The latest NCAA Basketball Top 25 power rankings, by college basketball cloumn Busting Brackets, delivered a familiar sight for Arkansas fans: respect, but not quite reverence. Slotted at No. 13, the Razorbacks continue their steady climb as one of college basketball’s most dangerous teams, high enough to command national attention, yet low enough to fuel a chip-on-the-shoulder mentality that has come to define this program.
Arkansas’ Ranking Will Add Fuel to the Fire
That ranking may feel conservative to many, especially in Fayetteville, but Arkansas has never shied away from being overlooked. Just last season, the Razorbacks embraced that role as a No. 10 seed and rode it all the way to a surprising Sweet 16 run in the NCAA Tournament. This year, while the country clearly holds them in higher regard, the mindset hasn’t changed. The edge remains. The hunger remains. And under John Calipari, that mentality is becoming a calling card.
College basketball analyst Joey Loose recently highlighted Arkansas as one of the biggest movers in the rankings, pointing to the Razorbacks’ early-season growing pains as more than understandable. Losses at Michigan State and against Duke raised eyebrows in the win-loss column, but not in the evaluation room.
"“Those are forgivable losses for any team,” Loose noted, emphasizing that Calipari’s group has “really found their footing here over the last month or so.”"Joey Loose
Arkansas stacked quality wins over Louisville and Texas Tech, showcasing an offense that looks far more confident and explosive than it did in November. A hard-fought loss to Houston followed, but the takeaway wasn’t disappointment, it was momentum and what can they learn to get better. The Razorbacks are scoring with rhythm, playing faster, and attacking with purpose, a necessity as they prepare to navigate the nightly gauntlet of SEC play that is underway.
Razorbacks’ Non-Conference Slate Sets Stage for SEC
The early losses, rather than setbacks, now look like calculated risks. Few programs are willing to schedule that level of competition so early, knowing the pressure that can mount with losses before conference play even begins. Calipari and his team never wavered. They wanted to be tested. They wanted to be pushed. And in many ways, those games helped shape, and scar, this roster into what it is now.
Loose went on to praise Arkansas’s start to league play, calling it nearly ideal although one game in. The Razorbacks knocked off a legitimate Tennessee team and defended their home court in promising fashion, a critical marker for success in the SEC. The offensive surge continued, and Arkansas’s two standout freshmen, Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas, are beginning to fully live up to their preseason billing, injecting energy and star power into the rotation.
There is room for growth in key areas. Defensively, Arkansas showed improvement against Tennessee but still has another level to reach. Efficiency from beyond the arc remains a concern, with the Razorbacks hovering around 30 percent from three-point range. Cleaning up those areas could be the difference between being a top-15 team and a true national contender.
Now, the momentum is real and building in Fayetteville.
At No. 13, Arkansas may still feel slightly undervalued, but that’s exactly where the Razorbacks and Coach Cal thrive. If history is any indication, this is a team that prefers to let its play do the talking, and when March arrives, no one will want to see them on the other side of the bracket.