Davion Mintz says it is time for UK to keep pushing and not look back. (UK Athletics Photo)
It didn’t take long for Kentucky to regroup following a disappointing showing in a 76-63 loss to Tennessee last Tuesday.
“We had a talk with the coaches and everybody,” Kentucky forward Oscar Tshiebwe said Friday. “It is not a time to think about whatever happened. It is time to come back.”
“We had a good practice (Thursday) … time to move on. We’ve just got to get better. It’s not going to be easy. It’s always going to get harder and harder.”
As the fourth-ranked Wildcats (21-5, 10-3 Southeastern Conference) found out in the loss to the Volunteers, past success against a league foe doesn’t matter and the team’s first double-digit setback of the year served as an awakening.
“I wish it could have been a practice wake-up call but it happened in a game,” Kentucky guard Davion Mintz said. “We still have a really great team and we’re just going to keep pushing. It’s better to happen now than March.”
The Wildcats will attempt to get back on track against Alabama Saturday. The Wildcats edged the Crimson Tide 66-55 on Feb. 5 in Tuscaloosa and face an Alabama team that is on a roll and carries a three-game winning streak into the contest.
“We’ve got to stay focused,” Tshiebwe said. “Sometimes, when you beat some people you start thinking that you’re better than everybody. We’ve got to think like it’s going to be a war. Everybody is going to come at you. We’ve got to keep fighting. We’re going to keep working, keep climbing. It’s not going to be easy.”
