Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Nolan Richardson got several good looks at the Arkansas basketball team this year. He took in multiple games at Bud Walton Arena and the national championship winning coach was in New Orleans for Thursday’s 70-54 loss to LSU.

Not that Richardson needed his front row seat in the opening round of the SEC Tournament to know what ails the Razorbacks. Richardson said it didn’t take long to figure out what sort of challenge Mike Anderson, his former assistant, faced in his first season at Arkansas.

Arkansas now has lost four consecutive games in the opening round of the SEC Tournament.

“Right off the bat when you watch [Anderson’s] team play you can see he’s lacking in talent compared to some of the other teams that have a little more talent,” Richardson told SEC Network analyst Dari Nowkhah. “No matter what you say, no matter what anyone says, players make you a better basketball coach. He needs a few of those one-and-dones to go along with what he’s got. He’s done an incredible job to get Arkansas in position where they’ve won 18 basketball games.”

Arkansas got off to a 16-6 start, but finished the regular season with losses in seven of the final nine games. Anderson guided the Razorbacks to a 18-13 overall record, which included three victories against teams ranked in the Top 25.

Anderson and the Razorbacks are still looking for players as part of the 2012 class. During the early signing period Arkansas added guard Athlon Bell (Memphis Bartlett), small forward Michael Qualls (Shreveport [La.] Huntington) and small forward JaCorey Williams (Birmingham Central).

Richardson cited low numbers this season — including the loss of all-SEC forward Marshawn Powell early in the year — as part of Anderson's struggle. Playing an uptempo, full-court game requires more than eight healthy plalyers, Richardson said.

“When you look at poor ole Mike’s team, they’ve got eight, maybe nine players," Richardson said. "One of the football players [quarterback Brandon Mitchell] had to come and help the basketball team. You’ve got to have some players to do what we used to do.”

Richardson, who was in New Orleans being recognized as an SEC Legend, won 389 games in 17 seasons at Arkansas. His tenure included three Final Fours and the 1994 national title.