FAYETTEVILLE, AR — As concocted by a screenwriter, Marc Pope and John Calipari entered Saturday with the same overall record – 38-19 – as sophomores at their respective schools: Kentucky basketball for the first, Arkansas for the latter.
If Saturday’s game was supposed to be a duel of sorts, pushing one coach a tiny step ahead of the other, the spectators got everything they expected.
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Even though they were away from a trio of players who were once starters, it wasn’t like the Wildcats were bringing a knife to a shootout. For much of the game, they exerted their will and dealt their share of damage. In the end, they drew enough blood to take down the Razorbacks’ snipers.
After jumping out to an early lead and taking a 42-35 advantage at intermission, Kentucky held on in the second half, earning an 85-77 victory at Bud Walton Arena.
Last season’s game in Lexington was one of the marquee matchups on the college basketball calendar, with Calipari taking to Rupp Arena as an opposing coach for the first time in more than three decades. (Calipari’s UMass club lost 90-69 to a Rick Pitino-led UK team on Dec. 4, 1991.) That the Razorbacks won on the road last season was unexpected; they entered just 1-6 in SEC play, while the Wildcats were No. 12 in the USA TODAY Coaches and Associated Press Top 25 polls.
Saturday’s result was almost equally unexpected for Kentucky (15-7, 6-3 SEC). He entered as a decided outsider. And that was right after a one-sided loss at Vanderbilt five days earlier. But every time Arkansas (16-6, 6-3) pushed on Saturday, the United Kingdom responded immediately.
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And for as much emotion as last season’s game stirred up given Calipari’s past with the Wildcats, Saturday was arguably more heated on the field. The contest featured officials evaluating several technical fouls from both clubs.
This story will be updated.
Contact Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
This article was originally published in the Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky vs. Arkansas basketball game, Mark Pope beats John Calipari
