Arkansas received the SWC’s only at-large bid for the 1980 NCAA Tournament, but the Hogs bowed out in the first round to Kansas State. Still, the success of the 1980 campaign laid the groundwork for a promising decade and provided glimpses of the excitement on the horizon. On Feb. 9, Houston defeated Arkansas 90-84 in a triple-overtime thriller at Barnhill Arena. Still the longest game in school history, it sparked a thrilling rivalry between the Hogs and Cougars — the crown jewels of SWC basketball.