Calipari, Four Arkansas Players Remember Golden Grizzlies

Razorbacks' next opponent not likely to repeat last spring's memorable performance

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari didn't have much to complain about as his team routed the North Carolina A&T Aggies at Bud Walton Arena Saturday afternoon. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Surely not many folks remember what they did on the first day of spring nine months ago. I happen to be one of those who can vividly recall the day. I was flying early the next morning to Austin, Texas, for a work trip, accompanied by my lovely wife.

As we settled into a booth for an early dinner on March 21 at a restaurant near the Denver airport, we were able to see a handful of TVs. Each was showing the NCAA Tournament as March Madness was already truly unfolding on the first day of the 64-team draw.

The screen directly in front of us had some team named Oakland playing one of the true bluebloods in college basketball. Oakland is a small school from the state of Michigan, from a conference I'm pretty certain only about 5% of you might be able to identify.

Oakland Golden Grizzlies guard Jack Gohlke (3) shoots over the Kentucky defense en route to scoring 32 points in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

I do know five guys who could likely answer that. It's because those same five guys know exactly what they were doing March 21. And they might still lose sleep because of what occurred.

Which brings me to first-year Arkansas coach John Calipari and the Razorbacks' next opponent. Coach Cal's No. 3-seeded Kentucky team lined up against supposed sacrificial lamb Oakland in a first-round NCAA Tournament game.

Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari encourages his players during the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

"Oh, look, I pointed out to my wife: Oakland is hanging with Kentucky halfway through the first half." The Golden Grizzlies — of that well-known Horizon Conference — led 38-35 at halftime. And they refused to fade.

A grad transfer named Jack Gohlke, who spent four uneventful seasons at Hillsdale College before averaging 14.2 as a senior, had scored 13.1 a game in his lone season at Oakland. But Kentucky couldn't stop him. Couldn't contain him. Gohlke is one of the marvels of March Madness.

He scored 32 points to lead Oakland to a shocking 80-76 victory over Calipari and Kentucky. Gohlke drained 10-of-20 shots from 3-point land. He didn't even try a 2-pointer. In fact, for the entire season, he had only attempted eight 2-pointers while firing off 327 from beyond the 3-point arc.

That game, as much as any, is why Calipari and Kentucky ended up splitting after 14 years that was nothing but a love affair for the first 10. Calipari and his Wildcats won the national title in 2012, went to four Final Fours, eight Elite Eights, and sent a few roster of No. 1 picks to the NBA. Those guys swear allegiance to Coach Cal.

So do the four Kentucky players who followed Calipari to Arkansas: guard DJ Wagner, forward Adou Thiero, 7-foot-2 forward Zvonimir Ivisic, and 5-foot-8 guard Kareem Watkins, a walk-on who appeared in 20 games during four season at UK.

In the loss to Oakland, Wagner started but failed to score in 17 minutes. Ivisic scored three points in 13 minutes. Thiero had two points in seven minutes. Watkins did not play.

Those five folks — Calipari and four players -— know what they were doing March 21, and how they felt that night when the entire nation was hearing of their upset loss. None of them want to feel that way again, and they can gain a small bit of revenge against Oakland.

Oakland Golden Grizzlies guard Jack Gohlke shoots against North Carolina State during the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa. Gohlke scored 22 points in 42 minutes of the 79-73 overtime loss. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Hogs host Oakland on Monday, Dec. 30, in a 7 p.m. game at Bud Walton Arena. Good news is that Gohlke is no longer on Oakland's roster. The Golden Grizzlies have fallen on hard times since losing their second NCAA tourney tilt last March 23, 79-73, to 11th-seeded North Carolina State.

Oakland was 3-7 this season and facing 9-1 Loyola on Sunday afternoon. Looks like they'll be nothing but another tune-up game for the Razorbacks, who routed North Carolina A&T by 28 points Saturday afternoon.

That followed a 25-point win against Central Arkansas as the Hogs' core unit of nine talented players all found ways to score, defend, rebound and gain confidence. They got a huge shot of confidence three games ago by beating No. 14-ranked Michigan 89-87 in a thrilling back-and-forth game at New York City's Madison Square Garden.

So, the Hogs are accustomed to the big stage. They're also getting healthier as a group and have a chance to re-enter the top 25 rankings this week.

Calipari was pleased with his team's effort against North Carolina A&T, which featured a first half with 15 assists and only one turnover. The Hogs all went different directions following the game, as they're getting four days off to celebrate Christmas with family before resuming practice Thursday.

"There was some good stuff today," Calipari said following the game. "Like I told them, you want to win the game, go for Christmas, breathe for the first time, and then come back here absolutely jacked and juiced ... because we've got a hard game the 30th."

Calipari won't treat the Oakland game as "payback" but it's a guarantee the entire Arkansas team knows what happened March 21. The Hogs should put on another entertaining show on ESPN2 eight days from now.

HOGS FEED:

• Will Hogs Have to Deal with All This Again Next Season?

• Aidoo slowly returning to full bill of health for Razorbacks

• Razorbacks dominate paint in penultimate non-conference game

• Can Razorbacks really count on Russell for anything now?

• Another day, another change of heart by Hogs' Braylen Russell

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