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Arkansas basketball coach John Calipari has a very happy family. Calipari's wife and daughter voiced their support for the Arkansas coach, after the squad made the Sweet 16. The Razorbacks defeated St. John's in March Madness on Saturday, 75-66.
“It's just been a rough couple of years, you know?” Calipari's daughter Megan said, per CBS Sports. “Mostly why I want my dad to win is because I want him to be happy, because I love him. I don't care about basketball. I wouldn't consider myself to be a basketball fan. I'm a John Calipari fan, and so I feel like he deserves this. He worked so hard. That team worked so hard.”
Megan's feelings were mirrored by her mother, Ellen. The two ladies were seen in the stands cheering on Arkansas during the first weekend of March Madness.
The Arkansas basketball coach's wife Ellen says she feels vindicated.
“I do, too,” Ellen Calipari said. “There are always first round upsets every year, all the time. I think that's part of the satisfaction you get is part of the accumulation of that too. That satisfaction is greater from that.”
Arkansas basketball moves on to play Texas Tech, with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line. Arkansas coach Calipari is in the Sweet 16 for the first time in Fayetteville.
John Calipari had a tough ending at Kentucky before heading to Arkansas
John Calipari left Kentucky after 15 years at the school, following the 2023-24 season. Calipari had worn out his welcome with some Kentucky fans, which may be a reason why his family feels vindicated.
It seems that change was good for the veteran basketball coach. He has his team in the Sweet 16 in just his first season. The last time Calipari reached the second weekend of the NCAA tournament was back in 2019 with Kentucky.
Calipari and the Arkansas basketball team posted two upset wins to reach this next round. The club outlasted Kansas in a hard-fought game. They then went on to defeat St. John's and Rick Pitino on Saturday.
Arkansas and St. John's both missed three-point shots on Saturday at a record pace. The teams combined to shoot under 10 percent from the perimeter.
“Was it an ugly game? Or was it a game that was exciting? Like, both?” Calipari said. “An ugly exciting game. You know I don't care. It could be an ugly-ugly game and I'm happy we're moving on.”
The Razorbacks hope to keep it rolling when they take on Texas Tech Thursday.
