NASHVILLE -- “Unacceptable.”

That’s the word Kentucky Coach John Calipari used to describe Kyle Wiltjer’s defense — or lack thereof — in UK’s 60-58 victory at Vanderbilt on Thursday night.

Calipari said that Vandy scored 14 of its 24 first-half points against Wiltjer. He said that was no coincidence.

The Commodores targeted Wiltjer as a defender that could be exploited. Other Southeastern Conference teams will do the same, the UK coach said.

“They went right at Kyle,” Calipari said.

Vandy used pick-and-roll action against Wiltjer and also tried to isolate him against an offensive player, the UK coach said.

“Either we play zone or you don’t play,” Calipari said he told Wiltjer. “Fourteen points (in the first half) against Kyle. No, we’re not accepting that.”

Vandy players Rod Odom, Shelby Moats and Kedren Johnson exchanged self-conscious smiles when asked if Wiltjer was targeted.

After a pause, Moats said that Vandy talked in several timeout huddles about trying to get points from the player guarded by Wiltjer.

When asked how often Vandy targeted an opponent in such a way, Johnson said, “Not every game. We just felt we had an advantage.”

Said Johnson of Wiltjer, “He’s not too quick sideways.”

Wiltjer, a 6-10 sophomore, is known as a more-than-capable shooter. More than once this season, Calipari has noted that Wiltjer must compensate for a lack of foot speed by anticipating plays and playing with a nastier attitude.

“Figure it out,” the UK coach said.

Calipari compared Wiltjer to Bill Laimbeer, who played several seasons in the NBA despite not being the fastest player. He teamed with Rick Mahorn in a physical duo dubbed “Bruise Brothers.”

Calipari called for Wiltjer to stay down in a defensive stance, play with more toughness and just will himself into a better defender.

“You do everything you can to stay in the game or you accept it,” Calipari said. “They went at Kyle every possession I had him in the game. Every single possession.”

That might have been an exaggeration, but not an outrageous one.

“Don’t think every team is not going to go at you,” Calipari said he told Wiltjer. “Good luck. I think he can do it.”

Then Calipari noted a rebound or two that Wiltjer’s man beat him to.

“Fight, man,” Calipari said. “C’mon. Where is it?”

Poythress problems

Three charging calls complicated Kentucky freshman Alex Poythress’s homecoming Thursday night.

Poythress, who grew up in Clarksville, Tenn., fouled out of UK’s 60-58 victory at Vanderbilt.

He began the game with noticeable assertiveness. He finished with a busy stat line: seven points, six rebounds, four turnovers.

But UK Coach John Calipari noted a lack of aggressiveness at times. Vandy grabbed 20 offensive rebounds and won the boards 42-37.

“You can’t let it happen,” Calipari said of gettable rebounds that eluded Poythress. “It’s unacceptable.”

Calipari suggested Poythress adopt an attitude of “I have to make it a point: I’m not getting outworked.”