The Arkansas Razorbacks are still dancin'.
After a turbulent start to his first season in Fayetteville, John Calipari turned around Arkansas' season in a blink. The Razorbacks began 0-5 in SEC play. Their season appeared dead in the water, especially after catastrophic injuries to Boogie Fland and Adou Thiero, arguably Arkansas' best players.
And yet, this unit persevered. Arkansas finished the campaign strong, including a marquee win in Cal's old stomping grounds at Rupp Arena, as well as W's over Missouri, Vanderbilt, Texas, and Mississippi State (all March Madness-bound teams). It was a true collective effort, with each member of the rotation getting his moment in the sun. Zvonimir Ivisic, DJ Wagner, Johnell Davis, Trevon Brazile — they've all shown out at some point.
Arkansas' crowning achievement this season came on Saturday, with the No. 10 seed Razorbacks beat No. 2 St. John's, 75-66. This win meant a little extra for Cal, who dispatched longtime rival Rick Pitino in what is perhaps the biggest upset of the NCAA Tournament to date. It has been a rough March Madness for the SEC at large, but Cal and the Razorbacks are finding their groove when it matters most.
For Kentucky fans, it's surely a tough pill to swallow. Mark Pope and company are still alive — with a much higher seed, too — but Calipari's recent spate of March letdowns was what led to his departure. Now, in his first season with a new program, Cal is back to overperforming on the NCAA Tournament stage.
It's safe to say Cal is happy with his new digs. He even went so far as to call this one of his most satisfying seasons to date.
John Calipari inadvertantly shades Kentucky while celebrating Arkansas' Sweet 16 berth
"I told them this is as rewarding a year as I have had based on how far we have come," Calipari told ESPN.
And how can it not be? It's hard to overstate just how improbable this run is based on the setbacks Arkansas faced, not to mention Cal's recent history of late-season missteps.
The Razorbacks mounted this comeback in large part without their best players, led by a ragtag group of Kentucky castoffs and transfer portal hits. The only freshmen to take center stage after Fland's injury — Billy Richmond III and Karter Knox — are barely on 2025 NBA Draft radars. This is not your traditional Calipari team, with a gazillion projected first-round picks and zero core stability.
It doesn't necessarily end in the Sweet 16 either. Next up is a winnable matchup with Texas Tech. The Red Raiders will no doubt present the toughest challenge yet for Cal's squad, with JT Toppin and Darrion Williams hitting their stride in a big way against Drake in the Round of 32. But Arkansas has the talent and the momentum to keep this thing going. Calipari is the winningest active coach in the NCAA Tournament. Like it or not, he knows his way around the block.
Kentucky fans will naturally get upset at the "most rewarding" comments, but this probably shouldn't be read as a jab at his former school. Rather, it's Cal feeling the high of unlikely success in a new environment, with a group of guys he has been through hell and high water with. Kentucky has its own March Madness agenda to push, but Cal did a lot for Big Blue Nation over the years. Those fans should probably feel good for him. This feels like it may have been a mutually beneficial parting of the ways.