Photo: Chet White | UK Athletics

After 15 years at the helm, John Calipari’s departure from Kentucky Wildcats basketball was a significant change this offseason—one that many in Big Blue Nation had been calling for in recent years. Fast forward to January 31, 2025, and Calipari’s return to Rupp Arena is finally upon us.

As fans know, Calipari made the move to Arkansas, prompting Kentucky to enter the coaching carousel. The Wildcats landed Mark Pope, head coach of BYU, who quickly won over the fanbase. In his first season, Pope has guided Kentucky to impressive performances. However, Calipari’s interconference switch has added extra intrigue to this matchup, making it one of the most anticipated games on the schedule.

What no one could have predicted, though, is that Arkansas, despite being led by Calipari, is limping into this game with a 12-8 record and just one conference win. On the other hand, Kentucky has been rolling against top-tier opponents, boasting a 6-1 record against teams ranked in the top 15. Ironically, however, Kentucky’s losses this season have mostly come against unranked teams at the time of the matchup.

The opening line for this game has Kentucky as double-digit favorites (-11.5), and KenPom projects a Wildcats win with a final score of 84-73. ESPN gives Kentucky an 82.1% chance to come out on top. So, the odds are heavily in Kentucky’s favor.

But despite the favorable outlook, Kentucky fans are understandably nervous. This is, without question, the biggest game of the year for many fans. Why? Because there’s a strong desire for validation. After 15 years under Calipari, the BBN is eager to prove their point—that the program was being held back, that the gold standard of college basketball wasn’t be upheld. They want to say, “We were right in our criticism, we know a thing or two about basketball in this state.”  

The nervousness comes from the memories of Calipari’s knack for pulling off unexpected wins. Throughout his tenure, he had a habit of defying the odds. Take, for example, the 2022-2023 season when Kentucky was an 11-point underdog at Tennessee and won by 7. Or in 2017-2018, when they were 10.5-point dogs at West Virginia and came away with a 7-point victory. Calipari was always able to rally his team to win games they weren’t supposed to. Wildcat fans are hoping that trend doesn’t continue on Saturday night.

Game Info

How to Listen: UK Sports Network WLAP 630

Date: 2/1/2025

Time: 9:00 PM

Where: Rupp Arena

How to Watch: ESPN