They both have banners hanging in the Mullins Center, but former UMass men’s basketball coach John Calipari and Hobey Baker winner Cale Makar met at ground level Tuesday night.

Calipari, the University of Kentucky coach since 2009, posted a photo with Makar from Ball Arena in Denver during the Denver Nuggets’ 118-102 win over the Phoenix Suns in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal series. Makar plays for the Colorado Avalanche and won a Stanley Cup this year. Two of Calipari’s former Wildcats Jamal Murray (Denver) and Devin Booker (Phoenix) faced off in Denver.

Calipari tweeted a photo of he and Makar on Wednesday morning.

“To all the UMass fans: Got to hang out with Cale Makar at the Nuggets game last night!!” he wrote.

Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylegrbwsk.]]>

To all the UMass fans: Got to hang out with Cale Makar at the Nuggets game last night!! pic.twitter.com/GuUWWlq96Q

— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) May 10, 2023