Vicky Graff Photo
John Calipari cannot give up on his team. No coach ever should. That can sometimes lead to Calipari making — or maybe feeling he has to make — outlandish comments about his team.
He sort of did that Monday night on his weekly radio. His team has dropped from No. 6 in the Associated Press rankings to No. 22 after going 2-4 the last three weeks. The Cats are fifth in the SEC and battling just to get a double bye in the SEC Tournament with road games left at Auburn, Tennessee, LSU and Mississippi State along with a home game against SEC leader Alabama.
Kentucky (16-7, 6-4 SEC) hosts Ole Miss tonight but Monday night on his radio show the Kentucky coach said “we’re built for March” — something hard to fathom considering UK has one NCAA Tournament win the last three years and also only one SEC Tournament win the last three years.
“Now, real simply, we have to get more physical, we have to get 50-50 balls, and that includes rebounds that are free that we’ve gotten and we haven’t gotten,” Calipari said after his March comment. “And we’ve got to get, I’d say 10 percent better defensively.”
Kentucky has an offense that can score as well or better than any team in the nation. However, UK ranks 124 in adjusted defensive efficiency, 168th in offensive rebounding percentage and 233rd in defensive rebounding.
Those are not normal numbers for a team supposedly built for postseason success.
“I believe in the team,” Calipari said. “We’re going to break through. We’re built for the postseason. We are. You may say, ‘Well, why does he say that?’ Because, if you can score 75 or 80 (points) in an NCAA (tournament) game, and let’s defend a little better, let’s get a little more physical, let’s do it, you can advance.”
“It’s hard to advance if you’re scoring 60, 65. … We have guys that can make baskets, that, we’re not running (plays), they can just go get a basket.”
9 Responses
Friday morning March 1 will be a magical time for the UK men basketball program. Many things will happen but here’s 3.
1. Our coach will wake up and realize that when you’re ahead 3 points with under 10 seconds on the clock and the other team has the ball..You FOUL them!
2. After 4 years of not knowing how to defend the pick and roll were going to know what to do.
3. Our key players will put their pro dreams aside and have a burning desire to win us long suffering fans a National Championship.
Absolutely nailed it. Calipari should have been a politician.
He is a politician!!!!!
No one can build a team for a specific time of the year. If you could, the coaches that figured out how would always be in the Final Four every year. Cal is blowing hot air and trying to build up his team, as he should, but there is no special formula to "building" a team for March.
At the current rate, this team is playing to get in the NIT, but I guess you could still make the claim of "Playing for March".
I agree with Cal that UK doesn’t have to be super good on defense, but at this point there are not enough players on this team showing a willingness to put in the necessary effort on defense.
More snake oil from the fraud.
A coach should not quit on his team but is there a chance this team has quit on the coach? I am in the affirmative here. This team really shows no grit or passion for the uniform they are wearing. It appears, with exception of a few, that they are smart enough to know what has to be done but are resistant to change. We may never know the extent of these injuries or validity of them but mystery continues to surround as they have last few years under Cal.
Again, this team has no leadership, very little fight, and no coaching. Cal needs to leave while he is behind!!
How many more years must fans put up this this fraud’s endless excuses and promises?
I’m trying to be optimistic, but what I saw the last two weeks is hard to be optimistic.
Agree Cats79. Need a confidence builder tonight