FAYETTEVILLE -- No. 17 Arkansas enters the SEC Tournament as the No. 3 seed and will play Friday night in the late game at approximately 8:30 p.m.
Arkansas will play either South Carolina (14), Oklahoma (11) or Texas A&M (6) in the first game. John Calipari explained what it's like to plan for three teams.
"Well, first of all, when you don’t know who you’re going to play, it’s not all about that because you just lock into yourself," Calipari said. "Is there anything that we need to do a little different or try? Is there anything that we need to add to us offensively, or even defensively? And so now we’ve got two days to do it, today or tomorrow, and then maybe even Thursday when we can touch on stuff. We’ll have an idea of the two teams by Thursday, but we’re not going to know until 11 o’clock on Thursday night who we’re playing the next day at 8:30."
Calipari expects a tough challenge regardless of who they face.
"All three teams are good," Calipari said. "They’re capable of beating us. When I watch tape, both teams could have beaten us. We got South Carolina, but South Carolina got us by 50, so they’re all.
"And let me say this. Porter Moser, the job he’s doing, they were 1-6. We were 1-6, if you remember, a year ago. To keep his team together. To keep them fighting. I think they finished 8-2 the rest of the way in the last nine games, something like that. They were 8-2, and they played well. They won games. Buried some people. Won some close games, and let me say this, I’m glad we’re doing this so I can say it. All these administrations that are talking about changing coaches, well whatever you’re going to invest to change the coach, why don’t you invest in NIL. Let the guy go and see how he does. If they were under NIL, less than other people give him more, and if he can’t do it then, okay. I laugh and say, but you’re willing to change and spend more money, and spend more money, and give the guy more money who comes in, why don't you just give this guy you have who can really coach, and I’m not saying Porter. I’m saying everybody. This is a time of the year where we’re just going to make a change because people are upset. Let me tell you. You want to make a change? How about make the guy you have right now, give him a better opportunity to win. I say that for all coaches. Change isn’t the answer if you got a guy who can coach. We got guys where the team struggled and came back and played well and are still playing well. And now, okay, they didn’t have as much as the rest of our league. Well give them more. If you’re ready to make a change, you have it. Give them more, and let them have it and see what they do."
Arkansas defeated Missouri 88-84 in overtime to conclude the regular season without Darius Acuff. Calipari was asked about his availability for Friday?
"He’s been good," Calipari said. "We have no intention of holding him out. But we’ve got two days of practice, you know. If something happens, something happens. But the whole plan was give him some time and let him be closer to 100% and let’s go. He’s practicing today. If stuff’s a little bit too much body to body I’ll probably keep him out. But like I said he wanted to play that last game. I mean people that watched him on the bench could tell. When I saw him in the training room this morning, I asked ‘How are you feeling?’ And he said, ‘I’m practicing today.’ I said, ‘Well, yeah, and there are times when I’m going to pull you out. But when you’re in there, go really hard and then we’ll step you off the court.’"
The news on Karter Knox isn't as positive though. Knox has been out for several games following surgery to repair a meniscus.
"He is doing great," Calipari said. "My guess is we would probably have to be in the Final Four for him to have any chance to play. So, let's hope he has a chance to play. But he's ... That was not easy surgery, but he's working. He's in there every day I look in. He's in the practices. He's just not– he's not ready to do anything right now."
Friday's game will be televised on the SEC Network.