John Calipari has said that his Arkansas Razorbacks had no choice but to win their game against the Missouri Tigers.
The Razorbacks pulled off a stunning upset against the Tigers, winning 92-85 on Feb 23, 2025. The win kept their hopes of securing a place in the NCAA tournament alive, as they improved to 16-11 this season.
John Calipari Hails Arkansas’ Resilience Against Missouri
It was not an easy win for the Razorbacks, as they had just six players available going into the final minutes of the game.
However, they showed incredible resilience to claim a stunning 92-85 win over the No. 15-ranked Tigers. Following the game, Calipari expressed his satisfaction at how his players reacted, saying they had no choice but to win.
“Today, I broke out to refuse to lose. I don’t care what you do — how you do it — refuse to lose. When it’s late in the game, refuse to lose,” Calipari said in his postgame press conference.
“We had timeouts, we called them instead of throwing the ball away. The other thing was we are four and three in the last seven. We lost to the No. 1 team, the No. 2 team, and the No. 6 or No. 7. That’s who we lost to.”
Calipari also added that the win was a big one, given Missouri was a top-10 team and could have won.
“This team was a top-10 team. If they beat us today, they probably were No. 8 or No. 9, so that was a big-time win. But you know now we got to finish. Yes, we won four out of seven, four and three. Let’s keep going, though.
The win against Missouri was one of Arkansas’ best performances this season. The Razorbacks forced 18 turnovers, leading to 30 points, while five players combined for 11 steals.
What’s Next for the Razorbacks?
Arkansas hopes to build on this win when it takes on Texas on Feb. 27, 2025, before it plays South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Arkansas in their last three games.
KEEP READING: SEC Tournament Projections
The Razorbacks are currently 12th in the Southeastern division but will hope for positive results in their last four games to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, and more!
