Arkansas Hitting SEC Rock Bottom vs Ole Miss Triggered John Calipari’s Rallying Cry to the Locker Room

High expectations followed when John Calipari took over at Arkansas in April 2024. After all, it’s a Hall of Fame coach who had a track record of turning teams into contenders. But his first season with the Razorbacks has been far from smooth. With an 11-4 record outside of conference play, the team has been struggling to get going in SEC play. And after defeats to Ole Miss and now Florida, the team’s future looks grim.

The one against Ole Miss was a game that slipped away in the second half. They were tied at halftime. But the Rebels came out strong after the break, outscoring Arkansas 40-33. Ole Miss’ efficiency on offense rose in the second half, hitting 52.2 percent of their shots from the field and 45.5 percent of their three-pointers, while Arkansas was a dismal 37.3 percent from the floor and 21.7 percent from three-point range. That would ultimately prove to be enough as Ole Miss claimed the 73-66 victory. After that, Calipari didn’t hold back.

When asked about the second-half struggles, Calipari was quick to pinpoint the team’s defensive missteps. “We had some mix-ups defensively; we left some people open and didn’t close out on their three-point shooters,” he said. “There were times where a guy was by himself with no one on him. So some of it, I’m going to have to watch the tape to say, ‘Alright, where did we screw this up?’ But, um, they also had to make their shots, and they did. We had some opportunities, and again, you know, we don’t make them.” 

However, it wasn’t just defensive breakdowns that hindered the Razorbacks. Calipari also touched on the team’s shooting woes, particularly from beyond the arc. “We’ve been a good shooting team for most of the year, but in the last couple of games, most of the shots we missed were unguarded threes,” he admitted. “So, like I said, I have a lot of faith in this group. I’m disappointed, but I’m not discouraged.”

It’s a sentiment that’s as much about belief in his players as it is about acknowledging the reality of the competitive SEC landscape. “This league is really good; you’re going to take knocks, it’s just how it is. I was hoping we could get this game, but we didn’t. So now we move on.”

After the tough loss to Ole Miss, Calipari remained optimistic: “I have a lot of faith in this group. I’m disappointed; I’m not discouraged.” But Calipari’s message was clear. The losses were frustrating, but they are part of the process of establishing a winning culture in Arkansas. Unfortunately, Calipari’s message didn’t show results in their match against No. 8, Florida.

John Calipari fails to pull the Razorbacks back on track against Florida

Pressure was building for the Razorbacks as they faced Florida – a team that recently blew out Tennessee by a 30-point margin. It is now the first time since the 1988-89 season that Calipari has opened 0-3 in conference play. The Gators beat them 71-63 after a terrible showing on offense by the Razorbacks, who shot just 30% from the field.

Florida is one of the top rebounding teams in the country and is second in the nation with a 58.1% rebounding rate. In their last win over Tennessee, they ruled the boards, finishing with a +15 rebounding margin. This was a statistic that should have worried Arkansas, especially considering their struggles on the glass. In their loss to Tennessee, the Razorbacks were out-rebounded 45-24. But it was more or less the same story last night as well.

The Gators grabbed 49 rebounds, 10 more than Arkansas’ 39. The Razorbacks have been plagued with a tough start to the season, but there is still hope they can tune themselves and improve in this competitive conference. What do you think? Can Razorbacks get back on track?