Arkansas returns to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2003 and will play Dayton on Saturday in a Raleigh regional first-round game at College Station, Texas.
The 11th-seeded Flyers (23-6) are in the tournament for the third consecutive season after winning their first Atlantic 10 tourney championship.
Dayton's players believe the experience they gained in past trips to the tournament will be valuable against sixth-seeded Arkansas (23-8).
"Being here for our third time, we definitely have an edge because we know the level of intensity it will take in order succeed," Dayton senior Casey Nance said. "I think it's definitely going to help us."
Dayton coach Jim Jabir isn't sure how much the experience will aid his team.
"I think sometimes that can be overblown," he said. "I think if you're well-coached, well-prepared and you have an edge or attitude, you can overcome. The experience factor, you'd rather have it than not, but it's hard to tell that it really does play a role."
Though the Razorbacks haven't been to the tournament in almost a decade, they feel good about the chances with their veteran team. Arkansas has five seniors on its roster.
"They're a pretty confident bunch," coach Tom Collen said of his seniors. "Any nervousness that maybe the majority of our team might feel being in the tournament for the first time, I think hopefully our seniors can rise to the occasion and try to find a way to play their best basketball."
The Razorbacks opened Southeastern Conference play 0-4 before bouncing back with an eight-game conference winning streak. They aren't daunted by being in the tournament for the first time in their careers and believe they've been preparing for this moment for years.
"I don't think we feel any added pressure," Razorbacks guard Lyndsay Harris said. "We're new to this but it feels good because we know we've worked hard. It's exciting, but we're going to attack it head on and we're not worried about the fact that we haven't been in a while."
Dayton lost to Penn State in the first round of the tournament last season in a game where star forward Justine Raterman played with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Being ousted early last season has provided the Flyers with extra motivation for this year's tournament.
"We're not just happy to be here anymore," Raterman said. "Our first couple years, getting to the NCAA tournament was our goal, and so when we got there it was very exciting. This year is a little bit different. We have been here in the past and we're not done yet."
