SEC rode Eric Musselman’s back to large number of NCAA Tournament bids

While Rick Barnes, John Calipari, Nate Oats kept failing, the Arkansas Razorbacks built league’s tournament reputation

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The biggest question heading into the NCAA Tournament this year is whether the league can hold up to the standard built by Arkansas coach Eric Musselman without him there carrying the load.

The tournament field is packed with SEC teams despite several with low win totals and high losses. This is because of the conference’s reputation built largely on Musselman’s back the previous three seasons. 

In 2021, the Razorbacks were the only SEC team other than No. 2 seeded Alabama to make it out of the first weekend. Of course, per usual, the Crimson Tide underperformed once getting to the part of the season that mattered, losing to No. 11 seed UCLA in the Sweet 16. Meanwhile, Arkansas advanced to the Elite 8 where the Hogs became the only team to hole eventual national champion Baylor to a single-digit game.

In 2022, the entire SEC outside of Arkansas was wiped from the NCAA Tournament map by the end of the first weekend. No. 2 seeded Kentucky made legends of the St. Peter’s Peacocks with a first round loss. No. 2 seeded Auburn at least made it to the second round before getting drubbed by 18 at the hands of No. 11 seed Michigan. 

And while the rest of the league sat at home, Eric Musselman brought his team center stage in primetime and took down No. 1 Gonzaga to advance to the Elite 8 where a Duke team trying to finish Mike Kryzewski’s final chapter got the best of them. 

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme (2) hugs Arkansas Razorbacks forward Jaylin Williams (10) after the game in the semifinals of the West regional of the men’s college basketball NCAA Tournament at Chase Center. The Arkansas Razorbacks won 74-68.

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Even in 2023, when the Razorbacks squeaked into the NCAA Tournament with a losing record in the SEC, the rest of the league couldn’t out-perform the Hogs. This time, two teams besides Arkansas made it out of the first weekend. 

For the first time in forever, Tennessee managed to not be a complete disappointment by advancing to the Sweet 16. There the Volunteers got bounced by No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic. 

The other was Alabama, which was ranked No. 1 for a lot of the season. The Tide sold their soul, ignoring Brandon Miller’s role in the murder of a pregnant woman in hopes of winning a national championship. Instead, they were knocked out by No. 5 seeded San Diego State, a team Arkansas beat earlier in the season.

For the first time in the Musselman era, Arkansas didn’t advance to the Elite 8. Instead, the Hogs fell to eventual national champion UConn. However, the Razorbacks did have the big moment of the tournament, taking out No. 1 Kansas, the defending national champions, in a high emotion game to advance to the Sweet 16 as a No. 8 seed. 

At no point did Arkansas lose to a lower seed. However, the rest of the SEC damage the league reputation by losing 11 times to lesser opponents, often in shocking fashion. 

So, as teams take these next couple of days to point at Musselman and his Arkansas Razorbacks and laugh for not making the tournament, it’s important to remember that a 20-14 record from the SEC only gets in because the league rode Musselman’s coattails, not because all the other teams earned that respect the last three seasons.

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