FAYETTEVILLE -- Whether scheduling his Arkansas Razorbacks women's team for NCAA Tournament consideration or practicing to get there, Jimmy Dykes hardly could have done less.
For that, the first-year coach said he expects more. He expects more merit from the selection committee that will announce the women's tournament field Monday and more production from his players after a few days off to refresh their legs.
It's no surprise that Arkansas has had as many rest days as practice days since losing to SEC champion South Carolina on March 6 in the SEC Tournament after beating Ole Miss in the opening round. Dykes said he was "fine with nine" upon opening the season with a depleted roster, and he often relied on just seven through 30 grueling games.
"You would be hard pressed to find a team in the country that needs rest as much we do," Dykes said. "I think we are the only team in the country that has four kids in their conference in the top 10 for minutes played."
They could have played even more.
Dykes' Razorbacks played one less regular-season game than most of their SEC sisters.
"When I got the job, we basically had room for one more nonconference game," Dykes said. "The only thing available to us to play was teams that had an RPI of 280 or higher. I chose not to play because I thought winning that game in the RPI would actually hurt us.
"I hope the selection committee sees our purpose."
Arkansas' 17-13 overall and 7-11 SEC numbers don't add up to an elite postseason until summing up its elite schedule.
"I think our strength of schedule is sixth in the country," Dykes said. "Our RPI is 43. Our numbers say we were 7-11 in the SEC. I know that's not great, but we won seven in arguably the toughest league in the country and ranked 20th nationally in scoring defense."
Arkansas started 0-4 in the SEC at Ole Miss and against three teams that at the time were ranked fifth, 14th and seventh nationally.
"From that point, we have gone 7-7 against SEC opponents," Dykes said.
Among Arkansas's SEC victims were then-No. 17 Georgia and LSU, which is bound for the Big Dance.
In nonconference play the Razorbacks defeated Iowa, 15th in the current coaches poll, and Oklahoma. It won at Middle Tennessee and lost to Rutgers, 23rd in the coaches poll, and Summit League champion South Dakota State.
"We did what they told us to do," Dykes said of playing a tough schedule. "Is the selection committee going to hold us that we were 7-11 against SEC teams or are they going to judge us by our overall body of work like they always say they do?"
If the committee doesn't, then Arkansas will play in the NIT with NCAA Tournament effort, Dykes asserted.
"I know we will all be disappointed if it doesn't go our way to be in the NCAA, but this team has been so resilient all year," Dykes said. "They never wavered, and they won't waver now."
Sports on 03/14/2015