FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach Mike Anderson says he was "blindsided" by a tumultuous offseason for the Razorbacks, one that included the arrests of three players on allegations of using counterfeit money.
Still, entering his fifth season at Arkansas — his 22nd overall at the school, including 17 as an assistant — Anderson remains optimistic the program can build on last year's second-place finish in the Southeastern Conference.
Led by SEC Player of the Year Bobby Portis, the Razorbacks finished 27-9 last season and reached their NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008.
The excitement-filled season was the culmination of four years of rebuilding for Anderson, though the school took a step back afterward following the early departures for the NBA of Portis and second-leading scorer Michael Qualls.