Vicky Graff Photo
The swag was gone for coach John Calipari after No. 6 Kentucky got demolished 79-62 at South Carolina Tuesday night.
“I saw men and I saw boys,” a disappointed Calipari said on the UK Radio Network after the game. “They just played so much rougher than us.
“They banged us on drives. We were trying to dance with the ball and the minute we did they pushed up on us,” Calipari said. “When we were driving for layups, they challenged us.”
Kentucky was 8-for-21 on layup attempts and Calipari said his young team thought it would be able to play “cute” when the game got physical and hopefully learned that will not work.
“You have to take the ball by the man and not dance,” Calipari said. “I told them each time you bounce it he (the defender) gets closer and closer. You try to get around him and he’s into your body.”
What might even be more concerning was Kentucky’s apparent lack of focus or ability to follow instructions from Calipari.
South Carolina shut down UK’s transition game — the Cats had a season-low seven fast break points — and Calipari said he was trying to get his players “to throw (the ball) ahead and reverse it to get to the other side” of the court.
“It was a little rough and we got a little out of whack,” the UK coach said. “Every team is going to play us the same way. Go beat them up. You have got to watch the tape and know you can’t play that way. We have got to do some stuff in practice to make it rougher.”
Late in the game with Kentucky facing a double-digit deficit Calipari wanted his team to foul South Carolina’s worst free throw shooters. He told his players to foul them as soon as they caught the ball. Instead, he watched the player he wanted to foul catch the ball and throw it to another teammate.
“We will get better. This is a great lesson,” Calipari said.
Problem is there is not long to correct what happened. Kentucky plays at Arkansas Saturday in a game the Razorbacks need to win to have a chance to save their season.
“It will be the same kind of crowd. They will rush the court the same way (if Arkansas beats Kentucky),” Calipari said.
12 Responses
He creates the team roster. Yet, he whines about it every year
EXCUSES ARE FOR LOSERS.
Professor, I grew up in Danville and played a number of years of sports and the only chart on the wall was "excuses are for failures". And I used that motto my whole life 81+ years now. Thank you for your comment. As for Calipari I took him off my respect list when he made a comment that when he played basketball and was on a fast break he would throw the pass just behind his teammate so that he would be forced to throw the ball back to him. He is my definition of "selfish".
Claude you never made excuses and effort was never a problem for you. Always loved watching you play
There is no reason why Reed S played only 10 minutes. He would have set up the offense instead of all the one and one play.
He is the biggest boy of the group. It was obvious, he did not have a clue of what to do! blame it on the players is his first choice.
Where are all of the Calipari lovers?
Cal looked like the boy going against the man.
Cal really can’t coach!
It’s funny you guys always blame Cal for every loss the cats take . You guys live in a negative world life too short for that. Go CATS!!
79, Kentucky basketball is a tradition the most in BBN takes religiously. Casual fans like you who say this is just a game, get over it, are not true blue Kentucky fans.
79, Cal is the coach. Who are supposed to blame?
The players and assistant coaches changed since 2015(our last Final Four) but the head coach has stayed the same.
If that don’t tell you who the problem is the. I don’t know what will 🙄
I fully expect Sheppard’s minutes to continue declining rather than increasing.
In this college world in FB & BB I’m sure you can find a few 6’9” 250 lb. guys who would love to set on the UK bench , wear the jersey and come in rarely as enforcers – Adolph always had a couple of those guys. There are kids out there who are neither goons nor thugs who could fill the bill. Sorry Cal this is on you.