John Calipari, Arkansas keep NCAA Tournament hopes alive with upset win

Arkansas led by as many as 11 in the second half, and while Missouri clawed its way back into the game in the closing minutes, Arkansas was cool, calm and collected down the stretch. 

Florida Atlantic transfer guard Johnell Davis and Kentucky transfer forward Zvonimir Ivisic led Arkansas with 18  and 20 points, respectively. 

To make the victory a little sweeter, several great Razorback coaches were in the building, with 1994 national champion Nolan Richardson and former Arkansas football coach Houston Nutt among those in attendance. 

After an 0-5 start to SEC play, Arkansas' season has been revitalized by a 5-4 stretch that includes wins against the likes of No. 17 Kentucky, Georgia and Texas. 

Speaking of Texas, the Longhorns will visit Fayetteville on Wednesday in another winnable game for Arkansas. Should the Razorbacks sweep Texas, they'll enter their March 1 contest against South Carolina - the cellar dwellers of the SEC at 0-13 in conference play entering Saturday - with the chance to win three games in a row. 

Going into Saturday's game against Missouri, many pundits predicted that Arkansas needed to win three more SEC games in order to sneak into the SEC Tournament. Beating the Tigers is a big step on the road to March Madness, and if the Hogs can win two of their last four, a trip back to the Big Dance after a one-year hiatus could be in order. 

After taking on Texas and South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State await Arkansas in the final week of SEC play before the SEC Tournament.