Maybe it was Tom Izzo's plan, maybe he stumbled into it. But big nights from Cam Ward and Jordan Scott lifted Michigan State basketball over Arkansas.

John Calipari calls out his freshmen after Arkansas’ loss, questioning their decisions in a tense postgame moment.

Freshman Cam Ward had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Coen Carr scored 15 points and soared for seven rebounds and No. 22 Michigan State beat No. 14 Arkansas 69-66 in a matchup of Hall of Fame coaches

Arkansas' head coach John Calipari calls out to his players during the first half against Michigan State on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tom Izzo’s “scary” Arkansas guarantee shows the respect between two legends as Michigan State grinds out a gritty early-season win.

Despite committing 10 turnovers and giving up 10 offensive rebounds, Arkansas entered halftime with a 39-36 lead. The Razorbacks erased an early deficit by going 5 for 14 from 3-point range and scoring eight points of Michigan State turnovers.

In a battle between two legendary head coaches on Saturday, it was Michigan State's Tom Izzo who prevailed over Arkansas' John Calipari,

Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch gives his initial thoughts on the Spartans' performance in a win against Arkansas on Saturday night.