NEWARK, N.J. — John Calipari often plays against his friends.
He also talks about how he doesn’t enjoy doing so. But playing against friends can often be beneficial, particularly when your pals run some of the nation’s top men’s basketball programs.
Perhaps that is one reason he loathes looking at a friendly face on the opposing sideline.
Last season, Calipari’s first Arkansas team played at Jim Larranaga’s Miami and hosted Greg Kampe’s Oakland. And that’s not getting into the world of SEC play.
This season, the Razorbacks have played against Tom Izzo and Michigan State and will go against Calipari's former assistant Preston Spradlin when James Madison visits Bud Walton Arena on Dec.