John Calipari delivered the shocker of the coaching carousel in 2024 when he left Kentucky for SEC rival Arkansas, changing the landscape of college basketball. A year later, the move seems to be trending in the right direction for both the Wildcats and Razorbacks.

The first round of the West Region features a high-profile clash between seven-seeded Kansas and 10-seeded Arkansas. The matchup pins the two highest-paid coaches in college basketball — Bill Self and John Calipari —against each other. Both are experiencing down seasons relative to their lofty standards.

The Razorbacks struggled early in Calipari's first season but, even shorthanded, are on the cusp of an NCAA Tournament appearance