When Cats needed help the fans provided it against Alabama

Kentucky fans and UK reserves gave the Cats a needed boost of energy Saturday. (Vicky Graff Photo)

Kentucky needed more help than coach John Calipari could provide and got it from the fans. The Cats got bombarded by an Alabama 3-point barrage early and were down 46-34 late in the first half. With starting guards TyTy Washington and Sahvir Wheeler out with injuries, Kentucky needed a lift and got it from the Rupp Arena fans and rallied to win 90-81 to stay alive in the SEC championship race — and more importantly, help solidify a high NCAA Tournament seed.

“Let me thank the fans. Wow! Unbelievable environment,” Calipari said after the win. “When we were dying, they never started booing. They don’t boo, they were cheering us on. When we made that run at the end of the half, the last four minutes, the way we guarded, they cheered on the guard, the rebound, how we defended.

“That’s what our fans — they know what to cheer. They know what to push the buttons. Greatest fans. I love these fans.”

So does Kellan Grady, who had 25 points. His 3-pointer late in the half gave UK its first lead and the fans let him know.

“Keion (Brooks) told me that was the loudest he’s ever heard Rupp Arena. What happened today tops that feeling, that was incredible. So credit to our fans,” Grady said. “That really helped spark our run.”

“It started when we were on defense where we needed some pivotal stops and their energy and their enthusiasm. I think it was a little extra pep in our step and we were able to convert on offense and it changed the whole dynamic of the game.”

Calipari joked that he would watch the game tape once but most fans probably would watch it three times.

“When I watch the tape, there’s some things I’m trying to look at to make sure I was either right or wrong. There’s some things I may have gotten on a player about; I want to make sure I’m right in what I did, and if I’m wrong, I apologize and I tell him, I was wrong, here’s what happened in that play,” Calipari said.

“They know. They don’t have to get upset with me if I’m wrong; they know he’s going to go see it on a tape. But I know our fans are going to watch it three and four times. I say, have fun and cheer again and pause it. I wonder if this one goes in. You already watched it three times, you know it’s going in.

“But that’s what makes this a unique place, the fans. And the fans I keep coming back to, they’re not moved. This is about this program. When the next coach is here, they’ll be about this program and about these kids. That’s what these — Coach (Adolph) Rupp started this. The rest of us rent the seat. Again, let me thank the fans.”