Arkansas basketball is back in business. After a one-year break from the NCAA Tournament, the Razorbacks (20-13) are heading to March Madness as a No. 10 seed. It’s Arkansas’ fourth tournament appearance in the last five years, but this one’s different—it’s the first under John Calipari. Calipari had said earlier, “Hopefully we’ve done enough and done enough in this league.” Looks like he was right. The late-season push got them back into the Big Dance.

And that tournament bid? It’s not just a shot at a title—it also means more money for Calipari. According to USA Today’s sports projection, Arkansas’ “NCAA tournament at-large bid means automatic 1-yr contract extension and $50,000 raise for coach John Calipari.” The added year extends his deal through April 30, 2030. That bumps his contract’s total value to $7.55 million per year, with $5,287,500 guaranteed. Not bad, right? Interestingly, Calipari “is not eligible for any lump-sum team performance bonuses.” So even if the Hogs make a deep run, his paycheck stays the same.

But here’s the thing—he can still cash in big with on-court success. Calipari could make some serious money if Arkansas goes deep in the tournament. He’ll get $50,000 just for making the NCAA Tournament. If Arkansas advances to the Round of 32, he pockets another $100,000. A Sweet Sixteen trip is worth $250,000. A Final Four appearance? That’s $350,000. And if the Razorbacks win the national championship, Calipari gets a cool $500,000 bonus. So yeah, there’s plenty of incentive to make a deep run.

Calipari signed a five-year deal with Arkansas earlier this year. His base salary? $7 million annually. The University of Arkansas Board of Trustees approved the contract, and Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek made it official with a clever touch—he tweeted an image of red smoke rising from Bud Walton Arena. That’s how you announce a hire. The deal includes a $1 million signing bonus and $500,000 in annual retention bonuses.

And the contract has some protective measures too. If Arkansas fires him without cause, they’ll owe him 75% of his remaining salary. That’s serious money. On the flip side, if Calipari wants out early, he’d have to pay Arkansas $6 million to buy out his contract.

Technically, Calipari took a pay cut. He made around $8.5 million per year at Kentucky. But at $7.55 million annually, he’s still sitting near the top—only Kansas’ Bill Self makes more. With Arkansas back in the tournament and Calipari locked in through 2030, this could be the start of something big in Fayetteville. And what better way to kick it off than by taking down the highest-paid coach in college basketball?

Now the focus shifts to Kansas. It’s a tough matchup, but Calipari seems confident. “I think we’ve proven it,” he said when asked about Arkansas’ tournament case. The Razorbacks have the chance to back that up —and maybe fatten Calipari’s wallet in the process.

John Calipari, Arkansas Set for Kansas Showdown

“We want to win every game we play,” John Calipari said—and now Arkansas has the chance to back that up. The Razorbacks (20-13)  will face No. 7 Kansas (21-12) on Thursday in Providence, Rhode Island, as part of the West Region. It’s been a wild ride for Calipari’s squad this season.

The Hogs started strong, going 11-2 in nonconference play, but then hit a rough patch with an 0-5 start in the SEC. At one point, it looked like Calipari’s first year at Arkansas might end without a tournament bid. But the Razorbacks turned it around, winning four of their last five regular-season games. Big wins over Missouri, Vanderbilt, and Mississippi State helped seal the deal. Even though they lost a heartbreaker to Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament, it wasn’t enough to keep them out of March Madness.

Injuries have made things tricky too. Arkansas has been running with a seven-man rotation for the last six games. But there’s some good news—freshman guard Boogie Fland, who’s been out since January with a thumb injury, is medically cleared to return. Forward Adou Thiero, the team’s top scorer and rebounder, is still doubtful with a knee injury. Can they manage a deep run with such a thin rotation?

Kansas, meanwhile, comes into the matchup at 21-12 after finishing sixth in the Big 12. The Razorbacks actually faced the Jayhawks in an exhibition back in October, winning 85-69—but both teams were missing key players. This will be the third NCAA Tournament matchup between Calipari and Kansas coach Bill Self. They’ve split the previous two—Self’s Jayhawks beat Calipari’s Memphis team in 2008, while Calipari got his revenge with Kentucky in 2012.

If Arkansas can get past Kansas, things could get interesting. A trip to San Francisco and maybe even the Final Four isn’t out of reach. Calipari’s squad has battled through a lot this year. Now it’s time to see how far they can go.