Jacob Toppin, right, had a career high 24 points against Louisville. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Jacob Toppin admitted he hit “rock bottom” when he did not score in Kentucky’s SEC opening loss at Missouri last week but he soared back to the top in a big way against Louisville Saturday.
He made his first start in two week and scored a career-high 24 points and also got seven rebounds and two assists. He took 15 shots — and only one 3-pointer — and made a career-high 10 shots.
So what does Kentucky coach John Calipari do now after Toppin finally played the way the UK staff envisioned? Does he not say anything before Tuesday’s game against LSU or does he give Toppin another pep talk?
Here is the exact answer Calipari gave after Saturday’s win:
“No, I hugged him in one huddle. At Missouri, I had him in my room, and I hugged him and I said, ‘Do you know how much I love you and how much I want you to do well? But I can’t do this for you, and you’ve got to get in a different frame of mind.’ And we talked about it.
“But he went into that game, and what’s the word above awful? Then it became, all right, where do we go with this and how do we do this.
“He did some things. He talked to some people. I watched him practice and I loved what I saw. I called him in I said, ‘I’m going to start you tomorrow, what do you think?’
“He said, ‘Okay.’
“I said, ‘No. No.’
‘Yes, I want to you start me, Coach. Please! Thank you!’
“I said, ‘Come back and see me.’
“So before practice he came in, ‘I really want to start.’
“Great, then you’ll start.”
And I am guessing he will be back starting Tuesday night against LSU and Calipari — and BBN — hoping Toppin has figured out what he has to do to shine and make this team better.
