Winning is the name of the game in college basketball.
But if you don’t believe me, just ask Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson.
After all, if there’s someone that knows about winning, it’s him.
Wait, you thought he wasn’t a good coach due to some members of the fanbase wanting him fired when the Razorbacks hit a few bumps in the road last season?
Maybe that’s understandable in a “what have you done for me lately” business. Anderson’s team struggled during the 2015-16 season in limping to a 16-16 record, which brought about plenty of naysayers in Fayetteville and elsewhere.
Unfortunately, the emotions of that disappointing season overshadowed the reality of the situation.
Let’s talk about that reality for a second.
The reality is that Arkansas won 26 games last season and was a few questionable calls away from beating eventual national champion North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Another reality that no one talks about? The fact that Anderson is preparing to enter his 16th season as a head coach, and has yet to have a losing season. Not a single one.
He’s also had 10 seasons of 21 or more wins and seven NCAA Tournament appearances.
But perhaps his critics need more visual evidence to further hammer home this point:
His four seasons at UAB:
- 21-13 (NIT Quarterfinals)
- 22-10 (NCAAT Sweet 16)
- 22-11 (NCAAT Second Round)
- 24-7 (NCAAT First Round)
His five seasons at Missouri:
- 18-12
- 16-16
- 31-7 (NCAAT Elite Eight)
- 23-11 (NCAAT Second Round)
- 23-11 (NCAAT First Round)
His six seasons at Arkansas thus far:
- 18-14
- 19-13
- 22-12 (NIT Second Round)
- 27-9 (NCAAT Second Round)
- 16-16
- 26-10 (NCAAT Second Round)
Translation: You could do a lot worse than Mike Anderson. A whole lot worse.
Yes, expectations at Arkansas are high. And yes, the Hogs have lost some games they had no business losing over the last several years.
However, the overall body work is nowhere near as bad as some have led you to believe.
This season should undoubtedly produce yet another winning season for Anderson. Despite losing Moses Kingsley and Dusty Hannahs to graduation, the Razorbacks return one of the nation’s top duos in Daryl Macon and Jaylen Barford. There’s also a lot of seniors on the returning roster, which will Arkansas a lot more experienced than the majority of its opponents.
And let’s not forget about the talented recruiting class that is headlined by Daniel Gafford, a 6-foot-10 power forward that is ranked as the 45th best player in the ESPN Top 100.
The pieces are definitely in place for this team to have another big season ahead.
But that would be nothing new for a coach like Anderson. He’s been winning his entire career, and there’s no reason to believe that the ’17-18 season will put a stop to that trend.
So, it might be best to think twice about underestimating Anderson’s abilities as the leader of the Razorbacks.
Either way, he’ll just keep on winning.
This story is a part of the “100 Reasons to Watch SEC Hoops in ’17-18” series.