Regardless of an 0-5 begin to SEC play and a 10-seed subsequent to its identify, Arkansas continues to be dancing at March Insanity and appears extra like a prime seed than a Cinderella.
That is largely thanks to move coach John Calipari, who has now led 4 completely different faculties to the Candy Sixteen in his 37-year profession.
Calipari is most identified for his dominant years main the Kentucky Wildcats, showing in 4 Ultimate Fours and successful the 2012 nationwide championship.
On the finish of the 2023-24 season, he introduced he could be leaving Lexington and never lengthy after he signed with Kentucky’s SEC rival in Fayetteville.
His success in only one 12 months has been obvious, knocking off 7-seed Kansas and 2-seed St. John’s within the match’s first weekend.
Calipari’s departure created a large emptiness at Kentucky, which was finally stuffed by former BYU head coach Mark Pope, a Wildcat alum.
Pope’s place at BYU was then stuffed by former Phoenix Suns affiliate head coach Kevin Younger.
All three are actually teaching their groups on this 12 months’s Candy 16.
