John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks, who began their SEC campaign with five straight losses, have staged an impressive turnaround, securing a spot in the Sweet 16.

A few months ago, few expected Arkansas to even qualify for the NCAA Tournament. However, despite dealing with key injuries, the team has steadily improved and now faces No. 3 Texas Tech with an opportunity to advance even further.

ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum believes Calipari’s recent success highlights the struggles of his former team, the University of Kentucky.

“For Big Blue Nation, this has already been a massive disappointment because they didn’t even want Calipari in the tournament—let alone making a deep run,” Finebaum said on the Andy & Ari On3 podcast. “Mark Pope’s win on Sunday was important, but there’s a lot happening with that program. And while ‘schadenfreude’ might be a strong word, this situation has definitely backfired on them.”

Finebaum noted that in mid-January, Arkansas seemed like a long shot to even make the tournament, while Kentucky was in a strong position. Now, Calipari’s team is making a statement. “I haven’t examined the bracket that closely, but it would be wild if they somehow met in the Final Four,” he added.

Kentucky fans are unlikely to be pleased watching Calipari achieve success he hadn’t experienced with the Wildcats since the 2018-19 season. The Hall of Fame coach has made it clear that this year has been particularly rewarding for him.

“Before the game, I told the guys, ‘Let’s give ourselves a shot at something special. Let’s compete hard, play loose, and see what happens,’” the 66-year-old coach said via ESPN.com. “I’ve told them this season has been one of the most fulfilling of my career because of how far we’ve come.”