Saturday marked John Calipari’s long-awaited return to Rupp Arena. For the first time in his tenure with the Arkansas Razorback, he was going to face his former team.
Needless to say, expectations were at an all-time high for him in his return to Kentucky. Also, he brought several former Wildcats with him to try and pull off an upset.
DJ Wagner, Zvonimir Ivisic, and Adou Thiero would also return, helping the Razorbacks win 89-79. Following the game, coach Calipari admitted that his players were worried about him.
Arkansas players were worried about Coach Calipari
“I called them in together,” Calipari said. “And I said, ‘Are you guys okay going back here? Are you going to be OK?’ And they all said, ‘We’re fine, coach. We’re worried about you.’ That’s the kind of team I have. That’s the kind of players they are. They were worried about me. I said, ‘I’m fine.’ No, they were good.”
John Calipari
This was a huge win for the Razorbacks. Not only was it an emotional matchup, but it was also a much-needed triumph for an Arkansas team that had struggled in SEC play.
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Thiero gave his former fans a glimpse of what they’re missing with 21 points and eight boards, while Wagner and Ivisic added 17 and 14, respectively. Now, Coach Cal and company will look to keep the ball rolling against the Texas Longhorns.
