Anderson ready for next step

Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson answers a question during a news conference at the Southeastern Conference NCAA men's college basketball media day in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson answers a question during a news conference at the Southeastern Conference NCAA men's college basketball media day in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- As soon as Arkansas' private plane touched down at the Charlotte airport Wednesday morning, Razorbacks Coach Mike Anderson could feel the good vibes rushing back.

"Oh man, Charlotte is one of my favorite cities," Anderson said. "When you win a national championship, you kind of feel like you own the city."

Arkansas won its lone NCAA basketball championship in 1994, beating Arizona and Duke in the Final Four at the Charlotte Coliseum.

"I still have some of the banners at my house that they hung at the coliseum," Anderson said. "A lot of fond memories here."

Anderson and forwards Bobby Portis and Alandise Harris came to Charlotte -- home of the new SEC Network -- to represent the Razorbacks at SEC media days.

Portis, a sophomore from Little Rock Hall, hadn't been born when Arkansas won the 1994 national championship, but he heard all about it from Anderson on Wednesday.

"That's all Coach A was talking about," Portis said. "He kept pointing out stuff -- that's the hotel we stayed in, that's the road we took to the arena."

Anderson, 59-39 going into his fourth season at Arkansas, doesn't like to talk specifically about making it to the NCAA Tournament for the first time with the Razorbacks, but he will address the big picture.

"Every year we're trying to win a national championship, and the only way you're going to do that is to be in the NCAA Tournament," Anderson said. "But more importantly, as we build our program the right way, we don't want to be a flash in the pan, a one-year, two-year wonder. We want to sustain success over a period of time."

The Razorbacks finally look ready to become a perennial NCAA Tournament team -- as they were in the 17 seasons Anderson was an assistant to Coach Nolan Richardson from 1986-2002 -- after missing it for six seasons since their last appearance in 2008.

"I feel good about our chances of making the NCAA Tournament and pushing for a title," said Portis, a preseason All-SEC first-team pick. "Everybody on this team can play, and we have 10 potential starters.

"I'm just ready to get the season started."

Portis and Harris, a senior from Little Rock Central, are among six of the top seven scorers back from last season's 22-12 team that played in the NIT along with guards Ky Madden, Michael Qualls and Anthlon Bell and forward Moses Kingsley. Point guards Jabril Durham and Anton Beard are expected to be impact newcomers.

"I think Arkansas is a team that can make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament with their experience and size and athleticism," Georgia Coach Mark Fox said. "They got a raw deal last year."

Arkansas put together a six-game SEC winning streak late last season -- including its first victory at Kentucky since 1994 -- to get in position for an NCAA Tournament bid, but an 83-58 loss at Alabama in the regular-season finale and 71-69 loss to South Carolina in the SEC Tournament dropped the Razorbacks to the NIT.

"It broke my heart that because Arkansas lost to us, they got left out of the NCAA Tournament," South Carolina Coach Frank Martin said. "Arkansas had some real good wins. Their kids got robbed last year."

Arkansas swept its home-and-home series with Kentucky, which lost to Connecticut 60-54 in the NCAA Tournament championship game.

"Arkansas beat us twice, we played until the last game of the season," Kentucky Coach John Calipari said. "Maybe they should have been in the NCAA Tournament, you know? I think they were right on the edge of making it."

The Razorbacks' 10-8 SEC record included overtime losses to Florida -- a Final Four team -- and at Georgia and two losses to Missouri by a combined five points before the two-point loss to South Carolina.

"Last year we were so close to being there," Portis said. "Coach A is preaching to us about making that extra push and finishing out games better."

Anderson said as tough as the close losses were, they should benefit the Razorbacks.

"You've got to go through some things to get where you want to go," Anderson said. "Now the players better understand the things we've got to do in order to win, the fundamental things we've got to do better.

"We're looking forward to taking the next step."

Florida Coach Billy Donovan has been going against Arkansas' pressing, up-tempo style since his days as a Kentucky assistant in the early 1990s.

"It's very physically demanding, and it takes time to create that kind of culture," Donovan said. "I think Mike's really done that now. He's recruited very, very well and they've got some really good pieces, they've got depth. I think every year he's been there, they've been able to play a little bit more closely to how Mike would like to play.

"There's no question Mike's got them moving in the right direction."

Martin coached against Anderson's Alabama-Birmingham and Missouri teams, which combined for six NCAA Tournament appearances in nine seasons, including advancing to the Elite Eight and Sweet 16.

"It's going to happen for Mike at Arkansas, too," Martin said. "He's got his guys in place, guys that have grown up playing in his system."

Harris said he's especially excited about a schedule that includes road trips to preseason nationally ranked opponents Kentucky, Florida, SMU and Iowa State.

"Those are the games we want again, because if we win those games there won't be any questions about the NCAA Tournament," Harris said. "If we win on the road, what's there to talk about?"

Anderson is ready to make some more fond NCAA Tournament memories for Arkansas like the ones he has of winning it all in Charlotte.

"From a guy that was there, I know that feeling," he said. "I know what it takes. That's why I'm super excited about what is taking place in our program right now."

Sports on 10/23/2014

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