John Calipari is invading Turkey Day

Seeing John Calipari — along with a ton of former Kentucky players and commits — wearing the hog logo on the Arkansas sidelines will be weird when college basketball season rolls around for everyone involved. It will also be weird when they play a game on the biggest holiday in the fall.

Thanksgiving has long been a day for food, family, and football. College basketball is now entering the chat. CBS will be going live for some hoops coverage after the Chicago Bears-Detroit Lions game ends. John Calipari’s first Arkansas teams will face-off against Illinois in what should be a battle of top 25 teams on a neutral floor in Kansas City.

The Chin Coleman Bowl is here. Oh, former Kentucky assistant coach Orlando Antigua has re-joined Brad Underwood’s Illinois staff.

CBS Sports will present a Thanksgiving Day college basketball matchup with @IlliniMBB facing @RazorbackMBB at 4 PM ET live on CBS and Paramount+ 🍿 pic.twitter.com/95i8wNtKAa

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) August 16, 2024

“What a great opportunity CBS is giving Arkansas and Illinois. Thanksgiving is a day that gets all of America — whether your are a sports fan or not — watching sport on TV. Playing in this time slot will provide tremendous exposure for both programs,” John Calipari said in a release. “Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center is a premier arena that is located close enough that both fan bases can attend.”

Don’t want to watch the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys during your Thanksgiving feast to avoid the odd family conversations? Well, you now have an alternative option with a rare neutral-site college basketball game on the best Thursday of the year.

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