D.J. Wagner, Karter Knox injury updates: John Calipari reveals status of Arkansas players for LSU game

No. 21 Arkansas was without its talented guard tandem of D.J. Wagner and Karter Knox during Saturday’s 88-68 blowout of host Missisippi State in Starkville, and head coach John Calipari believes their absense could extend into next week.

Calipari addressed the availability of Knox and Wagner during his postgame media availability, describing both as “questionable” for the Razorbacks’ upcoming game at LSU on Tuesday evening (9 pm ET). Knox sat out with a knee injury while Wagner has been dealing with a nagging ankle injury.

“I haven’t talked to anybody. Will they play? When’s our next game? (Tuesday) I don’t know,” Calipari said postgame Saturday night. “They’re probably questionable I would say for Tuesday.”

While both were listed as “doubtful” in last week’s injury report, Calipari said Knox’s absence came as a bit of a surprise to him, while Wagner was held out due to not quite being 100-percent healthy. Knox has started 18 games this season, including last week’s home loss to Kentucky, while Wagner came off the bench for the last two weeks after starting the first 18 games for the Razorbacks.

“I didn’t know (about) Karter, I knew his knee was bothering him, but I knew after the (last) game that it would be hard for him (to play),” Calipari added. “We were telling (Wagner) to try to get yourself ready — D.J. — but again, here’s a guy that plays so hard, fights so hard, you can’t go at 80-percent the way he plays. He has to be healthy.”

Knox didn’t score on 0-of-1 shooting in 6 mintues against the Wildcats, while Wagner contributed just four points on 2-of-4 shooting in 15 mintues off the bench on Jan. 31.

Chris Jans sees John Calipari as ‘rejuvenated’ at Arkansas

Midway through SEC play, Chris Jans and his Mississippi State team is still searching for a “signature victory.” That opportunity at stake Saturday at home against No. 21 Arkansas.

The Bulldogs have made the NCAA Tournament in all three of Chris Jans‘ seasons in Starkville, marking the first time ever the program has done so in a new head coach’s first three seasons. That streak is in danger of not extending to four seasons, however, as Mississippi State currently sits at 11-12 (3-7) following Saturday’s loss to the Razorbacks. It has lost seven of its last eight SEC games after opening conference play with back-to-back wins over Texas and Oklahoma.

Heading into Saturday’s game, Jans was asked about coaching against John Calipari. He claimed that the National Championship winning coach has looked “rejuventated” since switching leaving Kentucky for Arkansas prior to the 2024-25 season.

“Just from watching him and competing against him at Kentucky and now he’s at Arkansas, I’m certainly in no position to speak for him, but from the outside looking in, he seems rejuvenated,” Jans said. “He just seems like he’s got a little different bounce to his step. I’d say the change, I would imagine he would say and I don’t pay too much attention to it, has been really, really good for him at this point in his career.”

— On3’s Daniel Hager contributed to this report.