Calipari's Success Best Highlighted When Compared to Arkansas

Razorbacks new head coach has track record of unparalleled success in SEC

John Calipari on the sidelines against the Little Rock Trojans. The Razorbacks won 79-57. / Nilsen Roman - Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas coach John Calipari has done more in the SEC in half the time than the Razorbacks' 33-year tenure in under five different head coaches (Nolan Richardson, Stan Heath, John Pelphrey, Mike Anderson and Eric Musselman) since the Hogs made the switch from the old Southwest Conference in the 1991-92 season.

In just 15 years at Kentucky as part of the SEC since taking over the Wildcats in 2007, Calipari has had more Final Fours, Elite 8s, Sweet 16s, nearly triple the number NBA Draft Picks (50 vs. 17), more regular-season and conference titles, and more wins over a No. 1 team. In nearly every category, when Calipari's Kentucky tenure is compared to the history of Arkansas in the SEC, he comes out ahead

Kentucky Wildcats forward Bam Adebayo (3) celebrates after a basket during the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the SEC Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. / Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Some of that success was against Arkansas. Calipari owns a 16-9 lifetime record against the Hogs, including a 12-7 record while at Kentucky. Two of his six SEC Tournament titles came at the expense of Arkansas (2015, 2017). Although, the Hogs do have two separate three-game winning streaks against its new coach. One from 2013-14 under Anderson and more recently under Musselman from 2021-23.

The second three-game winning winning streak immediately succeeds the infamous ejection game at Bud Walton Arena where Calipari was thrown out in the middle of the second half for arguing a moving screen. Kentucky came back and won the game 73-66.

With already 162 wins in the SEC under his belt as a Top 5 team, Calipari slowly looks to build the No. 20 Hogs into a perennial contender and have some of the longstanding success for the Hogs after tormenting the rest of the conference at Kentucky.

Arkansas will conclude its four-game homestand against Maryland=Eastern Shore 7 p.m. Monday. The game will be streamed on SEC+.

HOGS FEED:

• Much at stake between Hogs, Tigers to make rivalry matter

• Fans thought this coach was next in line for the Arkansas job

• Hogs' offense clicks into gear after starting stuck in mud

• Razorbacks' Ball-Hawking Defense Put Trojans In Early Hole

• Winning Ugly Remains Early Recipe for Razorbacks

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