Calipari Says It’s Time for Richards to Perform

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Just a few seconds after he put Nick Richards back into Saturday’s game at Vanderbilt, the freshman center failed to block out on a free throw after a Vanderbilt miss. Immediately Kentucky coach John Calipari brought him back to the bench.

“If you go in and you don’t rebound and the guy grabs the ball for you, I told him after the game ‘Guys, if I stick you in there and I’m saying you’ve gotta rebound and the first play, walk to the bench. You don’t have to see if I’m taking you out. You know I’m taking you out,'” Calipari said.

Richards played only 12 minutes in the 74-67 win Saturday even though UK had only seven healthy scholarship players and he also started the game. He was 2-for-2 from the field and had four points, three defensive rebounds and two blocked shots. But he also got beat inside for scores and then gave up that rebound after a missed Vanderbilt free throw that infuriated Calipari.

“He’s going to have to go rebound the ball, bend his legs and do what we’re asking him to do. You can’t stand stiff legged and think you’re going to guard somebody. Are you doing that because you’re tired? I don’t know,” Calipari said. “But you’re doing it and every time they drive right around you.”

Calipari said he told Richards if a player pushes him to get a rebound, push him back harder. No excuses.

“You’ve gotta get the ball,” the Kentucky coach said.

Calipari said he debated going into to Richards often to start Saturday’s game because of the way Vandy’s interior defense had been shredded in recent weeks.

“That was my thought when I woke up this morning, so I haven’t lost any confidence in him, but he’s gotta perform.  This is about winning. Do you leave him in the game and losing? No. Not doing it. Not happening,” Calipari said.

Richards is averaging 6.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game in 17.3 minutes per outing. He’s shooting 63.2 percent from the field.

His teammates still have confidence in Richards and what he can do for the team.

“Nick’s one of the hardest workers on the team. If you come to our practices, you see he’s always first one to the gym and the last one to leave,” freshman Kevin Knox said. “He’s just putting in the work. We just gotta get him to translate it to the game.

“I think all Cal really wants him to do is just rebound and defend and block shots and just run to the basket. He’s got one of the easiest jobs on the team. We just gotta get him to do it.

“I think one of his problems is he’s not really getting as many rebounds as Cal wants him to, so if he can just get 10 to 12 rebounds a game, he’d be fine. That’s all Cal really wants him to do, but he’s not getting it done. He’s going to keep working and he’ll get there soon.”

 

 

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