Arkansas coach John Calipari led the No. 14 Razorbacks to a dominant 109-77 win over the Southern Jaguars in their season opener on Monday.
Calipari will face off against his longtime friend, Tom Izzo’s No. 22-ranked Michigan State Spartans at the Breslin Center on Saturday in the Razorbacks’ next game.
John Calipari Bemoans Friendship With Tom Izzo Before Clash
During his weekly news conference, Calipari revealed that he was not a fan of coaching against his friend Izzo. The two Hall of Famers have maintained a close relationship, and in July, the pair was even pictured seated together during the EYBL Nike Peach Jam event.
“I’ve never coached in that arena, and they tell me the arena’s crazy … so I’m kind of excited about that,” Calipari said. “I don’t like coaching against friends, I think Tom’s the same way. Like, if we win, I’ll be excited and I’ll see him and I’ll feel like crap and he’ll be the same way, you know?”
The Arkansas coach holds a 3-2 edge in games against Izzo. However, the Spartans’ coach won their last matchup in a thrilling Champions Classic in 2022, which went into double overtime when Calipari was still the Kentucky Wildcats coach.
Tom Izzo Wary of Calipari’s Razorbacks
The Spartans struggled to beat the Colgate Raiders, 80-69, on Tuesday evening in their season opener. The Spartans shot 41.7% from the field versus the Raiders’ 47.4%, but Izzo’s team outscored their opponents, 24-4, in free throws to squeak to the win.
During his weekly news conference, Izzo issued a warning to his team about being sluggish against Calipari’s Razorbacks on Saturday.
“A lot of work to do,” Izzo said. “Or we’re gonna get our ass embarrassed on Saturday. I’m gonna go over all those things on what we do it for. Why we do it, but how they should benefit from it and not fear it. … I think they’re gonna love it. I think the place is gonna be hopping.
“I think people are hungry for seeing a game like this. We just gotta answer the bell the same way. If it’s big to me, it’s gonna be big to my speech. And it’s gonna be big to them. So if that’s pressure? Hey, welcome to the real world – that’s why you came here. … I think that’ll be my message to them: ‘You’re damn right it’s a big game.'”
Calipari’s Razorbacks reached the Sweet 16 of the 2025 NCAA Tournament during his first season in charge of Arkansas after departing Kentucky. Meanwhile, Izzo’s Spartans reached the Elite Eight of the Big Dance.
