Three storylines to follow as Razorbacks face Memphis in final exhibition

Calipari takes in proper homecoming with Tigers, will emotions play factor in game?

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari during exhibition matchup against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. | Arkansas Communications

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Arkansas Razorbacks second-year coach John Calipari is set to have a homecoming of sorts Monday night as his team travels to the Fedex Forum to face the Memphis Tigers.

The Hoops for St. Jude Tip-Off Classic, presented by Bad Boy Mowers, will serve as a benefit for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

While the event is for a good cause, it also serves the purpose of bringing Calipari back together with former players he coached at Memphis before taking the Kentucky job.

"We're going to have a practice at 1 p.m., and we've invited all the [Memphis] guys back," Calipari said. "There's three or four that's got to do videos that can't be there and they're sick, they want to be there, and I've been in touch with them, but it's like 40 guys coming."

Calipari's Return to Memphis

Although he was able to put his coaching career on the map while at UMass, it was his domination of Conference USA at Memphis which made him one of the best coaches i n the country.

From 2000-09, Calipari led the Tigers to six NCAA Tournament appearances and a national runner-up finish in 2008 NCAA Tournament.

Monday night marks his first game back at FedEx Forum since leaving for Kentucky, and the reunion is layered with nostalgia.

Arkansas men’s basketball head coach John Calipari answers a question as Memphis men’s basketball coach Penny Hardaway looks on during a press conference for the Hoops for St. Jude Tip Off Classic at FedExForum on September 2, 2025. | Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dozens of former Memphis players from Calipari’s tenure will be honored, adding emotional weight to what’s technically a preseason exhibition.

This isn’t just a game, but a symbolic moment for Calipari and Memphis fans at a place that hasn't experienced the same success since he left nearly two decades ago.

It's within reason to expect a charged atmosphere and a warm reception, but once tip-off takes place, Memphis should bring a competitive edge from Penny Hardaway’s squad with eagerness to defend home court.

Freshmen Encore

Arkansas' pair of McDonald's All-Americans didn't waste time geting their college careers going Friday night against Cincinnati. Guards Darius Acuff and Meleek Thomas combined to score 35 points, draining 4-of-9 three-point attempts.

Acuff pushed the Razorbacks' tempo by creating off the bounce and in transition with 23 fastbreak points and four assists. Arkansas mauled the Bearcats in the paint, outscoring Cincinnati by 20 points, 44-22.

Arkansas’s Darius Acuff had a smooth debut vs Cincinnati in the blowout win

17 points
4 rebounds
4 assists
7-11 FG
2-4 3PT
24 minutes

One of the best guards at the HS cycle for a few years now, ready to do the same at the collegiate level.

Plays with a ton of pace, tough… pic.twitter.com/EPOwwLPkaE

— Arman Jovic (@PDTScouting) October 25, 2025

Thomas flashed scoring versatility without being a primary ball handler he became accustomed to throughout his career.

Should they perform admirably again against Memphis, then their expectations moving forward will rival some of those great guard combinations Calipari is known for throughout his career.

Hardaway Starts Over

Memphis has performed a complete flip of its roster without a single player from last year's 29-6 team that won an American Conference Championship.

The Tigers are one of only nine programs in the country that don't return a single player from 2024-25.

Hardway's Tigers are deep with former 5-star foward Aaron Bradshaw, two-time transfer Dug McDaniel (Kansas State, Michigan) and former Top 100 point guard Curtis Givens who transfered in from LSU.

Fomer Ohio State Buckeyes forward Aaron Bradshaw (4) reacts to his dunk during the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Value City Arena. | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The Tigers' eight-man portal class ranked No. 45 nationally and directly behind the likes of Mississippi State, Kansas, SMU and Oklahoma State, according to 247sports.

With expectations high surrounding Hardway's team, chemistry will be the biggest issue moving forward as bonds are likely still forming.

That makes tonight’s game with the Razorbacks so important, as it offers fans its first glimpse at how Memphis plans to compete in the American Conference along with a rigorous non-conference slate that includes the likes of Auburn, Ole Miss, UNLV, Purdue, Baylor, Louisville, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State.