Five takeaways about UK’s ‘bigs’ as Cats preview UNC Greensboro game

With associate coach Kenny Payne subbing for Kentucky head coach John Calipari, here are five takeaways from Friday’s news conference previewing the Saturday game against UNC Greensboro:

▪ PJ Washington is better than people think, and something of a weather vane for how Kentucky plays, Payne said. He’s not just a good, solid basketball player. He can be elite. And for UK to be elite, Washington must lead the way.

▪ Calipari’s patience may be wearing thin as the Big Blue Nation waits for Nick Richards to look like the imposing presence he was in the Bahamas. In what sounded like an appeal to his pride, Richards must grow up and “be a man,” Payne said.

▪ Even though EJ Montgomery has had moments, UK coaches recruited him with the idea of judging him in March. That sounded like the coaches see plenty of upside.

▪ UNC Greensboro can compete with Kentucky. Payne all but guaranteed that UNC Greensboro will play in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.

▪ When Richards starred in the Bahamas, the UK coaches said a lack of self-confidence held him back as a freshman. Richards said his confidence is fine. But Payne noted the difficulty in evaluating a player that is not confident.

Saturday

UNC Greensboro at No. 10 Kentucky

When: 1 p.m.

TV: ESPN2

Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1

Records: Kentucky 6-1, UNC Greensboro 7-1

Series: First meeting