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Arkansas defeated Kentucky 89-79 on Saturday night in Lexington as John Calipari made his return to Rupp Arena.
Calipari, who led UK to a national title and 4 Final Four appearances during his tenure with the Wildcats, was roundly booed as he entered the arena before the game on Saturday night. But despite Arkansas being a significant underdog on the road in a hostile environment, the Hogs were able to get it done and pick up their 2nd SEC win of the year.
All 5 Arkansas starters scored in double figures, including 3 former Wildcats: Adou Thiero (21), DJ Wagner (17) and Zvonimir Ivisic (14). Karter Knox, a former Kentucky commit, chipped in 10 points as well in the effort.
For Arkansas, this was a critical win for a number of reasons. The Razorbacks are clinging to NCAA Tournament aspirations after a slow start to SEC play. Of course, it’s also a very meaningful win for Calipari after the way he departed Lexington last offseason.
For Kentucky, it’s a disastrous loss. The Wildcats are still in position to reach the Big Dance, but this defeat harms a lot of the goodwill Mark Pope has built up with the Kentucky fan base since taking over as head coach.
Here’s the best of the social media reaction to Arkansas’s big win:
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
