First Game as Razorbacks Coach Gives Calipari Goosebumps

After many years in the college game, Arkansas first year coach still gets chills coaching basketball

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari during the second half against the Lipscomb Bisons at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 76-60. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — First year Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari seems to happy with his new program after a 76-60 victory over Lipscomb in the season opener.

Although the Razorbacks struggled a bit offensively with three point attempts not falling, Calipari's team played an exciting brand of defense which helped drive Arkansas to victory Wednesday night. Before the game, he was overcome with a bit of emotion as his team prepared for its first game of a new era.

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"I can say this, I’m happy to be coaching here. I’m loving the team," Calipari said after the Lipscomb game. "I told them at the shoot around I had goosebumps, because I’m watching them get prepared for this game."

The game was far from pretty as the Razorbacks struggled mightily from three, knocking down a paltry 4-of-19 attempts. Defensively, Arkansas allowed plenty of opportunities for the Bisons to stay on offense with 18 second chance points and a few ill-advised turnovers.

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari directing DJ Wagner in the exhibition opener against the Kansas Jayhawks at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. / Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

"Now, we have a long way to go, oh my gosh," Calipari said. "And I got onto them a little bit at halftime and even after the game. Nothing crazy, but these kinds of plays lose games is what I talked to them about. But that’s what we do. That’s trying to get them better, being truth tellers, telling them we love them and ‘I love how you’re playing, but you can’t do these things.’"

Calipari, a Naismith Hall of Fame coach, had won 855 games before being hired away by the Razorbacks. His first victory as Arkansas' coach, No. 856 overall, earned him a game ball from athletics director Hunter Yurachek as he had his players sign it for memory purposes.

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