Eric Musselman reveals he's still angry over SEC play

Eric Musselman has turned his focus to the NCAA Tournament. However, Arkansas falling short in the SEC Tournament still burns the back of his mind as he readies the Razorbacks for battle.

Prior to Arkansas taking on Vermont in the NCAA Tournament, Musselman shared some thoughts regarding the Razorbacks.

“I think it’s really exciting for the players. I’m still trying to get over Tampa,” stated Musselman. “I think it’s — to see your name called and to find out who you’re playing, where you’re playing. For the student athletes, it’s kind of like a lifetime memory for them. And now the preparation begins.”

While Arkansas had a fantastic season under Musselman, the Razorbacks were blown-out by Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament Semifinals. Evidently, it isn’t a loss that’s sitting well with the Arkansas head coach.

Nevertheless, the Razorbacks will be a tough out in the NCAA Tournament. Last season, Arkansas made it to the Elite Eight before being eliminated by Baylor — the eventual champions. Now, the Razorbacks will be looking to out-do their previous success.

Eric Musselman takes subtle shot at selection committee’s placement of Arkansas

The NCAA Tournament bracket is out, which means conversations have started about seeding and where teams were placed. Arkansas coach Eric Musselman had some thoughts about his team’s placement this week prior to the big dance.

The Razorbacks are a No. 4 seed in the West Regional, but play their first game in Buffalo, NY. They’ll take on No. 13 seed Vermont with a chance to potentially face No. 5 seed UConn in the next round, which also takes place in Buffalo.

Musselman argued those two teams could have more of an advantage during those game since they’re closer to Buffalo than Arkansas is.

“You know, it’s interesting,” Musselman said. “We play in Buffalo. Vermont’s a seven-hour drive or whatever. UConn’s another team in that. That’s a six-hour and fifteen-minute drive. So [it’s] kind of like a road game for us against Vermont, quite frankly. We’ve got to understand that, as well.

“It’s not often when a four-seed, when you look at your bracket, and [say], ‘Oh, wow. The first team we play is really close to here.’ If you’re fortunate enough to advance, that team’s pretty close, too. Not much of an advantage there at all.”

Arkansas went 25-8 this year and fell to Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. They’ll take on Vermont Thursday at 9:20 p.m. ET on TNT.