Was Arkansas good all along?
Not really, no. There were points during the season when the Razorbacks legitimately did not look like an NCAA Tournament team — but they did enough to get in, and now, in the tourney itself, they look like the top 25 team they started the season as. After beating No. 2-seeded St. John's in the second round on Saturday, the Pigs are Sweet 16 bound. Now, they wait and watch for their opponent.
Who will Arkansas play in the Sweet 16?
That's still to be decided — Arkansas plays the winner of Drake vs. Texas Tech, which will tip at 6:10 EST on Saturday evening.
Which team Arkansas would rather play depends on how you view March: if it's Drake, then Arkansas will be facing a small (and talented) school playing with loads of confidence. If Texas Tech comes out on top, the Razorbacks will be taking on a great shooting, stout defensive team — but one that didn't look convincing in the first round against UNC Wilmington.
Drake has been one of the best stories in college basketball this year — head coach Ben McCollum brought most of his roster from DII Northwest Missouri State with him to Drake, and the Bulldogs won 30 games, won the MVC Tournament, and beat Missouri in the first round on Thursday. That wasn't a fluke, either: this is a phenomenal basketball team that wants to slow the game way, way down, and make their opponents work for every shot attempt.
When will Arkansas play its Sweet 16 game?
The time is to be determined, but the game will be on Thursday, March 27th. Arkansas is living up to its potential — and there's no better month to do that. John Calipari's first year in Fayetteville, despite some bumps, is officially a success.