Chris Livingston said when he picked up his energy at Georgia it was already too late. (Vicky Graff Photo)
In a game Kentucky really had to win to keep itself in NCAA Tournament consideration, the Cats fizzled again and lost 75-68 at Georgia.
They missed their first six shots. They got outscored 7-0 after finally getting the lead late in the second half. They gave up 10 fast break points and had only three. They gave up 17 points off turnovers.
Freshman Chris Livingston might have explained exactly why this Kentucky team has been so perplexing and failed miserably to live up to preseason expectations.
He was on the UK Radio Network postgame show with Jack Givens and said the right thing about him needing to play better defense. Then he dropped this on Givens:
“I felt I picked up my energy in the second half but it was a little too late. I have got to be there for my team from beginning to end,” Livingston said.
Say what? How can Livingston — or any other player — not be there for Kentucky basketball from beginning to end?
But it was not just Livingston. Freshman Cason Wallace got two fouls in 3 1/2 minutes —something he could not do with guards CJ Fredrick and Sahvir Wheeler out with injuries. However, what was even more disappointing was Wallace’s lack of scoring ability in the second half.
He was coming off back to back 20-point games but yet went almost 14 minutes in the second half without taking a shot. His first field goal came in the final minute of play. He just looked like he was not going to shoot no matter what and finished 2-for-8 from the field in a game where UK really needed him.
Givens, the former UK all-American, was disappointed in UK’s play Tuesday in a loss to Arkansas. He sounded even more frustrated with this loss.
Kentucky fought to get ahead 55-52 eight minutes into the second half on a Jacob Toppin 3-pointer. Georgia responded with a 7-0 run and never trailed again.
“They fought to get up and instead of converting a couple of high percentage shots at the basket, they missed,” Givens said. “I understand you will miss some (shots) but when you have the momentum after fighting to get back and are playing a team that has struggled, you have to just nail them.”
Kentucky didn’t nail them but one has to wonder how the effort/willpower to do that can be missing in mid-February.
“You have to max out on every play and not take plays off,” Givens said.
Sounds easy but apparently it is way too complicated for the Cats this year.
“It is a will to win,” Calipari said after the game. “We missed a shot. We turned it over. We lost the ball. They made shots. They have a will to win.”
Too bad Calipari didn’t explain why Kentucky does not have that will to win or maybe the coach just does not know what seems like something so simple to have is missing for this team.
14 Responses
Its not about the name on the front . Calipari made that clear from the get go. I felt like Cal saw that winning games took a back seat to getting players to the next level. The great history of UK is just that.
What this team is lacking is guts. Think of Eric Bledsoe. John Wall, the number one pick in a point guard was already coming to Kentucky, Eric Bledsoe said John Wall does not scare me. He came thrived because he was fearless. He knew he could get minutes even with John Wall on the team. Michael Kidd Gilchrest, worked his ass off. He wasn’t a real good pro but he was a great college player, These guys wanted to be the guy. They were alpha dogs like Tyler Herro. These guys don’t have an Alpha Dog. Quite frankly, I’m a little tired of hearing about all this undeniable talent we have…. Really. Other than Wallace, I don’t see anyone on the team playing in the NBA. Oscar, Collins, Ware, Wheeler, Frederick, Reeves, all going to play over seas…..Maybe a stint in the G league. We used to send 5 people to the NBA every year, we don’t have that type of talent. Frankly, Oscar is getting soft since he got the NIL money. He doesn’t do the work he needs to do to be better. You can’t work that hard and not be able to guard a ball screen. Getting shot over, that is a height situation, not being able to get in front of the ball is just laziness and lack of prep. Our Defense is just awful. That is coaching…
Cal says we can’t take plays off but he lets a player abuse our facilities the entire last half of the season last year without ever playing a second.
We’ve don’t seen the bottom of the barrel yet under this fraud coach.
Aside from Reeves and Tshiebwe, the rest of the team played scared. Nobody wanted to shoot, rebound, or play defense. Calipari fancies himself as a mad scientist who can F— with these kids heads and make Stepford basketball players out of them. All he has done is rob them of their chemistry and confidence. They really don’t care either now because nobody will be coming back next year. Those who don’t graduate or go pro will transfer. Honestly, would you want to play for this guy? We have given Calipari ample time to get his shit together and he hasn’t done so. For the sake of everyone involved, it’s time for a change.
As I have said before, this team has no leader on the floor and doesn’t seem to have one on the bench. They always come out unprepared and look like they are playing scared.
A will to win or competitive spirit is usually shown in people at a early age. They usually want to win even when there is nothing on the line. These kids we have now, don’t seem to have that. I know they want to win, but they also want to go to the NBA. Could they be playing "not to get hurt"? It sure seems that way because there is absolutely NO fight in most of these kids. Wheeler is a fighter, but his height is a great disadvantage on a team with no shooters and only 1 other player (Reeves) that seems to be able to create for himself. Many of these kids come in here to go to the NBA; that’s it! They are not playing for UK. They know they are going to the next level, so they don’t have to prove it or work for it.
There is not a player on this team that is reliable on either end of the floor and that comes from coaching, or lack thereof, so it is absolutely on the coach.
If it were me, there would be a brand new starting lineup in the next game (remember coach Hall in 1975) and it would not include a single current starter. I would even lose the game to prove my point that you will either give it your all, or sit beside me. Cal preaches that, but never ever follows through; especially, if you are going to the next level at the end of the season. You just can’t break the hearts of those guys.
Cal has proved over and over again that he doesn’t coach for UK to win games and remain "the Gold Standard". He coaches to put players in the NBA; period!!
Well said! U got to follow thru with "punishment", or threats of riding the pine in this case. This is like watching an unhappy marriage between Cal and UK. It’s no fun for the kids (fans) and it’s delaying the inevitable- divorce. Sad to watch but u know it’s coming unless by miracle Cal makes some major change within, but I don’t see him wanting that or even considering himself, his mindset, as part of the problem. I like the guy, and I really hate to see him miserable- but so are we. Time to change- drastically, or walk away.
Let me repeat this again, and I will continue to write this message until this fraud is finally gone if I am able to live long enough to have that pleasure.
When Sharpe showed the whole world that Calipari does not require a player to even play a single second, and the NBA followed suit by rewarding it with a high draft selection, why would any Calipari player ever be concerned about the effort given during his stay in NBA Purgatory between high school graduation and the NBA draft night one year removed?
That is what Calipari’s players’ first approach is about, and always has been about. Calipari does not care at all about the UK basketball program, and it is clear for anyone with a clear head to recognize given the steady decline this program has sustained on his watch. This guy takes $9 mil per year from the hard-working people of Kentucky that call themselves Big Blue Fans and members of the Big Blue Nation. He patronizes us, and he has destroyed that which we have always held dear.
The longer he remains in that chair, the greater the damage he inflicts on our program, and the longer it will take to rebuild it.
I find it hard to believe that there are still those among us who want to defend this man or his record.
Professor has said what a lot of us believe. I have followed, UK BB since I got an autograph from Bill Spivey and then Frank Ramsay took me to the stands where the rest of the team was sitting. He got me autographs from all the players. I have followed the Cats ever since, I even practiced 1 week on the Freshman BB team when the scholarship fellows didn’t make their required grades.
I was taken back when Calipari first came to UK and bragged that when he played college ball he would purposely pass the ball a bit behind his fast breaking teammate so that he was forced to pass the ball back to Calipari who then got the shot. Calipari is a guard BB player Who had centers like Anthony Davis who got the fourth most shots on the team when Calipari won his one and only NCAA Championship. His egotism has followed him throughout his UK career. I hope he reads my comments and retires after this season. He has made enougth money at UK and doesn’t need UK to caress his ego any further.
Mr. Hoffmeyer,
Thank you for your comments. They mean so much to me.
I believe you and I are elders of the Big Blue Nation, and our roots go back to Rupp.
My dad’s Kentucky pride, as I grew up, was largely supported by the success that Coach Rupp’s basketball program enjoyed and the postivie attention it drew on Kentucky. That formed the foundation of my fandom.
I cannot decide today whether this situation makes me sadder or madder. Frankly, I have periods when each of these emotions dominate.
Thanks again.
You know, when it comes down to it, Brainfart hired Billy, G, he hired Calipari, and Stoops. Stoops has panned out to be the best hire he’s made. How Calipari could run the talent through here that he has and have no more hardware to show for it is incomprehensible. When he first got here and we had. The 2010, 11, 12 teams I thought man we are going to have 15 championships before he’s done. But, his recruiting has collapsed the last 6 years. Next year being the exception. I expect a mass exodus this year and a bunch of decommits….
Mr Hoffnayer and I are almost from same era. as My High school team mate was Cliff Hagan whom I’ve always had much respect for. How hard he worked in High school to get where he became.
Now I look at these millenials and they have their values mis construed like Sharpe. There is no way Cal should have kept him safely on bench to make sure he doesnt get hurt. Hmmm
sometimes you begin to think maybe conspiracy kickbacks or just the way kids think.
Look at football. Cats 2 best players opted out of playing with their team mates that got them there, in their bowl game. didn’t want to get hurt and miss out on big NFL paycheck . This would never have happened in my day or Mr Hoffmeyer’s. And what was a slap in our faces no one called these 2 players out for thinking of only themselves. I under stand it’s all about money but before, all the great players still wanted to win their schools Bowl game, PERIOD
Although I could agree with the majority of what’s been said here my first thought is who we get to replace Cal but also we still have the same A.D. Though I fully agree about Sharpe Mitch could have said NO DON’T DO IT cause he wasn’t the first. I’ve been listening to and watching CATS for over 55 years and Although these are very difficult times i know I’m in the minority here but I say give Coach Cal one more year and if things aren’Tsignificantly better next year then he must go. Cal has never embarrassed the program unlike a couple that come to mind without too much thought !!! He has been a good P.R. guy for the program. He wins # 9 next year and he probably resigns any way.This team we have now is just not that good and I mean 1 thru 10 its not up to coaches or anyone else to get you motivated its up to you and you alone to come into practice and games and bust your ass its your future !!! Well I’m sure I will be getting some good feedback so till next time GO CATS GO !!!
Who can UK find to replace Cal. I can think of many current coaches that would be immediate improvement. However, improvement from the current level of mediocrity is not necessarily enough.
This is how I look at the program.
The owners (shareholders) are members of the BBN, and all former players are the Board of Directors. The AD may function as the CFO and the COO, as a hired employee serving at the pleasure of the Board. All players and coaches are also employees of the Program, with the head coach serving as the CEO at the pleasure of the Board. The Board should have absolute power to remove a head coach or COO at any time without penalty. The CEO (Head Coach) hires assistants and players.
I believe the Board of Directors should take the lead role by setting the standards and criteria for the CEO, and if the Board wants to assemble a special subcommittee of its members for this job, I am good with that. I think the likes of Dan Issell, Jack Givens, Jim Andrews, Kevin Grevey, Rick Robey, Mike Flynn, Jimmy Dan Connor, Louie Dampier, Sam Bowie, Tony Delk, Derick Anderson, Jamal Mashburn, Chuck Hayes, Erick Daniels, Antoine Walker, and Kenny Walker. The unforgettables should be represented on this special search committee, selecting from Pelphrey, Feldhaus, and Woods. Those guys played with ice water in their veins in 1992.
As for my suggested list of candidates for the CEO position, I leave that to the committee. My standards and criteria start with rebuilding the program to the "gold standard of college basketball" in as short a time as possible, training all employees (players and coaches) about the history and traditions of this program since 1930, and building on that training with special programs conducted by members of the Board twice during the off-season (June when new members arrive in Lexington and August just before the fall semester begins), and monthly between October and March. Any employee who thinks this training is silly or unneeded should be shown the door. These training sessions could feature one former player under the rubric, “What the BBN and UK program have meant to me.”
Its time to restore the health and success of the program as the primary objective.
He has had one team over-perform in the postseason, 2014.
He has had 1 team meet post-season expectations, 2012.
2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, and every team since has underperformed in the postseason.
This myth that he brings teams along and prepares them for March is not supported by the facts.
Loss to a weaker WVa team in 2010, first round NIT loss in 2013, loss to a weaker Wisconsin team in 2015, loss to a weaker Indiana team 2016, loss to a weaker Kansas State team in 2018, loss to a weaker Auburn team in 2019, no tourney in 2020, no tourney in 2021 with a losing record, loss in first round to a pitiful Saint Peters team, and this year, on the bubble, fighting for one of the last at large bids.
When are some folks who blame the players on this team for this debacle going to wake up. It is not about Oscar, Fredricks, Reeves, Wallace or Wheeler. It is about Calipari.