The TBS studio show after Friday’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 games made predictions for what teams would make the Final Four.
There was near consensus on the Arkansas vs. Duke basketball outcome in the Elite Eight, but Rex Chapman went a different way.
Chapman picked Arkansas to win.
Seth Davis, Ernie Johnson, Candace Parker and Baylor head coach Scott Drew all predicted Duke would defeat Arkansas to reach the Final Four.
Rex Chapman picks Arkansas vs. Duke basketball in Elite 8
“I want (Duke head coach) Mike Krzyzewski to win it all this year — I really do,” Chapman said. “However, I texted with our guy Eric Musselman last night. Let’s go SEC. He’s gonna do it.”
Chapman’s pick created a big roar from everyone on the TBS set.
Drew asked, “You callin’ the Hogs?”
“That’s right, I’m callin’ the Hogs,” Chapman said in response.
Chapman, who played college basketball at Kentucky from 1986-88, also picked Kansas, North Carolina and Villanova to reach the 2022 Final Four.
Arkansas is scheduled to face Duke at 7:59 p.m. CT/5:59 p.m. PT on Saturday.
No. 4-seeded Arkansas comes into the matchup 28-8 overall. Most recently, Arkansas beat Gonzaga 74-68 on Thursday in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
No. 2 seed Duke enters the contest 31-6 overall. On Thursday, Duke defeated Texas Tech 78-73 in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
The winner advances to the 2022 NCAA Tournament Final Four in New Orleans that starts Saturday, April 2.
Musselman is in his third season as the Arkansas basketball head coach. He previously took Arkansas to the NCAA Tournament in 2020-21. Arkansas ended the 2021 NCAA Tournament with an 81-72 loss to Baylor in the Elite Eight.
The Arkansas men’s basketball program made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament during the 1940-41 season. Arkansas has reached the Final Four on six occasions. Arkansas last reached the Final Four in 1995, when it lost to UCLA in the national championship game. Arkansas won its only NCAA Tournament title in 1993-94.
Here’s more Duke, Arkansas basketball news:
The NCAA Tournament national championship game is scheduled to take place Monday, April 4.
Erik Hall is the lead digital producer for sports with the USA Today Network. You can find him on Twitter @HallErik.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: TBS’ Rex Chapman makes outlier pick for Arkansas vs. Duke basketball