FAYETTEVILLE — St. John's basketball coach Rick Pitino, who led Kentucky to a national championship at Kentucky in 1996, posted a video to social media Thursday morning with a plea to Big Blue Nation. Pitino asked Kentucky fans to give Arkansas coach John Calipari a standing ovation Saturday when he returns to the place he coached for 15 years.

Rick Pitino knows a thing or two about leaving Kentucky -- and returning. And now with John Calipari set to return to Rupp Arena with Arkansas on Saturday night (9 p.m., ESPN), the St. John’s coach has some advice on how Big Blue Nation should treat their former coach.

Coach Mark Pope was washed about the grit of this team and where this game ranks for him. Check out this great answer Coach Pope says Coach Brooks used a term he had never heard in the team prayer. Check it out. pic.twitter.com/H2AowxfjhJ

John Calipari will make his anticipated return to Lexington when the Arkansas Razorbacks take on the Kentucky Wildcats. For Kentucky fans, the choice of cheering or booing their former coach has the fanbase divided.

John Calipari knows it probably isn't going to be the warmest welcome when he returns to Lexington this weekend. Saturday night's game between Arkansas and Kentucky will be Coach Cal's first time returning to Rupp Arena on the opposing sideline since leaving the school last April.