The 109-88 Arizona win over Arkansas on Thursday night was the biggest margin of defeat for a John Calipari coached team ever in an NCAA Tournament game. The previous biggest margin in an NCAA Tournament game for a Calipari coached team was 70-53 to Oklahoma State in the 2004 second round at Memphis.
Arizona took a 26-15 lead with 11:25 left in the first half and never looked back. The game was played even for the remainder of the first half and Arizona led 54-43 at halftime. Arizona began the second half with an 11-4 run to boost the lead to 18 and was ahead by at least 14 points for the remainder of the game.
Memphis was a seven seed when it lost to second-seeded Oklahoma State in 2004. Arkansas was eliminated in the NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinals for the second consecutive season. Texas Tech beat Arkansas 85-83 in overtime in Calipari's first season in 2025.
The biggest margin of defeat for Arkansas in 2025-26 was a 111-77 loss at Florida on February 28. Arizona was the third team to score over 100 points against Arkansas in 2025-26. In addition to Florida, Alabama beat Arkansas 117-115 in double overtime on February 18.
Arizona’s 21-point win over Arkansas is now the biggest margin of defeat that John Calipari has ever had in the NCAA Tournament. https://t.co/ADbWzXHoLz
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 27, 2026
Thorough Arizona domination
Arizona stuck to its season-long formula. Arizona outscored Arkansas 60-50 in points in the paint, shot 63.7 percent from the field and made five of its eight three-point attempts. Six Arizona players scored in double figures and Anthony Dell'Orso finished with eight points.
In 25 NCAA Tournament appearances, Calipari has 61 wins, 24 losses, led three different programs to the Final Four six times in total and won the 2012 Championship with Kentucky. Calipari also led Memphis to the 2008 National Title Game. Arizona continues to set records throughout the 2025-26 season.
With one more win, Arizona will tie the program record for wins in a season. Arizona was 35-3 in 1987-88 when the Wildcats advanced to the Final Four for the first time. If Arizona defeats Purdue on Saturday in the West Regional Final, the Wildcats will earn their first Final Four since 2001.