One of the biggest games of the tournament. Arkansas vs. Kansas. A No. 10 seed against a No. 7 seed. Two of men’s college basketball’s winningest coaches, John Calipari and Bill Self, going head-to-head. And as the buzzer sounded, Calipari took it home, marking the first time in nearly two decades that Self’s squad won’t play past the first round. While the Razorbacks welcomed back freshman Boogie Fland, who had been sidelined since January, they were missing their leading scorer, Adou Theiro.
But did that stop Cal’s crew? Not at all.
Thanks to a clutch 15-5 run to close the second half, Razorbacks men knocked off the Jayhawks 79-72 at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island. For a minute, it looked like Kansas might escape the upset. When KJ Adams hit a jumper to put the Jayhawks up 67-64 with 4:55 remaining, Arkansas was struggling to crack Kansas’ zone defense.
But then, Adams went down with an injury, and suddenly, Arkansas had an opening. They seized it, storming back to snatch the win and move on. Now, if you were wondering how Arkansas plans to handle zone defense moving forward without Theiro, well, Calipari seems to have found the answer.
Jan 4, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari after the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images
“I thought we were prepared, but we’re a different team,” the head coach admitted postgame. “The guy I usually have in the middle is Adou…he ain’t here anymore. So, we haven’t played much against zone. I tried Jonas, I tried TB (Trevon Brazile)—didn’t like it. We tried a guard in there, and then we finally went to Jonas, and putting TB on the baseline looked to be a better thing for us.”
This basically means Arkansas is adjusting, and it’s working. They have found THE cure.
Coach Cal also set the record straight, “We got to rely on everybody when you’re down in numbers, everyone’s got to help you…that’s where we are.” His team understood the assignment. Jonas Aidoo stepped up big time with 22 points. Johnell Davis added 18, sinking some clutch free throws late in the game. And not to forget, Fland came in fresh off thumb surgery, and managed dropping six points in 24 minutes.
Moreover, beyond the Xs and Os, Calipari is loving this team for who they are as people. In fact, he made a heartfelt confession to Aidoo’s mom. “It doesn’t work unless you have good guys, and we have a bunch of good guys,” Calipari said. “DJ Wagner is one of the nicest young men, and so is Jonas. I told his mother—he’s one of the nicest kids I’ve ever coached.”
Safe to say, this squad isn’t just about talent. They’ve got heart, too. And with March Madness heating up, Razorbacks look prepared.
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