Forbes ranks Razorback hoops

FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas Razorbacks were the Southeastern Conference’s second most valuable basketball program according to Forbes.com’s list of "College Baskeball’s 20 Most Valuable Teams"

The Razorbacks were ranked 14th in the 20-team evaluation. Forbes put the team’s value at $14.6 million, with a slight rise in the team’s previous rank from 15th last year.

"The Razorbacks, who topped the SEC West Division in attendance for the 16th straight year last season, drew more than 16,00 fans per game to Bud Walton Arena," wrote the Forbes.com review.

Kentucky was the top SEC team at No. 2 overall. Only the Tennessee Volunteers, ranked 16th, joined Arkansas and Kentucky in the national elite listing.

North carolina ranked first, followed by Kentucky, Louisville and Kansas in the top four.

The Big 10 had the most selections in the top 20 — with six led by Illinois at No. 5. The SEC and the ACC were even with three teams each. Duke was 11th and Maryland 13th just ahead of 14th-ranked Arkansas.

This was the third year of the Most Valuable Team rankings for college basketball. Four criteria were used in the business magazine’s ranking: value to the institution for academic purposes, net profit generated and retained by the athletic department, value contributed by conference via tournament revenue and direct impact of fans attending events.

To read the full data for Arkansas and see the rest of the 2010 rankings, jump to Forbes.com’s slide show.