Two days before his highly anticipated return to Rupp Arena, John Calipari received a show of support from an unlikely ally. Rick Pitino, of all people, posted a video message to social media encouraging Big Blue Nation to treat Calipari with “respect and admiration” when the former longtime Kentucky coach brings his struggling Arkansas team to Lexington on Saturday.

While the Kentucky Wildcats are getting ready to take on Tennessee, their next opponent, the Arkansas Razorbacks, don't have a midweek game. This means on John

John Calipari won more than 400 games during his 15 seasons leading Kentucky basketball. Many of those wins came in Lexington. These five stand out.

Arkansas coach John Calipari isn't expecting a hero's welcome Saturday at Rupp Arena when he takes the Razorbacks to play at No. 12 Kentucky in his first game back at UK since his 15-year run leading the program ended.

Here's a scouting report and prediction for Arkansas basketball's road game against Kentucky, marking John Calipari's return to Rupp Arena.

The hobbled No. 12 Wildcats, down starters Lamont Butler and Andrew Carr, show grit in tense win vs.the No. 8 Volunteers

Ignore the hype. Ignore the noise. Ignore the circus that is sure to surround the return of John Vincent Calipari, who in a 15-year run as the UK coach took the Wildcats to four Final Fours and a national championship before his Big Blue express ran out of steam.

FAYETTEVILLE — St. John's basketball coach Rick Pitino, who led Kentucky to a national championship at Kentucky in 1996, posted a video to social media Thursday morning with a plea to Big Blue Nation. Pitino asked Kentucky fans to give Arkansas coach John Calipari a standing ovation Saturday when he returns to the place he coached for 15 years.

Former Kentucky coach Rick Pitino released a social media video asking UK fans to show their class on Saturday.

Kentucky men’s basketball fans have a difficult decision ahead of them on Saturday evening when former coach John Calipari makes his grand return to Rupp Arena with Arkansas. To boo or not to boo, that is the question.

Last season, Zvonimir Ivisic was a constant storyline for UK basketball. How has Ivisic fared this season at Arkansas?