After apologies, Kentucky basketball’s wings take flight at Ole Miss

Kentucky Coach John Calipari said Tyler Herro and Keldon Johnson apologized to him in the wake of Saturday’s loss at Tennessee.

“They want to do well,” Calipari said after the pair contributed greatly to Tuesday night’s 80-76 victory at Mississippi. “One apologized to me for (pause), you know, for something that was said.”

That sounded like Herro, who drew Calipari’s ire during a first-half timeout at Tennessee.

“And the other apologized (and said), ‘I’ll play better,’” the UK coach said. That sounded like Johnson, who made two of nine shots at Tennessee.

“I said, ‘I’m not worried about you apologizing for your play,’” Calipari said. “‘It’s your attitude. Everybody’s got to grow up.’

“And I said to them, ‘When you’re a child, you act like a child. When you’re a man, you leave all those child things behind. Now, you’re either a man or you’re a child.’ How do you respond to all this stuff?’”

The roommates combined to make 17 of 30 shots and score 42 points against Ole Miss.

Johnson, who led UK with 22 points, denied that his seven-point game at Tennessee served as motivation.

“We just put that game behind us,” he said, “and didn’t really think of it.”

After telling reporters of his child-or-man challenge, Calipari paid Johnson and Herro a compliment. He said he respected how players can function and thrive in the pressure cooker that is Kentucky basketball.

“You also get the clutter, then they’re hearing about, ‘You’re the best player, you should take the most shots,’” the UK coach said. “All this stuff, and they’re hearing it. And they have to deal with that. And they’re all 19 years old. … I told them yesterday, I respect what these guys deal with because I couldn’t have dealt with it as a 19-year-old. No way.”

Ole Miss Coach Kermit Davis Jr. came away impressed with Johnson and Herro.

“God, their strength for their age,” he said. “In person, their toughness was really impressive to me. Their physicalness. And they’re both downhill players.”

Reid’s return

Calipari cast doubt on Reid Travis playing against Florida on Saturday. Travis has not played since spraining his right knee at Missouri on Feb. 19.

“I’m not going to count on him for Saturday,” Calipari said. “I’m just not. If he says ‘I think I can go,’ and he practices a couple days, maybe shove him in a little bit. Get his feet underneath him. See how he does. Maybe not.

“But I’m not afraid not to play him. This is about his health. The issue sometimes is you’re OK to go, but you’re just uncomfortable or you’re a little bit afraid.”

Calipari expressed thanks that Travis only sprained his knee rather than sustain a more serious injury.

‘Getting better’

Immanuel Quickley contributed five points, two assists and no turnovers in 19 minutes. He also played some point guard when Ashton Hagans picked up his third foul with 16:11 left in the second half.

“He’s growing,” Calipari said. “He’s getting better. His mind is slowing down. Early on, his mind just raced. He couldn’t really slow the mind down to be able to do the things he’s capable of doing.”

NCAA team?

Ole Miss, which hadn’t beaten a team ranked in the top seven since 2001-02, was trying to solidify an NCAA Tournament bid.

“This is an NCAA Tournament team,” Calipari said. “And they could do damage.”

Added Davis: “Do I think we’re an NCAA Tournament team? You bet,” he said. “I think everybody in our league thinks we are.”

Looking ahead

ESPN announced its plans for televising next week’s SEC Tournament.

The SEC Network will televise the first and second rounds, plus the evening quarterfinal games.

ESPN will televise the afternoon quarterfinal games, semifinals and championship game.

Tom Hart and Karl Ravech will call play-by-play for the first, second, quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. Analysts will be Jimmy Dykes, Andy Kennedy and Jon Sundvold.

Laura Rutledge will be the sideline reporter for most games.

Still looking ahead

SEC FanFare will be Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. through 7 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. next week in Nashville. FanFare will be across the street from Bridgestone Arena in the Music City Walk of Fame Park. Admission is free.

The event is a full interactive experience featuring food, drinks and live entertainment, the SEC said.

Etc.

▪ Calipari gained his 300th victory as UK coach on Tuesday night. He needed the fourth-fewest games to reach 300 victories at a single school in Division I history.

▪ The announced attendance of 9,500 was a record for The Pavilion.

This story was originally published March 6, 2019 at 1:48 AM.