The Arkansas Razorbacks men's basketball team will be in Lexington, Ky. for a matchup against the Kentucky Wildcats this weekend, marking the first time John Calipari will return to his former stomping grounds at the Rupp Arena since leaving the university this summer.

Ignore the hype. Ignore the noise. Ignore the circus that is sure to surround the return of John Vincent Calipari, who in a 15-year run as the UK coach took the Wildcats to four Final Fours and a national championship before his Big Blue express ran out of steam.

John Calipari and the Arkansas basketball team have a big one this weekend as they be hitting the road to take on #12 Kentucky. Calipari was obviously the head coach of the Wildcats last year and had been the head coach since 2009.

John Calipari's legacy in Lexington extends beyond what his Kentucky Wildcats did on the court. Kentucky residents share meaningful moments for them.

On Saturday night, he’ll be introduced as head coach of the visiting team, the Arkansas Razorbacks. UK fans have not had to cope with anything similar since Rick Pitino — himself a UK national champion — brought archrival Louisville into Rupp in 2001.

John Calipari's return to Lexington is one of the most-anticipated matchups of the college basketball season. Were it not for Duke-UNC on the same weekend, Kent

After 15 seasons as the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, John Calipari announced in April 2024 that he would be leaving the program, leaving a school where he led the SEC powerhouse to one championship in 2012 and four Final Fours. The day after announcing he would leave Kentucky, Calipari was named the head coach for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

The joy and jubilation from the Kentucky victory over No. 8 Tennessee in Knoxville will not linger around Lexington for long. That’s because a date that has been circled on calendars across Big Blue Nation for months is almost here.