It was a triumphant debut for new Arkansas head coach John Calipari as the 16th-ranked Razorbacks held off a late rally by Lipscomb to win their season opener 76-60 on Wednesday night.
“We did excellent stuff. It was a good first win against a team that’s going to win a lot of games, Calipari said after the game. The veteran coach, known for his success at Kentucky, left the Wildcats in the offseason to take over the Arkansas program.
Razorback fans had mercilessly booed Calipari every time he set foot in Bud Walton Arena for years. However, Arkansas fans are now filled with excitement and hope, eagerly anticipating what the Hall of Fame coach can accomplish.
Freshman Guard Boogie Fland Leads The Way
One of the main reasons for that optimism is the arrival of Calipari’s highly-touted freshman class, led by 5-star guard Boogie Fland. In his college debut, Fland scored a game-high 17 points to pace the Razorbacks.
“Boogie, you barely made one and it went (imitates ball clanging around the rim)—that was the one you made and you kept shooting,” Calipari said, expressing some frustration with Fland’s 1-for-8 performance from 3-point range. “Shoot 2s. I’m not going to tell you not to shoot; just don’t shoot 3s.” Despite the room for improvement, Fland’s ability to create his own shot and attack the rim impressed in his first game. He added 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal to his stat line.
Freshmen Forwards Make An Impact
Fland wasn’t the only highly-touted freshman to make an impact. Karter Knox, a 4-star forward ranked 22nd in the 2024 class, provided a spark off the bench. He scored 5 points, including a highlight reel dunk late in the first half that put Arkansas up by 11.
“He’s got to be one of those guys, but you can’t just go in the perimeter and do a step-back three,” Calipari said of Knox. “He made a three-pointer with the guy on him.” Like, why would you shoot that? And it went in. So I didn’t say anything.”
The third member of Arkansas’ freshman trio, guard Billy Richmond III, played 11 minutes and contributed 4 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and a block. Calipari revealed he had been experimenting with Richmond at point guard in practice and was impressed by his ability to run the offense.
“He was ridiculous,” Calipari said. “He was making all the right plays; he was getting by people; he was throwing… I’m like, you know what? We just found a third point guard.”
Lipscomb Puts Up A Fight
While the Razorbacks ultimately prevailed, Lipscomb, the preseason favorite in the Atlantic Sun, made things interesting. The Bisons pulled within 4 points with less than 7 minutes to play before Arkansas pulled away.
“They threw a little 1-3-1 zone at us, and we struggled with it for a minute,” Calipari admitted. “But then Zvonimir [Ivisic] made a couple shots, and we were able to get the lead back up.” Ivisic, one of seven Arkansas players making their debut, scored 12 points off the bench to help steady the Razorbacks. Jacob Ognacevic led Lipscomb with 16 points in the losing effort.
Looking Ahead
The win gives Calipari and the Razorbacks momentum heading into their first major test of the season. On Saturday, Arkansas will travel to Dallas to face off against the 8th-ranked Baylor Bears, who are coming off a blowout loss to Gonzaga.
“I’m thrilled to be coaching here. I’m happy. I’m loving the team,” Calipari said. If the Razorbacks can knock off Baylor, it would be a statement victory that would only heighten the growing excitement around Calipari’s new era in Fayetteville.
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