One of the biggest games of the tournament. Arkansas vs. Kansas. A No. 10 seed against a No. 7 seed. Two of men’s college basketball’s winningest coaches, John Calipari and Bill Self, going head-to-head. And as the buzzer sounded, Calipari took it home, marking the first time in nearly two decades that Self’s squad won’t play past the first round. While the Razorbacks welcomed back freshman Boogie Fland, who had been sidelined since January, they were missing their leading scorer, Adou Theiro.

But did that stop Cal’s crew? Not at all.

Thanks to a clutch 15-5 run to close the second half, Razorbacks men knocked off the Jayhawks 79-72 at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island. For a minute, it looked like Kansas might escape the upset. When KJ Adams hit a jumper to put the Jayhawks up 67-64 with 4:55 remaining, Arkansas was struggling to crack Kansas’ zone defense. 

But then, Adams went down with an injury, and suddenly, Arkansas had an opening. They seized it, storming back to snatch the win and move on. Now, if you were wondering how Arkansas plans to handle zone defense moving forward without Theiro, well, Calipari seems to have found the answer.

“I thought we were prepared, but we’re a different team,” the head coach admitted postgame. “The guy I usually have in the middle is Adou…he ain’t here anymore. So, we haven’t played much against zone. I tried Jonas, I tried TB (Trevon Brazile)—didn’t like it. We tried a guard in there, and then we finally went to Jonas, and putting TB on the baseline looked to be a better thing for us.”

This basically means Arkansas is adjusting, and it’s working. They have found ‘the’ cure to manage things when their top scorer is out, forcing the coach to rely on just seven players. Hence, Coach Cal also set the record straight, “We got to rely on everybody when you’re down in numbers, everyone’s got to help you…that’s where we are.”

His team understood the assignment. Jonas Aidoo stepped up big time with 22 points. Johnell Davis added 18, sinking some clutch free throws late in the game. And not to forget, Fland came in fresh off thumb surgery, and managed dropping six points in 24 minutes. And, by the way, his return could be just what Arkansas needs to make a push in the big dance.

Moreover, beyond the Xs and Os, Calipari is loving this team for who they are as people. In fact, he made a heartfelt confession to Aidoo’s mom. “It doesn’t work unless you have good guys, and we have a bunch of good guys,” Calipari said. “DJ Wagner is one of the nicest young men, and so is Jonas. I told his mother—he’s one of the nicest kids I’ve ever coached.”

Safe to say, this squad isn’t just about talent. They’ve got heart, too. And with March Madness heating up, Razorbacks look prepared. And they’d better be because their fans can’t bear to see them lose. Well, quite literally if that supporter is Calipari’s daughter.

John Calipari’s daughter couldn’t handle the madness

You know that feeling when your team is this close to pulling off a big win, but you can’t even look at the screen because the stress is physically unbearable? Welcome to the March Madness experience. 

Sure, everyone loves the buzzer-beaters and the wild comebacks, but what about the absolute nerve-wracking, stomach-churning, “I might actually pass out” moments? Because closing out a game in this tournament is a test for the fans just as much as the players. And Erin Calipari, daughter of John Calipari, was living that exact struggle.

As Arkansas pushed toward a first-round upset over Kansas, Erin reached the point every fan dreads: the “I literally cannot watch” stage. With the Razorbacks going on a 7-0 run to take a four-point lead in the final two minutes, she just… stopped looking. 

When the cameras found her in the stands, she was doing what most of us have done at some point—staring down, holding her head. But once it was clear Arkansas had secured the win, she finally looked up, probably realizing it was safe to breathe again. And we know where this comes from. March hasn’t exactly been kind to Cal in recent years, so you know his whole family was holding their breath this time.

His players also knew exactly how much this moment meant to him. So, in the locker room, after he put Arkansas’ name on the March Madness bracket board, they decided to celebrate properly with a full-on water shower. Calipari, caught completely off guard, didn’t seem all that thrilled at first, but come on, it’s all part of the celebration. He was quick to join in on the celebration soon enough.  

Now that the celebrations have settled, it’s time for John Calipari & Co. to lace up—because up next, they’re facing Rick Pitino’s St. John’s on Saturday in Providence.

This isn’t just any matchup. It’s an old rivalry, a game for the ages. And if their last performance was any indication, fans better buckle up—this one’s shaping up to be yet another emotional rollercoaster.