John Calipari Thanks Big Blue Nation for being 'Aggressive'

John Calipari asked Kentucky fans to be at their best Saturday evening against Georgia. The Big Blue Nation showed up to Rupp Arena and delivered a raucous atmosphere.

When Rupp is at its best, it’s one of the best venues in all of basketball. That’s not always the case. Sometimes butts linger in seats while applause is only reserved for special occasions. Following the mid-week win over Mississippi State, Coach Cal asked fans to take it to another level.

“This game coming up with Georgia, please make it sound like we’re in Philadelphia and the Phillies are playing and people are losing their minds from the beginning of the game where people are saying, ‘What! Can you believe Rupp Arena?!’”

Kentucky fans received a few reasons to lose their minds. The Big Blue Nation gave Zvonimir Ivisic an ovation when he entered the game for the first time. The crowd pop was even crazier when he threw a behind-the-back pass to Antonio Reeves for three. It might not have been possible without assistance from the BBN.

“Somebody told me they put up a billboard. That probably worked. That’s aggressive,” he said.

The play that earned a spot at No. 9 on the SportsCenter Top 10.

The moment Big Z brought the #BBN to its feet at Rupp Arena 😻 pic.twitter.com/2vzr0ZV6uj

— KSR (@KSRonX) January 21, 2024

Kentucky fans did not wait to erupt until Big Z arrived. The Big Blue Nation was loud early and often, creating a memorable scene at Rupp Arena for all the patrons, including football and basketball visitors.

“How about our fans in this building today? Look, here’s what I would tell our fans. I love our fans. Everywhere we go, that’s what the building is like. The buildings we play on the road are just like that. It may not be as big,” said Calipari.

“When we play, just come and bring it, like you did today. It was ridiculous. And I know some of it was Z made a shot and everybody was standing and dancing and all of that. But so what? Have fun. Enjoy it. Don’t just stand there and try to analyze and criticize. Just have a ball at the game. And then after, go watch the tape and figure out what you think about the game — what happened in the game.

Calipari added, “I thought our fans were unbelievable today.”

Subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel for press conferences, interviews, original shows, fan features, and exclusive content.