Thinking back about the “best” Razorback games of the last twelve months has also made us stop to ask this question: Who were the best teams that the Hogs played this past year?
Certainly in football, the National Champion Florida Gators would have to be at the top of the list. And in baseball, the National Champion LSU Tigers would be at or near the top. (No offense to Tiger fans…but the Diamond Hogs played some pretty darn good teams this year.)
Unfortunately, the Hogs were mostly unsuccessful against those two great teams. But surprisingly, during a basketball season full of loss and discontent, the Razorbacks beat the best team they played on the court last year.
Coming in at #3 on our countdown of the best Razorback games of the year is the impressive 96-88 win in late December over then #4 Oklahoma.
Razorbacks impressive in downing #4 Sooners (Courtesy of RazorVision)
Not sure if OU was the best team the Hogs played in basketball last season?
Well, there’s certainly little argument that Oklahoma had the best player in college basketball last year in Blake Griffin. Even in a game where he was mostly frustrated by heavy defensive pressure by the Hogs, Griffin still scored 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.
But let’s not forget this stat: the Sooners started the season winning a school-record 25 of their first 26 games. Their only loss during that stretch…was in Bud Walton Arena.
And that was one of just six losses that OU would suffer all year — a season that ended in the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament with a loss to eventual National Champion North Carolina.
Marcus Monk.
Despite what Capel said, and Fortson may go on to a great career, Monk was the glue for that team. Once he left they were never the same.
It is easy to say the OU overlooked us but, we were high off our non-conference success and fresh before the SEC wars. We had Monk in the 4 slot.
But, the best thing about last year is that it is over. We have no place to go but up.