No press conference for Calipari who was trying to get players better prepared to play

Assistant Bruiser Flint says Kentucky players have to pay better attention to the details if they want to start winning. (Vicky Graff Photo)

After Kentucky lost by 26 points at Alabama, John Calipari did not do the pregame press conference before UK played — and lost — to South Carolina.

After Kentucky lost to South Carolina Tuesday, Calipari did not do Friday’s pregame media conference before the Cats play at Tennessee today.

Notice a trend?

Actually, Calipari started doing fewer and fewer pregame press conferences himself several years ago. This season he’s done three — before games with Michigan State, Louisville and UCLA — but has appeared for every postgame press conference. For the other pregame press conferences, he has sent either an assistant coach or two players like he did after the stunning loss at Alabama.

So where was Calipari Friday when assistant coach Bruiser Flint got to do the media duties before the game at No. 5 Tennessee?

“(He’s) just working — trying to get our guys more prepared in what we’re trying to do. That’s all you can do as a coach. John Calipari — he’s been in this situation before. He’s been coaching for a long time. So he understands the circumstances, and what we need to do, and the mindset we’re trying to get the kids back into,” Flint said.

“And some of the things — you’ve got to keep the clutter out of your head, because this is a place where you get a lot of clutter. But it’s about working and trying to figure out what we need to do to get better and get us back on the right track.”

Flint said there is one thing that would go a long way toward getting Kentucky out of its funk that has the Wildcats 1-3 in SEC play.

“Our details have to be more consistent. I think sometimes, our details are not consistent and it shows in the game and we go through periods in the game where we struggle,” Flint said.  “We’ve got to get better at our details as a team.”

Flint and the UK staff thought the Cats made “progress” doing that in a 3-point win over LSU before taking step backs in the losses to Alabama and South Carolina.

“Our details have to be better and be more consistent in the game,” Flint said.