Arkansas coach John Calipari slams SEC for brutal back-to-back schedule after dominating win over Vanderbilt 

The regular season for men's basketball is nearly over, and Arkansas head coach John Calipari is not happy with how the schedule has shaken out. The Razorbacks, who are fighting for an NCAA Tournament bid, are coming off a late-night win over Vanderbilt.

This SEC contest tipped off at 10:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday night. Calipari's team's final regular season game is on Saturday against Mississippi State with a noon EST tip-off.

“Guys, we had to win the game, you know what I’m saying,” he said following the win over Vanderbilt. “We won this one. Now hopefully we’ll show up for an 11 o’clock game. So they’re sending us home at 3 in the morning and we play an 11 a.m. game. I know they’ve done that to other teams in the league. Noooooooot.”

NCAA Basketball: Arkansas at South Carolina - Source: Imagn

Calipari's frustration over scheduling is contextualized by his team looking for a tournament bid. ESPN Bracketology currently has Arkansas as the last four in, but the Razorbacks still have their last regular season game and the SEC Tournament ahead of them before Selection Sunday.

Arkansas will host No. 25 Mississippi State in Saturday's early game. A ranked win could go a long way for the squad's tournament resume, but the scheduling is a challenge the Razorbacks will have to overcome.

NCAA Basketball: Arkansas at Vanderbilt - Source: Imagn

John Calipari's Arkansas squad's win over Vanderbilt

The upset win over the Commodores was significant to the Razorbacks as they look ahead to the postseason. Vanderbilt scored first in the conference contest, but Arkansas responded by getting on the board less than 30 seconds later. However, the Razorbacks didn't overtake the lead for the first time until 2:38 remained in the first half.

Arkansas entered halftime up 43-37, an admirable lead in a road SEC game. Calipari's team outscored Vanderbilt again in the second half to pull out the win. All of the Razorbacks' starters scored double-digit points, with senior guard Johnell Davis leading the team with 21. Junior forward Trevon Brazile put up 16 points and 14 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.

Arkansas shot 51% from the field in the upset win and held Vanderbilt to just 38% shooting. It was a late night game, but Calipari's squad stayed energized until the end to aid in its tournament hopes. The head coach's frustration over scheduling is clear, but his team will look to pick up a home win on Saturday regardless of these frustrations.