Arkansas says it won't accept bid to NIT

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) Arkansas basketball coach Stan Heath said Friday his team was ``emotionally and physically exhausted&#39;&#39; and would not accept an invitation to the National Invitation Tournament.<br> <br> The Razorbacks, 18-12, were knocked out of the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Thursday night, losing to Tennessee 65-46 in one of Arkansas&#39; worst games of the year.<br> <br> Heath, in his third year at Arkansas since taking over from the fired Nolan Richardson, said at a university news conference that his goal was to have Arkansas back in the NCAA by this season. He said he expects to have Arkansas in the tournament next year.<br> <br> The Razorbacks, which won a national championship in 1994 and was national runnerup in 1995, hasn&#39;t won an NCAA tournament game since 1999, when it beat Siena before a second-round loss to Iowa. They haven&#39;t made the NCAA tournament since 2001, when Richardson&#39;s last tournament team lost to Georgetown in the opening round.<br> <br> Heath said that, looking into his players&#39; eyes, he could see that a late-season slump had drained them. Arkansas opened 13-1, but lost 11 of its next 16 games. Its only victory since Feb. 12 was a 70-68 victory at home over Tennessee.<br> <br> He said none of his players had discussed quitting, but said he saw several things he didn&#39;t like. In particular, he said, close losses in one game carried over to another.<br> <br> Heath said athletic director Frank Broyles had already called NIT officials to say Arkansas didn&#39;t want to participate.<br> <br> Thursday, players had voted in the locker room to take an NIT bid if one was extended. Heath said he met with the players Friday and they agreed to decline a bid.<br> <br> (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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