The most anticipated game of the year is here. John Calipari is returning to Rupp Arena, for the first time since leaving Kentucky for Arkansas, as the Razorbacks take on Mark Pope’s Kentucky Wildcats. And as he stepped back into the building he called home for 15 years, Coach Cal couldn’t help but get a little nostalgic and a bit blunt. 

We already know that he’s not exactly walking into a warm welcome. The Razorbacks (12-8, 1-6) will face the No. 12 Wildcats (15-5, 4-3) on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. While Kentucky is coming off one of their best wins of the season, Arkansas is in the middle of an absolute SEC nightmare. With just one conference win, it’s least to say that Calipari’s squad is struggling.

Now, a day before the big game, Coach Cal made a trip to Rupp Arena, chatting with ESPN’s Jimmy Dykes. 

When asked about his well-known belief that “God always gives him the right thing at the right time,” Calipari’s answer was… let’s just say… interesting. “You know, you get nudged sometimes to do things and you don’t know why until it’s done,” he said. 

He recalled how his Kentucky job came at the perfect time, almost like fate. “Now I’m at Arkansas. I don’t know why I’m there. All I know is I was nudged to go there. I wasn’t having any intention,” he added. 

If that sounds like he’s still unsure about the move, well, you’re not alone in thinking that. Even Calipari himself admitted he had no grand plan to leave Lexington. “They called me, and there was no back and forth with the university here and me. When it was done, it was done.”

That right there? That makes it pretty clear that the program didn’t exactly fight to keep him. 

Despite Kentucky’s lack of postseason success in recent years, Cal’s move was pretty shocking. After all, he was the guy who took the Wildcats to 12 NCAA Tournaments, won a national championship, and made multiple Final Fours. 

According to The Athletic, the real issue was his relationship with Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart, which had been going downhill for a while. From disagreements about facilities to NIL battles, things just weren’t working anymore. But there was more.

“I know for a fact Coach Cal didn’t feel supported, I don’t feel like he had the school’s backing,” former Wildcats forward and NBA star DeMarcus Cousins told The Athletic. “There’s a lot of things going on behind the scenes, adjusting to the modern times of college basketball now. It’s more so at the top, I just don’t feel like the support was there. This situation could have been handled a lot more gracefully, especially for as much as he’s done for them. Given the guys that have come through there, I would say these were the golden years of Kentucky basketball in the modern era.”

Calipari too spoke similar words while packing his bags and leaving Lexington for good. Now, Rupp Arena, the place that cheered him on for 15 years, is about to let him hear it. Pope and the Wildcats are looking to make a statement that the Pope era has officially begun.

Kentucky looks to capitalize on Arkansas’ poor shooting while John Calipari might lean on former Wildcats

Kentucky fans want nothing more than to get a win over Calipari and prove that they’re better off without him. And based on how the Wildcats have been shooting, they have a pretty good shot (literally). 

In their four SEC victories, Kentucky has been lights out from three-point range, shooting 45.5% (51-for-112). But when they lose, that number drops to 34.7% (16-for-75). 

The Razorbacks, on the other hand, have done a decent job defending the perimeter, ranking 100th in the country and holding opponents to 31.7% from deep. But, they haven’t faced shooters quite like Jaxson Robinson and Koby Brea. These two have combined for 105 threes this season.

Meanwhile, Arkansas as a whole has made just 145 three-pointers this entire season. Not ideal.

However, Kentucky will have to beat three former players to win this one. If you remember Calipari brought D.J. Wagner, Adou Thiero, and Zvonimir Ivisic with him to Arkansas (plus 3 UK recruits). While the Wildcats have looked just fine without them, these three guys could have something to prove. 

Ivisic, in particular, will be a key factor. When he’s on his A-game, he stretches the defense and protects the rim, giving Arkansas a much-needed boost on both ends. 

So, the big question is, will Pope and Kentucky put an exclamation point? Or will Calipari and his Arkansas squad pull off a surprise win at his old stomping ground, defying all odds? Only time will tell.