March Insanity has barely gotten underway, and we have already seen some great upsets on the primary “full” day of motion. A pair of 12-seeds gained, as McNeese State dominated Clemson and Colorado State knocked off Memphis. Drake had its means with Missouri; the Bulldogs besting the Tigers will certainly make canine followers across the nation completely satisfied.
We additionally had a minor upset as a pair of legendary coaches confronted off in Windfall, Rhode Island. John Calipari and his Arkansas Razorbacks defeated Invoice Self and the Kansas Jayhawks, 79-72.
A ten-seed beating a 7-seed is not a significant upset, although Arkansas did come into the sport as 4.5-point underdogs. The Razorbacks ended the sport on a 15-5 run to ice the sport and seize the victory.
With the Jayhawks knocked out, the highest-paid coach within the NCAA Event is already eradicated. Self signed a lifetime rolling deal in November 2023. It is the most important contract for a coach at a public college, price about $53 million over the primary 5 years. Self, whose Jayhawks have gained two championships throughout his tenure, made $8,803,800 this season.
It is the primary time since 2006 that the Jayhawks have misplaced within the first spherical. It almost occurred final yr, too. Kansas was a 4-seed and barely held on in opposition to Samford, maybe aided by a really beneficiant foul name. Self made much more cash through the 2023-24 season. His wage was over $9 million; with whole compensation he earned about $13 million over the course of the yr.
That leaves Calipari because the highest-paid coach remaining within the match, no less than for now. The Arkansas coach takes on Rick Pitino and the St. John’s Purple Storm within the second spherical. Calipari signed a five-year cope with Arkansas in 2024 after a protracted tenure with the Kentucky Wildcats. Calipari made $8 million this yr, with a $7 million wage and a $1 million signing bonus. And in case you‘re scoring at house, Pitino is making a reported $3.3 million in wage.
Finally, just one workforce can turn into the champion. Sixty-seven different ones will lose alongside the way in which. Nonetheless, you’d assume the workforce with the highest-paid coach may final just a bit bit longer.