John Calipari’s No. 17 Arkansas Razorbacks finally got their payback against No. 16 Texas Tech Red Raiders on Saturday night at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, rallying from a first-half deficit to secure a 93–86 victory. This matchup marked the first meeting between the two programs since the Red Raiders ended Arkansas’ season in last year’s Sweet 16. But while the Razorbacks settled the score on the hardwood, the night didn’t end quietly.

As intense as the game itself was, emotions spilled over once the final buzzer sounded. During the postgame handshake line, players from both sides exchanged words, and a brief scuffle broke out before coaches stepped in to separate the teams.

A viral clip circulating on social media appeared to show Trevon Brazile directing a middle-finger gesture toward someone on the Texas Tech side before staff members defused the situation.

While the altercation didn’t escalate any further, it’s unclear what started it, but many fans speculate that during the handshake, a staff member from the Red Raiders’ side slapped away Brazile’s hand.

“This was 100% a personal game,” senior forward Brazile said during the post-game interview. “Especially for the returners. I know we had this one circled, so it just feels good to get the dub. And you just seen all the emotions come out from the team at the end, a little bit more.”

The Red Raiders held control for the first half and built a six-point lead at the break on the back of JT Toppin and Christian Anderson. The duo combined for 56 points, testing Arkansas inside and out. However, Brazile spearheaded the comeback with a dominant second half, finishing with 24 points, 16 of which came in the final 8 minutes of the game, and 10 rebounds.

Darius Acuff Jr. and Karter Knox also added 20 points apiece, forming a three-pronged attack that Texas Tech struggled to contain down the stretch.

The Razorbacks erased a double-digit hole, took the lead for good inside the final six minutes, and limited the Red Raiders to just 37 points in the second half, while they dropped 50, closing the chapter on last season’s heartbreak.

“I’m really proud of the guys,” John Calipari said. “I want you to know and I may be wrong in how I do this, but I’m really, my job is to get individual players to play better. That’s a name on the back.”

But while the game may have ended, every moment in this matchup just told one thing – this rivalry won’t be going away anytime soon, as the Arkansas Razorbacks look forward to the 2025-26 NCAA season.

What’s next for the John Calipari-led Razorbacks?

With this win under their belt, the Razorbacks are 8-2 in the season. The only two losses they have faced so far were against the No. 9-ranked Michigan State Spartans and the No. 3-ranked Duke Blue Devils. However, since their loss to Duke on November 27th, the Razorbacks have played against two more Top 20-ranked teams and won both.

Their latest win against the Red Raiders also carried quite significance for head coach John Calipari, who now sits just 15 victories away from the 900th win of his storied coaching career.

For their next game, the team will play against the Queens University Royals on December 16th. However, it will be their matchups after this, fans are more excited for, as the Razorbacks will face another two top-ranked teams:

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• No. 7-ranked Houston Cougars on December 20th.
• No. 20-ranked Tennessee Volunteers on January 3rd.

The upcoming stretch will reveal just how real Arkansas’s surge is. With confidence building and top-tier wins stacking up, the Razorbacks now move into a stretch where every game doubles as a measuring stick.