Bruce Pearl Wary of Calipari, Arkansas ahead of Clash with No. 1 Auburn

The Auburn Tigers prepare for a matchup with the Arkansas Razorbacks on Wednesday night. At first glance, this appears to be an easy matchup for the Tigers. Arkansas sits at 15-10 this season and 4-8 in the SEC. However, head coach Bruce Pearl isn’t looking to fall victim to a trap game at the hands of John Calipari.

The Razorbacks have two ranked wins this season. One is against Calipari’s former school, Kentucky, and the other is Michigan. Both are still in the top 25.

“Arkansas is talented enough and good enough to beat anybody in our league,” Pearl said on Tuesday. “And they’ve obviously proven it.”

Calipari departed from Lexington for the job in Fayetteville after last season. His time at Kentucky has had him enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. Kentucky won the national championship in 2012.

The Wildcats reached the Final Four six times (two vacated) and won the SEC (both the regular season and tournament) six times. He’s a three-time Naismith Coach of the Year Winner and won the AP College Coach of the Year award in 2015.

He knows how to win, and Pearl isn’t going to look past that. Since he became the head coach at Auburn, he and Calipari are 5-5 against each other. His last win against Calipari came almost three years ago.

Auburn without a doubt is the favorite and has the stacked roster to take down this Arkansas team, but the Razorbacks aren’t without studs of their own. Forward Adou Thiero followed Calipari over from Kentucky. He now leads Arkansas with 15.8 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game.

Guard Johnell Davis transferred over from FAU and was a member of that Final Four team from 2023. He provides a veteran presence and is averaging 10.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

One good night is all it takes.

“Our guys understand, Arkansas understands the prize that is on these 40 minutes and what a win would do for them,” Pearl said. “It would probably take from where they are - last four in or first four out - and put them in the tournament.”

Auburn and Arkansas face off Wednesday night at Neville Arena. Tip off is set for 8 p.m. CST.

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