WATCH: Fans hilariously welcome John Calipari to Arkansas ahead of Kentucky matchup
Kentucky is on the road for a huge SEC matchup against Arkansas on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats enter the matchup 23-5 overall and 12-3 against SEC opponents, while the Razorbacks are 22-6 and 11-4. The two teams are separated by one game in SEC standings, with Kentucky trailing Auburn by one game and Arkansas trailing the Tigers by two games.
There’s a lot at stake over the final few games of the year, and there is a lot of intrigue surrounding Saturday’s game. When Arkansas fans spotted Kentucky head coach John Calipari at a restaurant ahead of the game, they had to make sure to give him a hilarious welcome.
In On3’s latest NCAA Tournament Bracketology, Kentucky is a two seed, while Arkansas is a six. ESPN’s latest Bracketology has both teams in the Midwest region, also listing the Wildcats as a two seed with the Razorbacks as a six seed.
Kentucky has won eight of its last nine games, with the only loss coming last week against Tennessee. After Saturday, the Wildcats have two games remaining: Tuesday at home against Ole Miss and next Saturday on the road against Florida. Arkansas has won three in a row and 12 of its last 13. The Razorbacks conclude the season with a home date with LSU on Wednesday and a trip to Tennessee to round out the regular season next Saturday.
Tip-off for Saturday’s game is set for 2 p.m. ET inside Bud Walton Arena.
Fans won’t be storming the court if Arkansas beats Kentucky
On Friday, Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek tweeted a message to Razorbacks fans, saying that if Arkansas pulls off the win over Kentucky, there will not be any storming of the court.
“Another big opportunity for @RazorbackMBB tomorrow, as we host a very good Kentucky team at Bud Walton Arena,” Yurachek tweeted. “I know, because of the passion of Razorback fans, the atmosphere will be special. If we WIN, we will celebrate like Razorbacks do, just not on the court.”
Attached to Yurachek’s tweet was an image with some promotions for students. The first 3,000 students in attendance will win free retro Hog t-shirts, and there will be 1,500 white pom poms in the lower level of Bud Walton Arena. But also included was a message to the fans, saying that Arkansas will bring the celebration to the crowd, instead of the fans taking the celebrations to the court.
“IF we’re fortunate enough to take down the No. 3 Wildcats, we’re taking the celebration to you this time! In an effort to keep all student-athletes, the visiting team, officials, and YOU safe, we ask that everyone remain off the court and allow our team to come celebrate with you,” the message said.