Vandy coach says PJ might be college basketball’s most improved player

Improve your perimeter game. Sustain effort for longer periods of time.

That was the message NBA people conveyed to PJ Washington in the pre-draft process last spring. How he took that to heart after deciding to return to college for a sophomore season was on display in Kentucky’s 87-52 victory at Vanderbilt on Tuesday night.

“Yeah, I felt it was great to come back and work on my game and show more of what I can do,” Washington said after the game. “I’ve done a great job of that so far. Just trying to continue to do that and be aggressive.”

Washington led Kentucky with 26 points and 12 rebounds. He also equaled a career high of three steals and — are you watching, NBA? — made all three of his shots from beyond the three-point line.

Vanderbilt Coach Bryce Drew was impressed.

“Oh my goodness,” he said. “PJ was sensational. … I’m trying to think if there’s a player more improved than him in the country. I mean, he’s shooting the ball like he’s a two-guard. Obviously, with his length, he’s finishing.

“It shows what hard work in the offseason can do. … Credit to him. Compliment to him for turning his game completely around from last year to this year.”

Washington increased his total of three-point baskets to 17. He only attempted 21 last season. His current accuracy of 41.5 percent (17 of 41) compares favorably with last season’s 23.8 percent.

“I’ve just been in the gym working on it,” he said. “I’ve been working on it a lot this year. … Hopefully, it keeps paying off.”

Washington’s 21 points against Mississippi State and 20 against Kansas marked the first time he’d scored 20 or more in back-to-back games. He stretched that streak to three games at Vanderbilt.

Ever the demanding coach, John Calipari continued to raise the bar of expectations for Washington higher and higher. With 18 points and 10 rebounds at halftime, Washington was on pace for Calipari’s stratospheric goal for the sophomore forward: 35 points and 20 rebounds.

“He just said be this person every night,” Washington said of the message he received from the UK coach. “He’s not letting up on the gas with me. … I have to come out with a different mindset than I have before.”

Calipari suggested that Washington is better at handling the inevitable reversals of fortune in a game.

“There’s no coolness,” the UK coach said. “When something goes wrong, he doesn’t go cool now. Act like it doesn’t matter. Now, he bows his neck.

“And the other thing is he’s taken on the challenge.”

Washington has been likened to a Draymond Green in the making. He seemed to like that idea.

“I just feel I can affect the game in many different ways,” he said. “I’m just trying to come out and be aggressive.”

In Kentucky’s crowded front court, Washington’s increased production means less playing time for others.

“I told EJ (Montgomery), you have to deal with it,” Calipari said of Washington’s emergence. “I’ve been waiting a year and half (for it to happen).”

Go Big Blue

Chants of “Go Big Blue” and “C-A-T-S, Cats, Cats, Cats” could be heard in Memorial Gym.

“It’s great,” Washington said of this home-away-from-home fan support. “It just felt like a home game for us.”

The presence of UK fans here did not surprise Calipari.

“They travel,” he said, “and they’re crazy. And they’ll be waiting out by the bus. It’s 10 below zero, and they think I’m going to stop and sign autographs. I’m putting a towel over my head and moving by.”

Halftime

Kentucky’s 45-15 halftime lead made for some interesting coaching at intermission.

Calipari’s message was “not to let up even though we were up 30,” Nick Richards said. “We should be up probably by 60. But we won by 40, so I guess it’s a good ‘W.’”

Vanderbilt players heard a different message.

“Our goal was to win the second half,” Drew said. “I was proud of our effort. Proud of our fight in the second half. Through that whole 20 minutes, they didn’t quit. Even at 18 minutes, they played the whole 20.”

Rush to record book

UK’s 35-point victory raised a question: Was it the most lopsided victory over an SEC team in Calipari’s 10 seasons as coach?

A quick look suggested it tied for the fourth-most lopsided victory.

The worst beating a Calipari-coached UK team put on an SEC rival was the 86-37 beating of Missouri on Jan. 13, 2015. Second-worst: 100-58 over Texas A&M on Jan. 3, 2017. Third-worst: 82-44 over LSU on Jan. 15, 2011.

UK beat Auburn by 35 points (110-75) on Feb. 21, 2015.

All those games were in Rupp Arena. So the victory at Vandy was the most-lopsided victory margin over an SEC team in Calipari’s 10 seasons as UK coach.

Next game

No. 7 Kentucky at Florida

4 p.m. Saturday (ESPN)

This story was originally published January 30, 2019 at 1:52 AM.