Arkansas
John Calipari bringing Kentucky staff (and Brad) with him to Arkansas
The sidelines at Bud Walton Arena will look all too familiar to the Big Blue Nation next season.
According to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, former Kentucky head coach John Calipari is expected to bring most of his staff from this past season with him to Arkansas. In fact, Calipari intends to bring four of his five assistants from the 2023-24 Kentucky team.
Those include associate to the head coach Bruiser Flint, associate coach Orlando Antigua, assistant coach Chuck Martin, and assistant coach Chin Coleman. Additionally, Norlander reports that Calipari’s son, Brad, who served as Vanderbilt’s director of on-court player development this past season, will also join the Razorbacks’ staff in Fayetteville.
The lone staff member not tagging along with Calipari to Arkansas is John Welch, who was tabbed the associate head coach at Fresno State earlier this week.
At Arkansas, the trio of Antigua, Coleman, and Martin will hold the title of assistant coach while Flint will be named the special assistant coach, per Norlander. Brad Calipari will take over a player development role.
Calipari was officially introduced as the Arkansas head coach on Wednesday, receiving a five-year contract beginning at $7 million per year with plenty of incentives baked in. The contract runs through 2029 with a maximum of two automatic rollover years for NCAA Tournament berths. Calipari also receives a $1 million signing bonus.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Freshman Darius Acuff Jr. scored a career-high 29 points, including a key 3-pointer with just over two minutes left in the second half, to help No. 18 Arkansas to an 86-75 win over No. 19 Tennessee in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams on Saturday.
Arkansas (11-3) used a 18-5 run over a 6-minute, 37-second span midway through the second half to turn a five-point deficit into an eight-point lead with 5:40 left. Tennessee shot just 2 for 10 from the field during Arkansas’ run, missing eight shots in a row before finally scoring.
The Volunteers (10-4) took advantage of an Arkansas cold shooting spell — the Razorbacks picked up 12 of their 18 points during the run from the free-throw line — to close within two points with under four minutes to play. Acuff made a 3-pointer from the wing with 2:09 remaining to give the Razorbacks a 79-68 lead.
Tennessee shot 49% from the field and was outscored at the line, going 12 for 23 while Arkansas shot 29 for 33.
Acuff was the only Arkansas player to shoot better than 50% from the floor, going 9 for 16. The Razorbacks shot 42% overall. Acuff was joined in double-digit scoring by Meleek Thomas, who scored 18 points. Malique Ewin added 12 points and Karter Knox 11.
Amari Evans’ 17 points on 7-for-7 shooting led three Tennessee players in double figures.
Arkansas won its opening SEC game for the first time since the 2020-21 season. The Razorbacks have reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in four of the five seasons since and made two Elite Eight appearances.
Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas (1) shoots over Tennessee defenders Ja’Kobi Gillespie, left, and Felix Okpara, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Fayetteville, Ark. Credit: AP/Michael Woods
Up next
Arkansas: At Ole Miss on Wednesday.
Tennessee: Hosts Texas on Tuesday.
Sheila Yount
Sheila Yount is a features editor for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. An Arkansas native and communications professional with 42 years of experience, she edits and writes for the Style sections with a primary focus on the Saturday home and garden section and the Monday style section, which includes content on outdoor recreation, physical fitness and health, as well as history and other topics.
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