When John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks started off the season 0-5 in the SEC, it looked like they were dead. It turns out they were only mostly dead. 

The Hogs’ season turned around, appropriately enough, with a win over Kentucky in Rupp Arena. And on Saturday, Calipari exorcised another demon when his Razorbacks knocked off the No. 2 seeded St. John’s Red Storm, which are coached by Calipari’s nemesis Rick Pitino. (That result was no doubt celebrated by Hoops HQ’s favorite bracket picker, Bill Clinton.) Calipari is an easy target for derision, but he’s the one getting the last laugh. Now we get to find out if his former school can likewise reach the Sweet Sixteen by beating Illinois. Think Mark Pope is feeling a little pressure?

It's a great time of year to be a college basketball fan, which is why Hoops HQ is offering a one-time-only Sweet Sixteen discount: for just $16, you get a one-year membership to all we offer. While you’re rightly focused on all the games, our team of reporters is already covering the transfer portal, the coaching carousel, the NBA and WNBA Drafts and so much more. But that’s for another day — tomorrow, as I note below — so let’s get back to the Madness….

The Baylor-Duke game today has an intriguing subplot with the Bears being led in the backcourt by former Blue Devil Jeremy Roach. The women’s tournament is also in full swing, so be sure to check out the roundup of all the action from Wilton Jackson as well as the story from Eden Laase about South Dakota State’s impending matchup with UConn.

And of course, we are serving up my Picks Against the Spread and the Best Bets from our ace Betting Editor Justin Perri. We play to win here at Hoops HQ.

Tomorrow is a huge day in college basketball as the transfer portal officially opens for business. I’ll have more to say about that tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy the games today, and thanks as always for your support of Hoops HQ. —Seth