Calipari points out two things that ended his Kentucky basketball run

After 15 seasons at the helm of Kentucky basketball, John Calipari’s time in Lexington came to an end with a whimper, not a bang. His tenure was filled with highs, lows, and everything in between, but looking back, Calipari believes there were two pivotal games that might have kept him in the Bluegrass State. Now coaching at Arkansas and sitting at 12-8 in his first season in Fayetteville, he reflects on how close he was to still leading the Wildcats.

The St. Peter’s Shockwave

March Madness is unpredictable, but no one saw this coming. Kentucky entered the 2022 NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed, a team built for a deep run. National title hopes were sky-high in Lexington, and then, in a blink of an eye, they were gone.

St. Peter’s, a 15 seed led by future cult hero Doug Edert, stunned the Wildcats in the first round. It was one of the biggest upsets in tournament history, and for Kentucky fans, an unthinkable disaster. Calipari later admitted that this loss haunted him—losing early is one thing, but being on the wrong side of history? That was a different beast entirely.

Kansas State Ends the Redemption Arc

Fast forward to 2023. After the St. Peter’s debacle, Kentucky had a chance to bounce back. It wasn’t a dominant year, but a scrappy group, led by Oscar Tshiebwe, fought their way to the tournament. They got past Providence in the first round, offering hope that maybe this time, things would be different.

But then came Kansas State. Despite a valiant effort, Kentucky fell short again in the second round. It wasn’t an embarrassing exit, but it was another year where Kentucky failed to reach the second weekend. For a fanbase used to Final Fours and banners, patience was wearing thin.

Jack Gohlke and the Final Straw

If there was one game that sealed Calipari’s fate, it was this one.

The 2024 Wildcats were different. Reed Sheppard, Antonio Reeves, and Rob Dillingham made Kentucky fun again. Fans could feel the magic returning. But there was one problem—Calipari rarely played his best analytical lineup, and two of the three stars didn’t even start.

Then, Jack Gohlke happened. The Oakland guard torched Kentucky with a barrage of three-pointers, leading yet another stunning first-round upset. This was supposed to be the year. Calipari himself had emphasized how this team was built for March. Instead, it was another early exit.

For many, this was the breaking point. Kentucky fans were exhausted from early tournament exits, and the program needed a fresh start. Enter Mark Pope.

The Present: Calipari in Fayetteville, Pope’s Kentucky Revival

Now, Calipari finds himself at Arkansas, sitting at 12-8, adjusting to a new challenge. Meanwhile, Mark Pope has Kentucky ranked in the top 15, injecting new life into the program. As Big Blue Nation prepares for tonight’s game, the contrast between past and present couldn’t be clearer.

Had those two fateful tournament games gone differently, Calipari believes he’d still be calling Lexington home. Instead, the Wildcats turned the page, and a new era has begun. One thing’s for sure—Kentucky basketball never stops being a story.