John Calipari booed in return to Kentucky, but gets last laugh as Arkansas pulls off upset

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Last April, John Calipari decided to "step away" from the University of Kentucky after 15 seasons; a day later, he joined the University of Arkansas.

Well, Calipari returned to Kentucky on Saturday night, and despite a championship in 2012 and a .771 winning percentage there, boos still managed to be loud as he returned.

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Well, Calipari got the last laugh, as his Razorbacks took home an 89-79 upset victory over the 12th-ranked team in the country.

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Arkansas head coach John Calipari gives high-fives to his team during the Kentucky game, Saturday Feb. 1, 2025, at Rupp Arena in Lexington. (Matt Stone/Courier Journal/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Calipari admitted that it took some getting used to.

"It’s hard to win in here. And I’ve got to be honest with you, I looked up a couple of times and I thought we were losing because I kept looking at Kentucky instead of Arkansas," Calipari said. "I made it clear it was a privilege and an honor to coach here. We had 15 unbelievable years of a great run and support."

With Kentucky, Calipari made the NCAA Tournament all but two seasons. Last year's team was knocked out in the first round as a No. 3 seed against Jack Gohlke and No. 14 Oakland. In 2022, the Wildcats were upset by No. 15 St. Peter's, and they lost in the Round of 32 in 2023.

Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari stands on the court before the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. (Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)

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