the Tribune earlier in the month. According to MU guard Marcus Denmon, Anderson told him days before leaving that he would stay at MU and "didn't plan on changing." Anderson did not hold a press conference after accepting the Arkansas job, but Denmon, forward Laurence Bowers and guard Kim English—three players recruited to Missouri by Anderson—expressed both disappointment and understanding of Anderson's decision. Later in the week, when Anderson held his introductory press conference at Arkansas, a reporter from KOMU traveled to Fayetteville to ask Anderson why he did not address fans or media in Columbia. Anderson denied that claim, citing a press release on Arkansas's official athletic website as the official "good-bye." Fans at the press conference booed the reporter, but Anderson told the crowd the questions were "legit," and that "Columbia was great to Mike Anderson." Missouri eventually hired Frank Haith to succeed Anderson. In his first press conference, Haith said Anderson told him the new Missouri players would love him. Arkansas On March 23, 2011, Anderson signed a seven-year contract with the University of Arkansas worth $2.2 million a year. On April 6, 2011, the University of Arkansas announced Anderson's entire coaching staff, which included Melvin Watkins. T.J. Cleveland, and Matt Zimmerman, would follow him from Missouri. First three seasons Anderson meandered through his first two seasons back at the place he began his coaching career, finishing with winning records (18–14 and 19–13) but was unable to secure a spot in any postseason play, as they finished ninth and seventh in the Southeastern Conference standings. In 2013–14, the Razorbacks returned to the postseason for the first time since 2008, earning a spot in the NIT. Improving its SEC Tournament seeding by two spots for the second straight year under Anderson, Arkansas finished fifth in the league standings at 10–8 while reaching the 20-win plateau (22–12) for the first time since the aforementioned 2007–08 campaign. Highlighting the 22-win season was the program's first-ever season sweep of SEC rival Kentucky and a 5–1 mark against teams that advanced to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament and NIT. The Arkansas faithful saw signs of the Nolan Richardson-era style of play that Anderson utilizes, as the Razorbacks led the SEC in scoring (80.1), assists (15.3), steals (8.4), and turnover margin (+5.5), figures that all ranked in the top 30 in the nation. Individual development was also critical to Arkansas’ improvement