What was supposed to be a friendly reunion turned ugly as John Calipari stepped onto Rupp Arena for the first time since joining Arkansas! Instead of cheers, Calipari was greeted by loud boos from the Kentucky crowd! But in the end, Coach Cal had the last laugh as he walked off Rupp Arena with a win against his successor at Kentucky, Mark Pope!
Former Wildcat Adou Thiero made his old team pay, dropping 21 points and grabbing eight rebounds, while D.J. Wagner, who also followed Calipari to Arkansas, added 17 points and eight assists. Together, they helped the Razorbacks make a stunning 89-79 upset, silencing Rupp Arena and leaving Kentucky fans in disbelief!
“A lot of memories were made here, and just coming into the game today, I just tried to come in and treat it like another regular game. Go up as hard as we can and try to get the W, and we were able to do that today,” said an emotional Thiero after his game-winning performance against his former team.
Kentucky fans are having a hard time swallowing this one. Coach Cal, who has struggled to get Arkansas firing all season, just outcoached their beloved Wildcats on their home. Fans rightfully took to various social media platforms to vent their frustrations. Let’s take a look at some of them!
Fans fume as Calipari outfoxes Mark Pope
One frustrated fan took to X, admitting, “Can’t sleep. Can’t stop thinking about how BADLY Calipari outcoached Mark Pope.” Another fan backed up the frustration with cold, hard stats, posting, “This bothers me most. A John Calipari coached team shot more 3’s than a Mark Pope coached team. Then free throws. WE SHOT 50% FROM THE FREE THROW LINE ON 18 ATTEMPTS.”
This bothers me most. A John Calipari coached team shot more 3’s than a Mark Pope coached team. Then free throws. WE SHOT 50% FROM THE FREE THROW LINE ON 18 ATTEMPTS pic.twitter.com/svVUEwTCEC
— Kory (@kory5035) February 2, 2025
The Razorbacks have struggled mightily from beyond the arc all season. Remember the game against Florida? They shot an abysmal 18% from the three-point line during that game and this is the first time they shot over 50% from beyond the arc showing how badly Coach Cal outclassed his successor at Kentucky.
The loss was so painful for Kentucky fans that they’ve launched an unofficial inquest into Mark Pope’s future, with many questioning if he’s the right man for the job. One fan even took to X to voice the growing concern, “Is Mark Pope’s job in jeopardy now?”
Despite the tough loss to Arkansas, the Kentucky Wildcats are still holding strong in the AP rankings. The Wildcats currently sit at 12th in the country with a 15-6 overall record and 4-4 in SEC play. While the loss hurts, it doesn’t overshadow the solid work Mark Pope has done since joining.
One fan took to X to express the heartbreak of losing, saying, “Doesn’t matter what Mark Pope does the rest of the year. He lost the one that mattered the most.” You can feel the weight of the loss on Kentucky fans, and it’s clear how much the game against Arkansas mattered to them. The frustration is quite understandable, as a single defeat to their former coach has left a deep mark on the fanbase.
The loss to Arkansas has left Kentucky fans fuming and questioning Mark Pope’s job security, with many focusing on how badly he was outcoached by John Calipari. Despite Kentucky’s strong season, this one defeat stung more than most, especially with Calipari and his former Wildcats leading the charge. Whether this game helps change the course of the season for Arkansas remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure, Coach Cal will have a good night’s sleep!
The post Kentucky Community on the Verge of a Breakdown After John Calipari “Badly Outcoached” Mark Pope appeared first on EssentiallySports.
