Calipari resets Razorbacks' plan for rematch with Texas Tech in Dallas

Arkansas turns to early practices and long-range defense as John Calipari prepares for another meeting with Red Raiders after last year’s collapse

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari drawing a play in the Sweet 16 against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in Chase Arena in San Francisco. | Michael Morrison-Hogs on SI Images

John Calipari has coached long enough to know when it is time to move forward. His first season with Arkansas ended in a way he has tried hard to forget.

But the present has forced a different approach as the Razorbacks prepare for Saturday’s Top 20 neutral-site game against No. 16 Texas Tech in Dallas.

The Hogs’ first year under Calipari closed with promise and pain. After starting 0-5 in SEC play, Arkansas rallied late, winning five of seven to reach the program’s fourth Sweet 16 in five years.

The run almost stretched further when the Hogs held a 16-point lead on the Red Raiders in the second half.

Instead, everything unraveled in the final minutes. Texas Tech’s Darrion Williams hit a late three-pointer in overtime to close the door, sending the Razorbacks home with an 85-83 defeat that still sticks with their new coach.

Calipari said forgetting that game was his plan, as usual. But the schedule changed the routine.

This week’s matchup, called the “Revocruit Rematch,” required him to relive it.

“When our season ends I do not watch the last game that we play, never,” Calipari said on his Monday ‘Live with Coach Cal’ appearance with host Chuck Barrett.

Because he was on the road recruiting, associate head coach Kenny Payne handled the show in person. Calipari called in.

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Johnell Davis (1) drives to the hoop past Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Kevin Overton (1) during the second half during a West Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Chase Center. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Rewatching loss sparks Calipari’s frustration

Calipari said he had no choice but to sit through the game again. The more he watched, the less sense the loss made to him.

“I had to this year because we are going to play them again,” Calipari said. “And now I’m even more mad that we lost that game after watching it. How?! Every time I stop the tape, how the heck did we lose this?”

The film reminded him how slim the margin was.

“And all of a sudden, they make a couple of plays and we don’t, and it’s you lose,” he said.

That feeling seems to be pushing the Hogs’ preparation this week. Arkansas faces an 11 a.m. tipoff at the American Airlines Center, one of its earliest starts of the season. Calipari said the staff is doing everything it can to get the roster into a morning rhythm.

“We have got to have some great preparation this week and we are practicing earlier in the day,” Calipari said. “We are going at 11:00 every day this week. Even Friday, we may even go earlier.”

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Karter Knox drives for a layup against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Sweet 16. | Michael Morrison-Hogs on SI Images

Hogs prepare for Tech’s three-point threat

Calipari said Texas Tech “shoots a lot of three pointers, at least it appears that way.”

That alone shapes how the Hogs will defend. It also lines up with what Arkansas did well last week in a Top 10 win over Louisville.

Louisville entered the game ranked third nationally with nearly 13 made three-pointers per contest. The Razorbacks held them to 8-of-37 from deep — only 22 percent — an effort Calipari called a major step toward where he wants the defense to be.

“We are really working hard on not contesting threes but taking them away,” Calipari said. “Now we gotta just keep getting better at taking the three away and then retreating to stay in front of the driver.”

Arkansas is also mixing defensive schemes. Calipari said switching and improved communication have helped, and he sees progress on the stat sheet even if he is not tracking the number closely.

“We are getting better and better, defensively,” Calipari said. “Last year, we became a top 10 defensive team. I don’t know what we are right now, but it can’t be too bad.”

The Razorbacks currently sit 30th nationally in three-point percentage defense at 27.7 percent.

Arkansas Razorbacks guard Karter Knox talks with coach John Calipari on the sidelines against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Ark. | Ted McClenning-allHOGS Images

Chance to reshape the narrative

For Calipari and Arkansas, Saturday is not about revenge. It is more about direction.

The coach who tries not to look back was forced into it this week, and the film brought back the frustration of last year’s ending. But it also reminded him how close the Hogs came to flipping the postseason picture.

The “Revocruit Rematch” may not rewrite what happened in March, but it does let Arkansas show how far it has come since then — and whether the lessons from that collapse have taken root.

The Hogs have emphasized earlier starts. They’ve worked on long-range defense. And they’ve spent the week watching a game Calipari never wanted to revisit.

Now comes the part that counts.

Key takeaways

• John Calipari rewatched last year’s Texas Tech loss for the first time, calling it a frustrating but necessary step.
• Arkansas is practicing earlier this week to prepare for an 11 a.m. tip in Dallas.
• The Hogs continue to focus on taking away three-point shots after strong defensive showings.