A complete look at the final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll – Arkansas at No. 21
Modern-day blue-bloods of college basketball:
Duke. Kentucky. North Carolina. Kansas. Connecticut.
The Huskies’ national championship win over San Diego State on Monday night sealed UConn on an elite company alongside the icons of the sport. The irony for folks who chose to read this?
Arkansas has met every single one of them and matched them almost step for step during that stretch at the top.
Connecticut beat Arkansas in the Sweet 16 this year. Arkansas beat Kansas in the Round of 32. Last year, Arkansas fell to Duke in the Elite Eight. The Tar Heels eliminated Arkansas from the NCAA Tournament in 2008, 2015 and 2017. Then, of course, there’s Hogs-vs-Cats every year in the SEC.
Four of those five of college basketball’s elite – and Arkansas – were, again, ranked on Tuesday when the final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll was dropped. Take a look below, because it almost certainly won’t be the same, or perhaps even close to it in six months before the 2023-24 season.
25. Texas A&M
Mar 10, 2023; Nashville, TN, USA; Texas A&M Aggies guard Wade Taylor IV (4) drives past Arkansas Razorbacks guard Davonte Davis (right) during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports
24. Indiana
Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis (23) dunks during the Indiana versus St. Francis men’s basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022.
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23. Virginia
Feb 22, 2023; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; A member of the Virginia Cavaliers men’s basketball team wears a warmup jersey honoring fallen Virginia football classmates at Conte Forum. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
22. St. Mary's
March 6, 2023; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Saint Mary’s Gaels center Mitchell Saxen (11) dribbles the basketball against the Brigham Young Cougars during the first half in the semifinals of the WCC Basketball Championships at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
21. Arkansas
Mar 23, 2023; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Anthony Black (0) dribbles the ball against UConn Huskies guard Tristen Newton (2) during the first half at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
20. Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo and his team react after a basket against the Kansas State Wildcats during first-half action in the NCAA tournament East region Sweet 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York on Thursday, March 23, 2023.
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19. Baylor
Jan 28, 2023; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears forward Flo Thamba (0) grabs a rebound against Arkansas Razorbacks forward Kamani Johnson (20) during the first half at Ferrell Center. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports
18. Duke
Dec 20, 2022; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Jeremy Roach (3) drives on Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward Andrew Carr (11) during the first half at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-USA TODAY Sports
17. Arizona
Dec 20, 2022; Tucson, Arizona, USA;Arizona Wildcats center Oumar Ballo (11) at the basket against Montana State Bobcats Forward Jubrile Belo (13) in the second half at McKale center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary BonDurant-USA TODAY Sports
16. Tennessee
Tennessee’s Santiago Vescovi (25) with the shot attempt while guarded by Arkansas’ Jordan Walsh (13) during the NCAA college basketball game in Knoxville, Tenn. on Tuesday, February 28, 2023.
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15. Xavier
Xavier Musketeers guard Souley Boum (0) takes the ball down court in the first half of the NCAA Big East basketball game between the Xavier Musketeers and the Seton Hall Pirates at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022.
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13. Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers center Zach Edey (15) celebrates after scoring during the NCAA men’s basketball game against the Indiana Hoosiers, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind. Indiana Hoosiers won 79-71.
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12. Creighton
LAHAINA, HI – NOVEMBER 22: Arthur Kaluma #24 of the Creighton Bluejays dribbles and is guarded by Jordan Walsh #13 of the Arkansas Razorbacks in the first half of the game during the Maui Invitational at Lahaina Civic Center on November 22, 2022 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
11. Kansas
Mar 18, 2023; Des Moines, IA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (15) controls the ball against Arkansas Razorbacks forward Makhi Mitchell (15) during the second half at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports
10. Gonzaga
March 7, 2023; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme (2) shoots the basketball against the Saint Mary’s Gaels during the first half in the finals of the WCC Basketball Championships at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
9. Kansas State
Jan 7, 2023; Waco, Texas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats forward Keyontae Johnson (11) dunks against Baylor Bears guard Keyonte George (1) during the first half at Ferrell Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports
8. UCLA
Mar 10, 2023; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Tyger Campbell (10) celebrates with UCLA Bruins guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (24) after a scoring play against the Oregon Ducks during the second half at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
7. Texas
Dec 18, 2022; Dallas, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns guard Marcus Carr (5) makes a free throw against the Stanford Cardinal during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports
6. Houston
Dec 21, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Marcus Sasser (0) attempts to keep a loose ball from going out of bounds during the second half against the McNeese State Cowboys at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
5. Florida Atlantic
Florida Atlantic Owls guard Alijah Martin (15) does the Gator Chomp after in the second half after defeating the Gators. The Florida Gators menÕs basketball team hosted the Florida Atlantic Owls at Billy Donovan Court at Exactech Arena in Gainesville, FL on Monday, November 14, 2022. Florida Atlantic defeated Florida 76-74. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]
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4. Alabama
Feb 25, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide forward Brandon Miller (24) brings the bball down court against Arkansas Razorbacks guard Davonte Davis (4) during the second half at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
3. Miami (FL)
Dec 20, 2022; Coral Gables, Florida, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard Armaan Franklin (4) blocks the shot of Miami Hurricanes guard Isaiah Wong (2) during the second half at Watsco Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
2. San Diego State
LAHAINA, HI – NOVEMBER 23: Jordan Walsh #13 of the Arkansas Razorbacks attempts to lay in the ball over Micah Parrish #3 of the San Diego State Aztecs in the first half of the game during the Maui Invitational at Lahaina Civic Center on November 23, 2022 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
1. Connecticut
Mar 23, 2023; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UConn Huskies guard Jordan Hawkins (24) shoots the ball against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the first half at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
