The latest update to the AP Top 25 Poll has been released, and the Arkansas Razorbacks dropped two spots into a tie at No. 11 with a total of 860 points from the voters. Other SEC schools included in Monday’s rankings were No. 11-tie Alabama, No. 13 Tennessee, No. 15 Auburn and No. 19 Kentucky.
Eric Musselman has his young Razorback squad off to a strong start to the 2022-23 campaign. Arkansas is 5-1 overall on the heels of a successful run at the prestigious Maui Jim Maui Invitational where the Hogs took home third place in the loaded eight-team field.
Arkansas put on a show with an 11-dunk performance in an 80-54 blowout win over Louisville in the first round before dropping its first game of the season to Creighton, 90-87, in a thrilling semifinal matchup that had the feel of a high-level NCAA Tournament game. The Razorbacks rebounded in the third-place game with an inspired comeback highlighted by Kamani Johnson’s buzzer beater that forced overtime before outlasting then No. 17-ranked San Diego State, 78-74.
Junior wing Ricky Council IV is pacing Arkansas in scoring with a team-high 19.0 points per game. Freshman point guard Anthony Black was the breakout star of the show in Maui. He’s pitching in 14.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Sophomore forward Trevon Brazile continues to thrive in a sixth-man role. He’s adding 13.3 points and a team-high 7.8 rebounds per night and leads the Hogs in three-point percentage (41%) and makes (10) on the young season.
Here’s a look at where the Razorbacks stand in several other reputable polls, computer models and way-too-early bracketology projections after a week of play:
- CBSSports Top 25 & 1: No. 6
- Jon Rothstein 45: No. 12
- Jeff Goodman Top 25: No. 13
- Andy Katz Power 36: No. 12
- BPI: No. 12
- Sagarin: No. 16
- KenPom: No. 13
- Torvik: No. 15
- Joe Lunardi Bracketology: 3-seed
Arkansas will be back on the hardwood Monday evening when it plays host to Troy (6-1). Tipoff between the Razorbacks and Trojans from Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville (Ark.) is set for 7 p.m. (CT). The game will be televised on SEC Network. From there, Arkansas will play its first Saturday home game of the season when it welcome San Jose State to town for a 3 p.m. (CT) start on December 3.
Did you know HawgSports.com has a podcast called HawgSports LIVE, along with the popular and occasional Walk & Talk? New episodes are available weekly, bringing you the best Razorback breakdowns and opinions from the top guys in the industry, Trey Biddy, Danny West and Curtis Wilkerson. Catch the latest episode and also subscribe here on iTunes, or catch the latest episode here on Megaphone or listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for HawgSports Live on your favorite platform. There are plenty of ways to listen!
