Arkansas is better than Hawaii, but if the Hogs struggle against the Big West champions, no one should be surprised. Just win and advance.
Arkansas basketball hasn't been to the Final Four in a long time. The Razorbacks therefore face considerable pressure to be at their best in March Madness, beginning with Thursday's first-round game against Hawaii. Fans might see Arkansas struggle and think this team is not ready to make a big run in the bracket. Let's stop the conversation right there: Don't worry about style points in the NCAA Tournament, especially not for this game and this situation.
Let's step back and realize what Arkansas is walking into. It's a lot less about Hawaii specifically, much more about the logistical crunch the Razorbacks will have to handle.
They just won three games in three days to capture the SEC Tournament. Usually, teams which play on Selection Sunday are given a Friday-Sunday bracket instead of a Thursday-Saturday bracket so that they have more time to rest and recover and deal with travel. Arkansas did not get that. Moreover, Arkansas is playing a day game, not a night game. Furthermore, Arkansas is playing in Portland, which is a long-distance commute. This is just about the worst possible logistical setup the Hogs possibly could have received. They are going to be tired, they will have to fly a long way, and they play an early game at their subregional site.
This is not the kind of game or situation in which perfection or excellence should be expected. It's a "grind it out and get through it" game. Just do enough to win, don't have anyone hurt, and get 12 hours of sleep on Friday before playing Wisconsin on Saturday. That should be the focus, not dominating Hawaii or playing a letter-perfect game against Hawaii. The only real expectation should be to win, not to look good or display precision.
The NCAA Tournament Selection Committee handed Arkansas a bad hand of cards. The Razorbacks just have to avoid elimination and stay at the table until Saturday, when -- with a little more rest -- they can take on (most likely) Wisconsin, a game in which they will need to be at 100 percent.
Darius Acuff averaged nearly 39 minutes played per game at the SEC Tournament. John Calipari has to manage his minutes against Hawaii and make sure he doesn't run out of steam this week in Portland.
If Arkansas beats Hawaii by only five points but Darius Acuff plays only 30 minutes instead of 37, that's a better overall outcome for the Hogs than beating UH by 20 with Acuff playing 37 minutes. UA needs to play the Hawaii game to advance not only to the Round of 32, but to the Sweet 16 the following week. This is a two-game assignment, but handling part one will shape how the Hogs deal with part two.