John Calipari received a mixed reception during his return to Rupp Arena on Saturday night, but his Arkansas team proved they could handle the attention. The Razorbacks upset No. 12 Kentucky 89-79, led by performances from Adou Thiero, D.J. Wagner, and Zvonimir Ivisic.
Calipari, who served as Kentucky’s coach for 15 seasons, was proud of his new team’s win on the road in a tough game against his former employers. “We played with more confidence because we played fearless,” he said after the game. Calipari had spoken to Thiero, Wagner, and Ivisic beforehand about their feelings about returning to Rupp Arena, but they assured him they were fine.
Calipari’s return was met with a mix of boos and applause from the packed arena. Despite this, his team showed no signs of distraction, led by Amari Williams’ 22 points and 11 rebounds for Kentucky. The Wildcats have lost their second straight home game. Coach Mark Pope said his team was focused on the task at hand, saying “every night is the biggest game ever” in Lexington.
Calipari compiled a 410-123 record during his time at Kentucky, leading the team to its eighth national championship in 2012 before resigning for the Arkansas job. He described the experience as a privilege and honor, but acknowledged it was hard to win on the road against the Wildcats.
Source: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/43659153/arkansas-topples-kentucky-calipari-return-rupp