“We’ve created a monster here,” former Arkansas basketball coach Nolan Richardson said in 2000. “I love that monster because I created it.”
There was a catch, however. The more years that passed from winning the 1994 national championship, the more it became clear. “You have to feed the monster,” he added,” and we were not feeding the monster.”
Richardson left Tulsa to take the Arkansas job in 1985 following Eddie Sutton’s departure to Kentucky. In a stretch from 1988-96, the Razorbacks won five regular-season conference titles and three conference tournament titles, reached six Sweet 16s, four Elite Eights, three Final Fours and brought home that national title.