The Arkansas Razorbacks hired John Calipari last offseason with big plans in mind. The program started from ground zero, assembling a roster via the transfer portal and recruiting in hopes of returning March Madness and making a run. Then the Razorbacks started 0-5 in SEC play.
The haters, well-justified, quickly piled on and it seemed likely that Arkansas would flop its way to an NIT bid in Calipari’s first campaign. But they snuck into the tournament as a 10-seed and, conjuring his old Kentucky magic, Calipari has the Razorbacks bound for the Sweet 16.
In his career, he already has 24 tournament appearances, six Final Fours and a championship. ESPN analyst Jimmy Dykes had high praise after Arkansas’ second round triumph:
This is John Calipari’s best coaching job of his career…
Tough day for the Cal can’t coach crowd— Jimmy Dykes (@CoachJimmyDykes) March 22, 2025
John Calipari Leads Arkansas Razorbacks on Charge Through Favored Tourney Foes
An unsightly 8-10 conference record notwithstanding, Arkansas rallied to the win four of its last five regular season games, including four over teams in the field of 68. They performed predictably in the in SEC tournament, beating 2-16 South Carolina by four points in the first round and losing a tight one to Ole Miss in the second.
In a much heralded clash with Kansas in the Round of 64, the Hogs came in as 5.5-point underdogs going up against Bill Self, a legendary coach in his own right, and the Jayhawks’ more talented roster. Arkansas won both halves, closing out a 79-72 upset.
In the second round, Rick Pitino and St. John’s were favored by 7.5 points. Regular season Big East champs, the Red Storm won the conference tournament to boot and finished the pre-Madness slate 30-4.
But Calipari’s guys jumped the Johnnies out of the gate, rumbling to a 14-6 advantage and reclaiming the lead by halftime. As against Kansas, they shut down St. John’s comeback push and put it away late at the line. It was an ugly, lethargic rock fight, the kind of game that would seem to favor Pitino, but what’s stopping Calipari and the Hogs? Right now, nothing is.
Improbable Path to Another Sweet 16
In a tightly officiated game that featured almost as many fouls (44) as field goals (48), both teams lost players to the whistle: center Zvonimir Ivisic fouled out for Arkansas, Kadary Richmond for St. John’s. Each had four other guys with three or more fouls. The Razorbacks had three players called for four personals in addition to Ivisic.
Neither could hit the broad side of a barn from distance, Arkansas’ 2-19 mark outdone by St.John’s 2-22. From the floor, the Red Storm shot just 28% and made more free throws than field goals. They dominated on the offensive glass, 28 to 16, but part of that equation was the number of rebounds up for grabs. Although they redeemed some of them for second chance opportunities, the Johnnies missed a whopping 54 of 75 shots.
Arkansas didn’t set the court on fire themselves, shooting 42.9% for the game, but they did enough to pull off an upset that, by point-spread, ties McNeese for the tournament’s largest thus far.
Even more impressive, the Hogs have won both games without their leading scorer, Adou Thiero, who has been out since February 22 with a knee injury. Guard Boogie Fland, the team’s second leading scorer, returned for the tournament from an absence dating to January, but he has been not particularly effective. In the two games, he has gone 4-15 from the floor and 1-9 from threes, totaling 12 points.
Calipari continues to overcome obstacles and dominate March headlines. Improbably, he remains in the running for his 7th Final Four appearance. Arkansas will face Drake or Texas Tech in the Elite Eight. Regardless of the line, anyone favored over the Razorbacks should already know: upset alert.
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