Former Kentucky coach John Calipari orchestrated a memorable return to Rupp Arena, leading his Arkansas Razorbacks to an 89-79 upset victory over the 12th-ranked Wildcats. Despite the boos echoing through the arena where he once coached for 15 seasons, Calipari's Razorbacks secured a significant win.

The Hall of Fame coach admitted the experience was unusual. "Winning here is never easy," Calipari remarked. "Honestly, I glanced at the scoreboard a few times, thinking we were behind because I instinctively looked at the Kentucky score, not Arkansas's." He acknowledged his successful tenure at Kentucky, stating, "It was a privilege and honor to coach here. We had an incredible 15-year run with amazing support."

Calipari's time at Kentucky included a national championship in 2012 and a remarkable .771 winning percentage. However, recent seasons saw early tournament exits, including a first-round loss as a No. 3 seed last year and an upset by No. 15 St. Peter's in 2022.

Now leading Arkansas, Calipari has a 13-8 record overall but faces challenges within the conference with a 2-6 standing. His overall coaching record stands at an impressive 867-271 across his career at Massachusetts, Memphis, Kentucky, and now Arkansas.

The victory was sweetened by the performance of former Kentucky players Adou Thiero, D.J. Wagner, and Zvonimir Ivisic, who combined for 42 points against their former team.

With the score tied at 46-45 at halftime, Thiero and Wagner ignited a 12-2 run early in the second half, propelling Arkansas to a 58-47 lead. Thiero's contributions, including a dunk and a three-pointer, fueled the run, and the Razorbacks maintained their advantage for the remainder of the game.