The Arkansas Razorbacks’ luck seems to be running out despite hiring 3x Naismith College Coach of the Year John Calipari this season. Despite a decent 6-2 record, ample criticism has piled up in Calipari’s corner, with another instance posing worrying questions about the team’s long-term future this season.

It all happened during Monday’s episode of The Field Of 68: After Dark, featuring journalists Rob Dauster, John Fanta, and professional basketball player Terrence Oglesby. The trio was involved in a fun game of ‘Buy or Sell’, in a video titled, ‘BUY OR SELL: Does Arkansas deserve top 25? Is Illinois a title contender? And more!’ 

“You guys each have 30 seconds to answer these questions,” began Dauster before enquiring: “Buy or sell Illinois as a big 10 title contender?”

To this, Fanta promptly replied,

“Buy, because [Brad] Underwood is a really good coach. They showed quite a bit this past week. Their performance against Arkansas; they dominated Arkansas and I just like that.” And then came Caliper’s turn…“Are you buying or selling Arkansas as the top 25 team?” Dauster asked again, with Oglesby chiming in. “Top 25? Yes! Final Four contender? No!”, he said before adding, “Yeah, I’m buying.” 

Despite Cal taking over the head coaching position, and bringing his players from the Kentucky Wildcats, the Razorbacks aren’t performing as was expected of them. They have been defeated comprehensively whenever they have tackled ranked teams.

The example of the Baylor Bears and Illinois Fighting Illini is enough to prove this. They lost 72-67 against the Bears they were usurped 90-77 against the Fighting Illini.

“I think the evolution of Adou Theiro has been fun to watch. He’s awesome. Yeah, I love him. Can you imagine him on a… never mind,” Dauster cut himself short. “I think that Arkansas will be in no better than an 8-9 game,” Fanta remarked. “Kind of… that’s kind of where I’m at with it too. Like I don’t think… I think the bottom could fall out of this,” Dauster concluded. However, Rob Fanta didn’t quite agree. “Sell. I think that Arkansas will be in no better than an 8-9 game.”

Right now, the Razorbacks aren’t ranked in the top 25 though Oglesby opined that they might make their way into the top 25 soon. This has certainly come to upset their hopes of making it to the Final Four, something they last did decades ago in 1995. However, the analysts are impressed by their forward Adou Theiro’s growth.

Theiro transferred with Cal to Lexington after spending two seasons for the Wildcats. While with Kentucky, he averaged 7.2 points and 5 rebounds per game, his best until last season, his responsibilities have increased after making it to the Razorbacks and certainly, he has responded well.

Currently, Theiro averages 19.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game with 63.2% field goals.

But that hasn’t stopped Cal from facing major embarrassment.

Cal’s tactics have been questioned, with his team’s performance called for being “embarrassing”

“What Cal does, just by stepping onto this campus, is he puts Arkansas basketball back into the national conversation,” Nolan Richardson had stated about the Hall of Famer head coach when the latter joined the Razorbacks family. But up until now, it doesn’t look like Cal’s tactics are benefitting the squad. In their last game against Illinois, the 65-year-old was accused of doing the same thing over and over again when the pressure mounted.

As Illinois ran a highball screen with Kasparas Jakucionis, Kylan Boswell, and Tomislav Ivisic, the Razorbacks struggled to score. Plus, on the end of the court, Arkansas used drop coverage which was easy to penetrate for their opponents as the game ended on a 90-77 margin in favor of the Fighting Illini.

This prompted Dauster to comment on the display. “The performance against Illinois was just embarrassing man. Like I don’t get it, right? Like every single possession in that second half, Illinois did the same thing,” he exclaimed in surprise.

Hopefully, the Razorbacks will recover soon and Cal will take the truth and make sure not to repeat his Kentucky antics again. Perhaps, all Arkansas lacks is a good offensive strategy that John Welch taught to the Wildcats last season before departing to Fresno.