Recapping everything John Calipari said after Arkansas inches past South Carolina for SEC tournament win

Arkansas coach John Calipari expressed disappointment over the Razorbacks' 72-68 win over South Carolina in the first round of the 2025 SEC Tournament on Wednesday at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

In a post-game media availability session, Calipari called out the team's tentativeness despite playing against a lower-ranked team. Then, the former national champion coach praised the opposing side playing as if their lives were on the line.

"I just thought we got tentative and was trying to get out of the gym," Calipari said (1:05). "You can't play that way and we have a bunch of guys that compete and did what they had to win the game."

The veteran coach would've wanted a bigger margin of victory, considering what South Carolina did to them in the regular season. He credited the Gamecocks' guards and big men for playing well in this do-or-die game.

Calipari was also asked about the games where the Razorbacks led by double digits only to allow the opposing teams to get back at them in the second half. He acknowledged that this is a worrying trend but defends his players by saying they're still getting better.

The Arkansas coach hailed the team for staying together despite having a 0-5 start in the SEC regular season and encountered injuries to its key players, including Tennessee transfer Jonas Aidoo, Kentucky transfer Adou Thiero and freshman Boogie Fland.

"This team has withstood all of it and I'm telling them: The rest of their lives you're going to be able to look back knowing individually they were in a dark place. You walk through it. Yes we had to keep building guys up and yes we had to keep coaching and all that stuff but we're not on the court with them," he said (8:49).

Calipari also wants to get Zvonimir Ivisic in his rhythm and he said he's encouraging the 7-foot-2 big man to get involved offensively in the next game.

The Arkansas bench tactician was also asked about their chances of getting into the NCAA Tournament and the possibility of getting either Boogie Fland and Adou Thiero to suit up. He answered it in a speculative tone, but he hopes to welcome Fland and Thiero back from their injuries and make the NCAA Tournament.

The 66-year-old coach also admitted that the last free throw by Johnell Davis was supposed to miss but fortunately it banked in, giving Arkansas a two-possession game. He was also asked about Ole Miss, their second-round opponent in the SEC Tournament and noted that it'll be a hard game for the team considering its current composition and depth.

In conclusion, Calipari praised DJ Wagner for his better shooting percentage and his leadership on the floor. He also took note of the coaching staff's effort to talk to the team about what areas they should work on and improve to be a better player.

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Brazile, Davis star as Arkansas hold off South Carolina

Arkansas nearly squandered a 20-point lead before holding off South Carolina in the first round of the SEC Tournament. Trevor Brazile stepped up for the Razorbacks, tallying 16 points, seven rebounds, four steals and one block while Johnell Davis added 14 points, two assists and three steals.

Davis scored the last six points for the John Calipari-coached men who raced to a 52-32 lead only for the Gamecocks to come closer and chopped it down to one with 4:20 left. Arkansas shot 44.6% from the field and made 15-of-16 shots from the free-throw line.

Jonas Aidoo added 14 points, 11 rebounds, one steal and one block while D.J. Wagner contributed 13 points and six assists for the Razorbacks, who is set to meet Ole Miss in the second round of the SEC Tournament.

Collin Murray-Boyles led South Carolina with 20 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block while Jamari Thomas added 16 points, one rebound, two assists, two steals and one block. Jacobi Wright added 13 for the Gamecocks who concluded their season with a 12-20 record.