
[00:27:21] Speaker B: Oh yeah. And it's still, I mean there's a few teams where I mean this is, this week is going to be big for them and they're at large chances. Like I mean if you're Auburn like you, you need to do something in the SEC tournament, right? I mean no team has ever gotten in that large bid with 16 losses.
And I mean Auburn could in theory be the first if it doesn't win the auto bid, which I mean it probably won't. Just speaking on just math and likeliness.
So I mean if you're Auburn, I think you still have to win, you know, probably at least two games to, you know, feel pretty good.
But even then you're still asking to be the first ever 16 loss at large team.
[00:28:06] Speaker A: So yeah, we go into this and honestly it's one of those weird situations where like I feel like rarely do we have like, you know, they have the last four in and then the next, the first four buys or whatever. Like usually I feel like they're all kind of close together. It feels to me like the fact that Auburn is still projected as the last team in right now at least by ESPN and then Missouri and Texas are on like that next four. Like it just feels like there's a huge gap to where like a Missouri and Texas, I guess, yeah, they, they in theory go into this on the bubble but like they like there's just such a gap I feel like right now between those last few at large spots to where I feel like they're feeling good and then the other team, like we said, is Oklahoma, that they could go in there and make some noise because like if least if the, you never know what the committee is going to base things off of year to year, sometimes they follow the same thing. But if you're looking on just like how a team is playing recently, it is hard to argue with Oklahoma what they've done recently. But I mean, goodness gracious, they dug themselves in a hole.
[00:29:04] Speaker B: So yeah, that Oklahoma team gets an at large bid, then forget it is
[00:29:10] Speaker A: just one of those things where I'm looking at it, I'm like Oklahoma, I feel better about Oklahoma right now than Auburn. But you know, it's whole body of work. I get it. But goodness, if Auburn makes the tournament this year too, that'll be. I just feel like this is the type of year that we're like we talked about this way earlier we talked about it last fall, whenever the tournament expansion talk happened, I was like, this is the type of year that makes me be like, why are we talking about expanding it? If anything, reduce it.
[00:29:35] Speaker B: Yeah, no, go back to 64. Get rid of the first four.
[00:29:39] Speaker A: Yeah, well, it's gross.
[00:29:41] Speaker B: Like Oklahoma. I saw Oklahoma on a next four out late recently and like, I almost vomited that team. I know they've played well of late. That team should be nowhere close to the tournament. Auburn shouldn't be anywhere close to the tournament. They've got 16 losses. Yeah, we'll have 16 if they don't win the autobid.
[00:29:59] Speaker A: Well. But there will be a whole lot more to talk about with SEC tournament as the week goes on. It's a busy week in general. Razorback sports I know baseball's going on today. There's obviously going to be baseball and softball series this weekend. There's spring football starting this coming Sunday. A lot going on. Razorback coverage, but we will have you covered with all of it. You can go and check out our work@whole hogsports.com we'll have a lot of coverage from Nashville with Anthony there. We'll have a lot of coverage from Bomb Walker today. Matt Jones is there and we'll be back with another podcast tomorrow. Everyone have a great day.
