Their backs are not against the wall, but the University of Arkansas Razorbacks are getting closer to being out of the NCAA Tournament than they are in it.
The Razorbacks are 11-8 -- having lost four of their past five games -- and 2-4 in SEC play. The NCAA's new NET Rankings -- which replaced the RPI as an evaluative tool -- has them at No. 69. Before you start thinking that's just one spot off the 68 teams who make March Madness, 32 bids are awarded to conference tournament winners.
What the Razorbacks need is to be in the top six or seven in the SEC, which means finding a way to claw themselves ahead of Auburn, Florida, Mississippi State and Alabama in the standings.