FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Arkansas will not accept an invitation
to the NIT because the Razorbacks are "emotionally and physically
tired," coach Stan Heath said Friday.
Arkansas (18-12) was eliminated from the Southeastern Conference
Tournament on Thursday night, losing to Tennessee 65-46 in one of
the Razorbacks' worst games of the year.
Heath, in his third season with the Razorbacks since taking over
for the fired Nolan Richardson, had said his goal was to have
Arkansas back in the NCAA tournament by this season.
The Razorbacks won a national championship in 1994 and were
national runner-up in 1995, but they haven't won an NCAA tournament
game since beating Siena in a first-round game in 1999.
Arkansas hasn't reached the NCAA tournament since 2001 when
Richardson's last tournament team lost to Georgetown in the opening
round.
Heath said he could tell that a late-season slump had drained
the Razorbacks. Arkansas opened 13-1, but lost 11 of its next 16
games. The team's only victory since Feb. 12 was a 70-68 win at
home over Tennessee.
"As I look at how we closed the season, I can see in my team's
eyes, we are emotionally and physically tired," Heath said. "That
does not translate well for a team that should be going into
postseason."
Heath said athletic director Frank Broyles had already called
NIT officials to say Arkansas didn't want to participate.
Thursday, players had voted in the locker room to take an NIT
bid if one was extended. Heath said he met with the players Friday
and they agreed to decline a bid.