NCAA Basketball 2011: Mike Anderson Reportedly Headed to Coach Arkansas

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Is Mike Anderson to Arkansas a Smart Move?

Reports say that Mike Anderson will soon be named the new head basketball coach for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Anderson has yet to make anything public but sources are saying he's headed south to Fayetteville.

Anderson is debating on whether to sign a contract extension with the Missouri Tigers or have a change of scenery and start fresh with Arkansas. The Razorbacks fired John Pelphrey earlier this month and would love to have their former assistant be their coach.

Anderson was an assistant coach with the Razorbacks from 1985-2002. He then left to be head coach at UAB and has spent the last five years at Missouri. Anderson was expected to sign a contract extension, but now things are looking different. He received an extension in 2009 when Georgia tried to pull him away from the Tigers. Now it looks like another SEC has pried him away from Missouri.

The Razorbacks were mediocre last year with an 18-13 record and 7-9 in SEC play. Anderson has done well at Missouri going 111-57 and making it to the tournament the last three years.

This would be a great hire for the Razorbacks as they try to get back to their winning ways of old. They went to back-to-back National Championships in 94 and 95 beating Duke in 94 to cut down the nets but losing to UCLA in 95.

Anderson may have two of his nephews on the Tigers team, but I can't blame him for wanting to get back to the SEC. The conference is on the upswing, and in my eyes will soon be better than the ACC because it's really just Duke and North Carolina always dominating.

The SEC West is weaker than the East, but with the addition of Anderson the Razorbacks can get back on top of the conference.

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