Preston Spradlin Returns to Familiar Territory as James Madison Faces No. 18 Arkansas
FAYETTEVILLE - Preston Spradlin has been here before. Maybe not in Bud Walton Arena, but in this moment - standing on the other sideline from John Calipari, the Hall of Fame coach who helped shape his career.
More than a decade ago, Spradlin was a young, wide-eyed staffer on Calipari’s Kentucky bench, soaking in the experience of a national championship run. Now, he’s the head coach of a rising James Madison program, preparing to take on the No. 18 Arkansas Razorbacks in a tough nonconference showdown Monday night.
Spradlin doesn’t just remember the 2012 title - he lived it. That season, he was in his first year as Kentucky’s director of operations after starting as a graduate assistant.
He stood on the Superdome floor in New Orleans as blue-and-white streamers rained down, watching the Wildcats celebrate a 67-59 win over Kansas. It was a dream moment for a Kentucky native who grew up immersed in Big Blue Nation.
“I would not trade that for anything in the world,” Spradlin said. “As a young guy in this business, you’re going to get paid in experience.
That’s certainly what I was able to get. I was always a UK fan, so just the fact I got to be there was unbelievable.”
Spradlin’s journey since then has been steady and impressive. After five seasons under Calipari, he took the reins at Morehead State and led the Eagles to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and an Ohio Valley Conference title.
Last season, in his first year at James Madison, he guided the Dukes to a share of the Sun Belt regular-season crown. Now, he’s viewed as one of the sport’s rising coaching minds - and on Monday, he’ll face the mentor who helped launch his path.
The matchup wasn’t easy to lock in. Mid-majors like James Madison don’t often get chances to play top-tier programs, especially ones as loaded as Arkansas. Spradlin and his staff had to work for it, hearing “no” several times before finally getting a “maybe” - and then a yes - from Calipari and the Razorbacks.
“We made a deal,” Calipari joked. “If we beat you, you get [$90,000].
If you beat us, you get [$40,000]. So, that’s the buy game.
Yeah, that’ll be a hard game.”
And it will be.
Arkansas comes in with a 9-3 record and one of the most athletic, transition-heavy rosters in the country. The Razorbacks have length, speed, and a top-20 offense, per KenPom, which poses a serious challenge for a James Madison defense that ranks near the bottom of the national metrics.
Spradlin knows what he’s up against - he’s seen this kind of talent before. His years at Kentucky gave him a front-row seat to rosters stacked with future pros. He recognizes the blueprint, and he sees the familiar Calipari fingerprints all over this Arkansas team.
“They’re certainly worthy of all the hype. Typical Coach Cal team,” Spradlin said.
“They’re going to be a handful. They’re going to be a team that I expect to be playing deep into March.
Hopefully they’re just not clicking like they are going to be in March here in late December.”
For James Madison, this game is about more than just the scoreboard. The Dukes are still trying to put together a complete performance.
The ball movement has been there, the looks have been decent - but the shots haven’t always fallen. Spradlin believes his team can shoot it better, and he’s hoping that clicking into rhythm against a high-level opponent can help build momentum heading into conference play.
Defensively, the Dukes have made some adjustments, but there’s still work to be done. Spradlin knows that tightening up on that end is key to taking pressure off the offense - especially against a team that thrives in the open floor like Arkansas.
“I’m excited to see where our growth over the season lands us against an opponent that’s going to be an incredibly tough matchup for us,” Spradlin said. “If you do pretty well in that and you learn a lot about your team, then certainly it’s going to help you prepare for what’s most important for us - those 16 conference games that we’ve got coming up.”
This won’t be a championship game. There won’t be confetti or cutting down nets. But it’s a meaningful moment for both coaches - a reunion of sorts between teacher and student, now on opposite sidelines, each trying to sharpen their team for the grind ahead.
It’ll be the third time Spradlin and Calipari have faced off, with Cal holding the 2-0 edge. But for Spradlin, it’s less about the record and more about the opportunity to measure his team - and himself - against one of the best.
“It’s always fun,” Spradlin said. “It’s a great experience; it’s a great challenge. Looking forward to seeing how we stack up against one of the best teams in the country.”