John Calipari doubles down on controversial SEC tournament take: 'I don't care'

Arkansas will be one of the first teams out in Nashville Wednesday afternoon, facing South Carolina at 1 p.m. ET. Five wins in five days will be required to bring home an SEC Tournament championship, something the program has not done since 200. A big opportunity for John Calipari in his first season in charge.

But according to Calipari, he does not care too much about the SEC Tournament. He believes only one event is what really matters in college basketball, the NCAA Tournament. Calipari is always striving to win a national championship and that cannot be accomplished this weekend.

“I don’t care about the conference tournament,” Calipari said. “Which is why we won it so many times because I could care less. The tournament that matters is the NCAA Tournament.”

NEW: John Calipari on the SEC tournament:

"I don't care about the conference tournament, which is why we won it so many times."

Does he make a good point? 🤔

(via @HogsPlus, h/t @chuckandboshow) pic.twitter.com/IrX3ueMrnt

— On3 (@On3sports) March 10, 2025

Calipari won six SEC Tournaments during his time at Kentucky, including four in a row beginning in 2015. Mixed results came in the ensuing NCAA Tournaments, making the Final Four twice, Elite Eight twice, a Sweet Sixteen, and a second-round exit. Kentucky’s lone national championship under Calipari came in 2012 when they lost in the title game vs. Vanderbilt.

So why even show up to the SEC Tournament if Calipari claims to not care? He still sees value in the event by attempting to improve Arkansas’ seed in the NCAA Tournament.

“Now, you play that tournament (SEC) to get the best seed you can get,” Calipari said. “And if you’re going to get to the finals, win or don’t go to the finals and lose because you’re exhausted and you got to play on Tuesday or Wednesday. So, I’m like, ‘Let’s play well and try to improve our seed.'”

On3’s James Fletcher‘s latest Bracketology currently has Arkansas comfortably in the field at the top of the ‘Last Four Bye’ category. They would head to Wichita as an 11-seed for a first-round matchup against Gonzaga.

A loss to South Carolina would certainly hurt but not to the point where the Razorbacks are in any danger of being excluded from the field. Winning four of five down the stretch certainly helps, even if the lone loss was against South Carolina.

Finding success in Nashville could certainly boost Arkansas up the seed line with multiple Quad 1 opportunities. Maybe finding a way to sneak up to an eight or nine-seed, potentially being in a place to play spoiler in the second round.