The Arkansas Razorbacks may have had problems knocking off the nation's top teams this season, but as Southwest Conference league play nears they have shown they are the best in their neighborhood.
And they will get a chance to drive home that point this week.
Arkansas lost for the second time this season Saturday, but gained a good deal of respect by putting up an excellent battle against Nevada-Las Vegas on the Rebels' home court. The only other Arkansas loss has been a one-point affair to Missouri.
The Razorbacks showed they have the athletes to compete at the national level, leading the Rebels for much of the game before finally falling to the three-point barrage of Anderson Hunt.
The 101-93 setbackleft Arkansas with an 8-2 record going into conference play, which for the Hogs begins Wednesday night at Houston.
It will be a major opening, road test for Arkansas, which found itself in a street fight against UNLV.
'That was definitely the most physical football -- I mean basketball -- team we have ever faced, probably in my entire coaching career,' said Arkansas Coach Nolan Richardson. 'I thought we were in position to get a lot of rebounds and then were just outmanned.
'It's a game that I thought the officials let get out of hand.'
While Arkansas has been developing into a major force in the SWC, the Houston Cougars have become something of an enigma. Houston managed only a three-point victory over Coastal Carolina before defeating South Florida in the finals of the Tampa Tribune Tournament and have been much less than overpowering in building an 8-3 mark.
Texas, meanwhile, shapes up as Arkansas' chief challenger as the conference race begins. The Longhorns already have one league victory, beating SMU a week ago, and resume SWC action next Thursday at home against Texas Tech.
Before that, however, Texas must contend with the LSU Tigers Tuesday night in a game that will be played at Houston's Summit Arena.
The Longhorns warmed up for that one with a trip to Florida last Saturday, where they put on a late surge that brought them a 102-82 win over Stetson. Texas' Joey Wright scored 47 points.
In addition to the showcase Arkansas-Houston game Tuesday night, the conference action that evening will have TCU going to SMU and Baylor hosting Texas A&M.
Arkansas' travels continue next weekend with a Saturday trip to Texas Tech.
