Former Kentucky head coach Rick Pitino took to social media on Thursday to appeal to Wildcats fans to give former head coach John Calipari a warm welcome in his return to Rupp Arena this weekend. “As you all know,

As Arkansas basketball's John Calipari comes back to Kentucky, Rick Pitino has a message.

Arkansas coach John Calipari isn't expecting a hero's welcome Saturday at Rupp Arena when he takes the Razorbacks to play at No. 12 Kentucky in his first game back at UK since his 15-year run leading the program ended.

Kentucky and Arkansas both have new head basketball coaches, and these coaches are set to face off in Rupp Arena on Saturday evening. Coach Mark Pope and John

John Calipari and his Arkansas Razorbacks visit Kentucky, where he spent 15 seasons and won a national title, on Saturday.

FAYETTEVILLE — St. John's basketball coach Rick Pitino, who led Kentucky to a national championship at Kentucky in 1996, posted a video to social media Thursday morning with a plea to Big Blue Nation. Pitino asked Kentucky fans to give Arkansas coach John Calipari a standing ovation Saturday when he returns to the place he coached for 15 years.

Two days before his highly anticipated return to Rupp Arena, John Calipari received a show of support from an unlikely ally. Rick Pitino, of all people, posted a video message to social media encouraging Big Blue Nation to treat Calipari with “respect and admiration” when the former longtime Kentucky coach brings his struggling Arkansas team to Lexington on Saturday.

Rick Pitino knows a thing or two about leaving Kentucky -- and returning. And now with John Calipari set to return to Rupp Arena with Arkansas on Saturday night (9 p.m., ESPN), the St. John’s coach has some advice on how Big Blue Nation should treat their former coach.

Give John Calipari credit; he has spoken openly about his return to Kentucky this week. With Arkansas on a midweek bye, Cal could have found ways to avoid the media ahead of Saturday’s trip to Lexington.

Kentucky hosts Arkansas basketball for John Calipari's first game against the Wildcats. Here's everything to know about the matchup, including best ticket prices and start time for the SEC game at Rupp Arena.

Arkansas basketball is irrelevant in its first season under John Calipari. Cal's return to Rupp Arena is now just another game for Kentucky basketball