Welcome to the BCS, Hawaii - and Welcome to the 2008 Season

From EDSBS's countdown to the start of the season:

How Many Shades of Awesome Is This????

We could truly make a living out of finding awesome Houston Nutt
pictures and commenting on them. This one, courtesy of Jim Harris at
ArkansasSports360.com, just begs for cartoon thought bubbles.

Razorpodders, enjoy.

Dog Days: We Got 'Em

Its 100 Degrees outside. You sweat just looking out the window. But....its also the end of July, and that means August is right around the corner. Yeah, that August, the one that means preseason practice and way-too-early games.

Oh, and Petrino's on ESPN Live Chat tomorrow.

Viva el Hog!

SEC Teams and the NCAA Tournament - Round 3

Hurtling towards the end of the regular season and with Adriana Lima watching closely, the Hogs managed to lose another road game on Tuesday night. The loss to Ole Miss in Oxford leaves the Hogs with a 2-6 road mark in SEC play and a 2-7 road record overall. Arkansas plays Auburn in Fayetteville tomorrow in the regular season finale. A win will put the Hogs at 20-10 overall and 9-7 in league play. Will that be enough to secure an NCAA Tournament berth. Wally Hall says no, while national bracket experts say yes. You can decide who's more knowledgeable. On with the rundown:

SEC West

1. Mississippi State (20-9, 11-4, RPI 35)

2. Arkansas (19-10, 8-7, RPI 41)

3. Ole Miss (20-9, 6-9, RPI 42)

4. LSU (13-16, 6-9, RPI 159)

5. Alabama (15-15, 4-11, RPI 134)

6. Auburn (14-14, 4-11, RPI 155)

SEC East

1. Tennessee (27-3, 13-2, RPI 1)

2. Kentucky (17-11, 11-4, RPI 47)

3. Vanderbilt (25-5, 10-5, RPI 7)

4. Florida (21-9, 8-7, RPI 63)

5. South Carolina (13-16, 5-10, RPI 149)

6. Georgia (13-15, 4-11, RPI 144)

Locks:

Tennessee - The Vols clinched the SEC regular season title with wins over Kentucky and Florida this week. A win at home over South Carolina should lock up a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament regardless of what happens at the SEC Tournament.

Vanderbilt - Vandy lost at Arkansas and won a heart-stopper over Mississippi State this week. Shan Foster's nine three-pointers propelled the Commodores to an 86-85 OT win over MSU. Vandy will be the 3 seed from the East and have to play on Thursday at the SEC Tournament unless they win at Alabama and Kentucky loses at home to Florida.

Mississippi State - MSU clinched the West division title last week and had a chance to win the overall title going into Wednesday night. However, Tennessee's win coupled with the Bulldogs loss at Vanderbilt left them two back of the Vols with only one game to play. MSU should win their regular season finales at home against LSU, and that will leave them with a 12-4 SEC mark. State could conceivably get a 5 or 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament with a conference tourney title.

Work Left To Do:

Kentucky - The Wildcats resume keeps on getting stronger. They lost a tough one at Tennessee on Sunday, but they won at South Carolina on Wednesday to run their league record to 11-4. The Wildcats RPI has climbed into the Top 50, so a win at home against Florida on Sunday may be all they need to complete their improbable run to an at-large berth.

Arkansas - The Hogs aren't as in bad a shape as it may appear. They got a big win over Vanderbilt last Saturday, and as mentioned above a win at home over Auburn will give the Hogs a winning SEC record. The RPI is solid, and Arkansas has good non-conference wins over Baylor and VCU on neutral courts. The weakness of the bubble teams around the country also helps the Razorbacks chances.

Florida - The loss to Tennessee was a heartbreaker. The Gators find themselves in need of win at Kentucky to finish above .500 in SEC play and to give them a quality road win. Florida only has one win over an RPI Top 50 team, and their non-conference strength of schedule is awful. A loss to Kentucky will likely leave Florida on the outside looking in at the NCAA Tournament unless they can win the SEC Tournament.

Ole Miss - Ole Miss is only 6-9 in SEC play, but a win at Georgia coupled with three wins in the SEC Tournament would put them in the same boat as last year's Arkansas team that garnered one of the last at-large bids. Anything short of winning the next four leave the Rebels in the NIT. Of course, if Ole Miss could win that 5th game, they would get the automatic bid and not have to worry about anything.

Automatic Bid Only - South Carolina, Georgia, LSU, Alabama, Auburn

SEC Teams and the NCAA Tournament - Round 2

Another disastrous road loss by the Hogs last night to Alabama has them sitting squarely on the bubble. Right now Arkansas is 18-9 overall, 7-6 in SEC play, 6-6 in their last 12 games, and a woeful 2-6 in true road games. Onto the SEC breakdown:

SEC East
1. Tennessee (11-2, 25-3, RPI 1)
2. Kentucky (10-3, 16-10, RPI 60)
3. Vanderbilt (9-4, 24-4, RPI 7)
4. Florida (8-5, 21-7, RPI 51)
5. South Carolina (4-9, 12-15, RPI 147)
6. Georgia (3-10, 11-14, RPI 139)

SEC West
1. Mississippi State (10-3, 19-8, RPI 41)
2. Arkansas (7-6, 18-9, RPI 45)
3. Alabama (4-9, 15-13, RPI 123)
4. Auburn (4-9, 14-12, RPI 127)
5. LSU (4-9, 11-16, RPI 164)
6. Ole Miss (4-9, 18-9, RPI 48)

Locks:
Tennessee - The Vols won at Memphis and lost at Vanderbilt this week. Tennessee is ranked No. 1 until the polls come out next Monday, and they are still No. 1 in the RPI. Tennessee's lead in the SEC East and overall standings has been trimmed to one game over Kentucky and Mississippi State. Tennessee should lock up a No. 1 seed if they can win the SEC regular season title with wins against Kentucky, Florida, and South Carolina. Depending on how the other teams vying for a no. 1 seed do down the stretch, Tennessee may need to win the SEC Tournament as well for a chance at the overall no. 1 seed. Tennessee is a stellar 11-3 in road/neutral court games, 3-2 against the RPI Top 25, and 9-2 against the RPI Top 50.

Vanderbilt - Vandy's win over Tennessee makes them a lock for the NCAA Tournament, and they can claim a top four seed if they finish strong. The Commodores are No. 7 in the RPI, and have quality wins against Tenn., S. Alabama, UMass, Wake Forest, Ga. Tech, Ky, and Florida. Vandy's road/neutral court record is a respectable 6-4.

Mississippi State - MSU moves into the lock category on the Razorpod Blog. The Bulldogs clinched at least a share of the West Division Title with their win over Auburn last night. If MSU can finish strong, they have a shot at a share of the SEC overall title. Their road/neutral court record is 8-5 with a 5-3 record in true road games, and they are also 9-3 in their last 12 games. The Bulldogs so-so non-conference record may prevent them from getting a high seed as well as their 2-7 record against the RPI Top 50.

Should Be In
Nobody is in this category

Work Left To Do
Arkansas - Arkansas has gone from playing for seeding to the outside of the bubble by losing 4 of their last 5 games (all four losses were on the road). The Hogs have a huge opportunity to right the ship with Vanderbilt coming to Fayetteville on Saturday. Arkansas' RPI is an okay 45, and they own quality wins over Baylor, Mississippi State, VCU, and Florida. The road/neutral court record is 5-8 with a pathetic 2-6 record in true road games. Losses to South Carolina, Georgia, and Appalachian State also hurt. The Hogs can slide comfortably back inside the bubble by winning their final three regular season games - Vandy, at Ole Miss, and Auburn.

Florida - The Gators are 8-5 in SEC play and 21-7 overall. However, they only have one marquee win - a home win over Vanderbilt. They are 1-5 against the RPI Top 50. However, Florida can secure a berth if they can win 2 of their final 3 against Mississippi State, Tennessee, and Kentucky. MSU and TN will be home games, while the Gators can sweep the season series if they can get a win at Kentucky. If Florida loses 2 of 3, it may take a couple of solid wins in the SEC Tournament to get them back into the NCAA Tournament picture.

Kentucky - Kentucky is coming on strong down the stretch. Two more wins this week put the Wildcats at 10-3 in the SEC with a chance to win the regular season title if they can upset Tennessee in Knoxville on Sunday. Once considered a longshot just to get onto the bubble, Kentucky can stake its claim to an at-large bid with 2 more regular season wins. Their RPI has climbed to 60, and they are 4-5 against the RPI Top 50. Kentucky's margin of error still remains razor thin, however. A loss at Tennessee coupled with another loss either at South Carolina or home against Florida could leave the Wildcats in need of an SEC Tournament Title to get into the NCAA Tournament.

Ole Miss - At 4-9 in SEC play, the Rebels have pretty much squandered their 14-0 start. It's hard to imagine a team receiving an at-large berth with a losing conference record this year as the SEC is perceived to be a little down when compared to the other BCS conferences. However, Ole Miss can at least give the committee something to think about if they can manage to win out against a relatively easy schedule. Alabama and Arkansas visit the Tad Pad, and the only road game left is against East cellar-dweller, Georgia.

Automatic Bid Only - South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, LSU.

SEC Update

Arkansas got just what they needed after two tough losses on the road - a home date with last place LSU. Sparked by some torrid outside shooting in the 1st half, the Hogs went on a 21-0 run to take a 23 point lead into halftime. The second half was all for show as Arkansas improved to 18-7 overall and 7-4 in the SEC with a 87-61 win.

Other SEC Games:
Ole Miss over Mississippi State
Florida over South Carolina
Tennessee over Auburn

Updated Standings:
SEC West
1. Mississippi State 8-3
2. Arkansas 7-4
3. Ole Miss 4-7
4. Alabama 3-8
5. Auburn 3-8
6. LSU 2-9

SEC East
1. Tennessee 11-1
2. Kentucky 8-3
3. Vanderbilt 7-4
4. Florida 7-5
5. South Carolina 4-7
6. Georgia 3-8

SEC Teams and the NCAA Tournament

With the NCAA Tournament just one month away, the Razorpod Blog will attempt to keep you informed of which SEC teams will make the Big Dance. First, a look at the SEC standings with each teams RPI.

SEC East
1. Tennessee (23-2, 10-1, #1)
2. Kentucky (14-10, 8-3, #69)
3. Vanderbilt (22-4, 7-4, #10)
4. Florida (19-7, 6-5, #58)
5. South Carolina (12-12, 4-6, #116)
6. Georgia (11-12, 3-8, #131)

SEC West
1. Mississippi State (17-7, 8-2, #43)
2. Arkansas (17-7, 6-4, #32)
3. Ole Miss (17-7, 3-7, #47)
4. Auburn (13-10, 3-7, #147)
5. Alabama (14-12, 3-8, #124)
6. LSU (8-15, 2-8, #185)

Taking a cue from ESPN.com's weekly watch, the Razorpod Blog will put SEC teams into the following categories - locks, should be in, work to do, and better win the SEC Tournament and snag that automatic bid.

Locks - Tennessee and Vanderbilt
Should Be In - Mississippi State
Work Left to Do - Arkansas, Florida, Ole Miss, Kentucky
Automatic Bid Only - Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Auburn, LSU

Tennessee is 23-2, 10-1 in SEC play. The Vols are the class of the SEC, and if they finish 4-1 in SEC play they'll win their first outright SEC Title in 41 years. I'm assuming that MSU will not run the table and finish 14-2 in league play, since the Bulldogs play 4 of their final 6 on the road. Tennessee can get a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament if they beat Memphis Saturday night and win the SEC regular season title. Even if the Vols lose at Memphis, they can still garner a No. 1 seed by winning the rest of their regular season games and winning the SEC Tournament.

Vanderbilt is a lock with a 22-4 record and No. 10 ranking in the RPI. With just a little help, the Commodores should slide up to No. 2 in the SEC East and get a first round bye in the SEC Tourney.

Mississippi State should win the West as they have a two game lead on Arkansas with six games left to play. However, the Bulldogs hopes of a high seed could take a hit with games at Ole Miss, at South Carolina, at Florida, and at Vanderbilt. MSU's rough start could (5-5 non-conference) cost them as well.

Arkansas is in the best position of those teams that still have some work left to do. The Hogs are 17-7, 6-4 in SEC play. With three home games remaining, Arkansas should secure a bid by winning those games. However, a slip up at home will cause some concern if the Hogs losing road ways continue. Arkansas can all but secure a berth with two wins this week. A home victory over LSU followed by a road win over Kentucky would most likely secure a 10 win SEC season and NCAA bid. Watch out for a home date with Vanderbilt.

Florida is in a precarious position after 3 losses in their last four games. The Gators are only 1-5 against the RPI Top 50, and they still have games remaining against MSU, Tennessee, and Kentucky. An 8-8 SEC record coupled with a weak non-conference schedule would leave the two-time defending national champions in the NIT.

Ole Miss has squandered its 13-0 start by collapsing in SEC play. The Rebels are 3-7 in the SEC, and a loss at home against MSU tonight would be a crippling blow to their NCAA chances. Ole Miss also has road games left against Kentucky, LSU, and Georgia as well as a home game against Arkansas. Andy Kennedy's team is staring at a 6-10 league record or worse. No NCAA bid will be forthcoming in that instance.

Kentucky provides the most interesting case. Billy Gillispie's first team was 6-7 in non-conference play with horrendous home losses to Gardner-Webb and San Diego. The Wildcats and the Big Blue faithful were left for dead when SEC play started. However, Kentucky is now 8-3 in the SEC, their RPI is starting to become respectable, and they should get to 10 or 11 SEC wins with the only likely loss being at Tennessee. Wins at home against Arkansas, Florida, and Ole Miss along with a road win at South Carolina is all that stands between them and a 12-4 SEC record. No team has been left out of the NCAA Tournament with 10 or more conference wins.

The Razorpod Blog will back with this feature every week between now and the tournament. Please leave your comments and thoughts on the NCAA Tournament prospects of SEC Teams.

Great Week

It was a good week to be a Hog basketball fan. A twenty point win over nationally ranked and West leading Mississippi State was followed by a 19 point domination of nationally ranked Florida. The Hogs increased defensive intensity and commitment to rebounding have keyed the surge. While the offense can still look questionable at times, Sonny Weems is growing into his go to player roll. If his hot shooting continues, look for Beverley to continue to benefit, as well as the big men, from a more spread out opponent's defense.

Now, it's Ole Miss. A team at the beginning of the conference slate that looked 15 points better than the Hogs. They're on the decline, dropping a game at home to USC on Saturday (sound familiar?). But they always play the Hogs tougher than most anyone, and another blow out would be surprise. The open Wednesday comes at a good time. Hopefully, Pel can bring the team back down to earth and get them ready for what will be a physical game on Saturday.

Home Stretch

The next three games may very well decide the fate of this year's basketball team. The Hogs are 3-2, and entering a three game home stand where they will face West leading Mississippi State, East leading Florida, and West rival Ole Miss. A three game sweep would put Arkansas at 6-2 and quite possibly in a tie for first in the West. A loss in the three games will make the second half of the season even more difficult than it already is with 5 of the 8 games on the road. Two losses and a third straight tournament appearance is in serious jeopardy.

Razorback Basketball - A Old, Familiar Feeling

Hello, Razorpod fans. After a lengthy absence to digest the Cotton Bowl debacle and formulate an opinion on the basketball Hogs, the Razorpod Crew is back on the blog. Unfortunately, the news isn't good. John Pelphrey's first team at Arkansas looks suspiciously like Stan Heath's last version - inconsistent. Pelphrey is a solid coach who may very well lead the Hogs back to SEC front-runner status and NCAA Tournament glory, but his first team is filled with seven seniors who are very much set in their ways. As much prodded and yelling as Pelphrey does, those seniors are seniors, and their play is as inconsistent and spotty as it was when they were freshmen, sophomores, and juniors.

Arkansas played well in wins over Baylor and Auburn, looked like world-beaters for a half against Alabama before gutting out an OT win (something that is different this year), and then played an all-too familiar game in getting beat by SEC bottom-feeder South Carolina at Bud Walton Arena. A home loss to the Gamecocks coupled with the loss in LR to Appalachian State is not an NCAA Tournament resume builder. Nate Allen tackles one of the glaring problems for both Coach Heath and Coach Pelphrey - lack of a true point guard to lead the attack.

http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/61305

The Hogs have plenty of time to get back on track in SEC play, and wins at Georgia and LSU over the next two games would take some of the bad taste from Wednesday night away. However, unless their is drastic improvement, it's hard to envision this team finishing ahead of Ole Miss and Mississippi State in the West. A third place finish in the SEC West will not get this band of Razorbacks an invitation to March Madness.

The blog will delve into SEC teams' chances of reaching the NCAA Tournament in a couple of weeks when teams start to separate themselves in the standings. As for now, it's good to back talking Razorback sports.