**LEXINGTON, Ky.** — John Calipari’s return to Rupp Arena on Saturday evening was met with a mixed crowd response, but ultimately, he had the last laugh as his Arkansas Razorbacks triumphed over the No. 12 ranked Kentucky Wildcats, winning 89-79.
“It’s definitely challenging to secure victories in this environment. I must admit, I found myself glancing at the scoreboard a few times, mistakenly thinking we were trailing because I was focused on Kentucky rather than on Arkansas,” Calipari reflected. “I’d like to emphasize how much of an honor and privilege it has been to coach here. Those 15 years were filled with remarkable experiences and tremendous support.”
This season marks Calipari’s inaugural campaign with the Razorbacks after spending 15 fruitful years at Kentucky, where he accumulated a record of 410-123 and guided the Wildcats to their eighth national championship back in 2012. Following his resignation in April of last year, he signed a five-year contract with Arkansas.
During his first visit back to Lexington, Calipari encountered a predominance of boos, although a contingent of applause and cheers could also be heard.
Sadly, Calipari has faced hurdles in his new role at Arkansas, particularly within the Southeastern Conference, as the Razorbacks had a rough start, losing six out of their first seven conference matchups this season. “We needed any win to get back on track, so it didn’t really matter who the opponent was,” he expressed, acknowledging the significance of this victory.
As a Hall of Fame coach, Calipari possesses the highest number of wins among currently active coaches in men’s college basketball, holding an impressive overall record of 867-271 across his tenures at Massachusetts, Memphis, Kentucky, and now Arkansas. He achieved a remarkable 248-26 record at Rupp Arena, with his final game there resulting in a 93-77 victory over Vanderbilt on March 6 last year.
Despite a promising start to his career at Kentucky, Calipari faced challenges during his concluding two seasons, particularly in postseason play, where the Wildcats faced early eliminations in both the SEC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. His last appearance as the head coach involved a disappointing 80-76 loss to Oakland in March Madness.
Notably, former Kentucky coach Tubby Smith, who led the Wildcats from 1997 to 2007 with a record of 263-83 and claimed a national championship in 1998, was in attendance. Smith entered the school’s Hall of Fame in 2013 and had his jersey retired in 2021. He concluded his coaching career in 2022 at High Point University.
Joining Calipari at Arkansas is Kenny Payne, a former Louisville coach and member of Calipari’s staff for a decade while he was at Kentucky. Several former Kentucky players, including Adou Thiero, D.J. Wagner, and Zvonimir Ivisic, have also followed Calipari to Arkansas, along with his son, Brad, who now serves on the Razorbacks’ coaching staff.
Mark Pope succeeded Calipari at Kentucky and is off to a strong start, maintaining a record of 15-5 in his first 20 games at the helm.
