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Hogs Ride Former Wildcats to Marquee Win, Stunning Kentucky

Calipari's homecoming finishes with storybook ending with double-digit win in Rupp Arena

Daniel Shi

Former UK coach and current Arkansas coach John Calipari hugs Kentucky coach Mark Pope before the game Saturday Feb. 1, 2025 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
Former UK coach and current Arkansas coach John Calipari hugs Kentucky coach Mark Pope before the game Saturday Feb. 1, 2025 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. / Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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LEXINGTON, Ky. — Arkansas came into the game as massive underdogs, but held no fear against the No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats. The Razorbacks then proceeded to secure the biggest win of the season on the road, 89-79.

"We needed to win a game so it didn’t matter who it was against," coach John Calipari said. "I made it clear: It was a privilege and an honor to coach here. We had 15 unbelievable years. A great run."

The trio of former Wildcats that followed Calipari from Kentucky to Arkansas gave the rowdy crowd at Rupp Arena the ultimate dose of deja vu. DJ Wagner, Adou Thiero and Zvonimir Ivisic combined for 52 points, led by Thiero with 21.

In Ivisic's first NCAA game with Kentucky, he went 5-for-7 for 13 points. In his first game back, Ivisic went 5-for-8 for 14 points, including a momentum-killing three in the second half.

The moment of truth had finally arrived for coach John Calipari to return to Rupp Arena, a place he called his home floor for 15 years. A solid chorus of boos serenaded the former Wildcats coach as he entered the court.

Behind all the drama and extra-curriculars of Calipari's homecoming, there was a basketball game to be played. The Razorbacks were desperate for a signature win. The team hasn't had a ranked win in nearly two months, when the team beat Michigan inside Madison Square Garden in December. The Hogs were clinging to dying hopes of a miracle NCAA Tournament bid run.

For Kentucky, for all intensive purposes, Arkansas would be a bad loss for Kentucky, the Razorbacks' resume is so light that its a quad two game for the Cats on its home floor.

Arkansas made well past its season average of threes for a game in the first half alone. Johnell "Nelly" Davis, Karter Knox and Ivisic all had multiple threes in the first 20 minutes.

The Razorbacks hung tough in a shootout with Kentucky in the first half. The two teams came into the game on opposite ends of the spectrum in three-point percentage. Kentucky's percentage behind the ranked No. 1 in the SEC (41%), while Arkansas was last at 25%.

Wagner, booed more than any other former player at Rupp, was silent in the first half, but scored all 17 of his points in the second half. He was 0-for-5 and held scoreless but came out firing in the second half as Arkansas started the second half on a 12-2 run to build the largest lead of the game.

"We’ve been fighting [in a lot of games this year]," Wagner said. "That’s something coach has been saying, that we’ve been fighting every game, just some games we’re not able to come out with the win, but today we were able to. I feel like it’s all just about fighting and fighting throughout the whole game no matter what type of adversity you go through."

Koby Brea, who came into the game as the third best three-point shooter in D1 basketball for Kentucky, was held to 1-for-6 from beyond the arc as the Cats were held to 3-for-13 from three in the second half

Whenever Kentucky threatened to make a run back into the game, Arkansas came up with a timely turnover. The Hogs forced 14 Wildcats turnovers and picked up 10 steals, leading to 12 points.

Arkansas now stays on the road to face Texas 8 p.m. Wednesday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

HOGS FEED:

• ESPN's Carter sums up view of Calipari with Hogs at Kentucky

• Where do Hogs rank among toughest 2025 SEC football schedules?

• Razorbacks Catcher Ready To Take On Increased Role

• Kentucky fans can have their day, just let Hogs fans know about it later

• 'A Homecoming Like No Other' will have nation watching

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Daniel Shi
DANIEL SHI

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