Arkansas hosts Kansas in charity clash; Big names unite for mental health and suicide prevention

John Calipari's Arkansas Razorbacks debut at the Bud Walton Arena will be a charity game against the Kansas Jayhawks on Oct. 25. The proceeds from the exhibition match-up will be to support Arkansas Children's Hospitals and Fore The Kids Foundation, a partner of Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.

A statement from the program also shared that the game is part of a series of charity exhibition matchups sponsored by CareSource and is to benefit adolescent and young adult mental health and suicide prevention initiatives. Some of the other games in this series include Ohio State at Cincinnati on Oct. 18 and Dayton vs Xavier on Oct. 20.

In the press release, Arkansas coach John Calipari said:

"We are ecstatic to be hosting Kansas to raise money and awareness for some great charities. Kansas is near and dear to my heart. Not only is it where I got my start in the coaching profession but, more importantly, it is where I met my wife, Ellen.

"This game will be a tremendous opportunity for us to see where we stand before the regular season begins. Also, our fans – and really the college basketball world – will be tuned in to this game. It is great for our program to be able to play these high-profile charity games."

Kansas coach Bill Self also spoke about this match-up in a statement from the school.

"We are excited to be able to go play at Arkansas in an exhibition game and help raise money for a great cause, as the proceeds will go to mental health charities.

"This game will give us a good idea to see where our team is before the season starts. We wanted to play on the road to give us an opportunity to experience what our first road contest will be like as opposed to experiencing it for the first time in the regular season."

Arkansas and Kansas have met 14 times in the past with the Razorbacks taking their latest win in the second round of the 2023 NCAA tournament. However, the Jayhawks lead with an 8-6 record.

John Calipari will return to Kentucky with the Arkansas Razorbacks

Following his exit in April, John Calipari will take the trip back to Lexington on Feb. 1 for the Arkansas-Kentucky matchup. The game will also see former Wildcats like D.J. Wagner, Adou Thiero and Zvonimir Ivisic return to Rupp Arena.

The tip-off has already generated much anticipation among fans as they eagerly wait to see how things will unfold for the players and coach who once called Rupp their home.