John Calipari Loses His Cool

James Crisp/Associated Press

John Calipari ejected just 2:26 into Kentucky-South Carolina game - John Calipari is not having the best of Saturdays.

The Kentucky coach was ejected just 2 minutes 26 seconds into this afternoon’s road game at South Carolina, blowing up after the Gamecocks’ Michael Carrera crashed into Wildcats guard Jamal Murray. After speaking with Calipari about the foul, official Doug Sirmons jogged to the sideline at halfcourt, evidently heard something he didn’t like, faced the scorer’s table and charged Calipari with a technical.

Calipari took off toward Sirmons and proceeded to shout into the referee’s ear, earning him his second technical and the resulting ejection. All five Wildcat players on the court ended up walling off and restraining their coach, who eventually turned around, with half his shirt untucked, and made for the locker room, buttoning his jacket on the way.

Calipari was also ejected two years ago at South Carolina, though that ejection came in the final minutes of the game rather than the first three. Kentucky assistant coach Kenny Payne is stepping in for Calipari during his absence.