PJ Washington diagnosis a relief for Kentucky. ‘His post-up presence is so important.’

PJ Washington is expected to play in Kentucky’s opening game in the NCAA Tournament, Coach John Calipari said Wednesday.

Washington being sighted wearing a protective boot on his left foot this week inflamed social media. Speculation that Washington might not play in Kentucky’s game against Abilene Christian on Thursday night intensified when he did not accompany the team to Wednesday’s public workout in Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.

“We sent him to a specialist to make sure he can’t harm himself,” Calipari said. “But we expect him to play.”

Washington, UK’s leading scorer and rebounder, sprained his left foot against Tennessee in Saturday’s Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinal game, Calipari said.

An X-ray and MRI examination showed no serious injury, the UK coach said.

“He wants to play,” Calipari said. “Well, if you know me, I’m, like, wait a minute. Let’s go get one more level (of medical opinion).”

Abilene Christian Coach Joe Golding acknowledged how Washington figured prominently in his team’s game plan.

When asked how Washington could impact the game, Golding said, “Well, if he shows up to play in a walking boot, and Coach Cal lets him play in a walking boot, we might have a chance. . . . If he takes the walking boot off, we’ve got a problem. He’s really good. He’s talented. He’s one of eight problems we have on their roster.”

On Tuesday, SEC Network analyst Jimmy Dykes said Washington was central to Kentucky’s hopes to advance deep in this NCAA Tournament.

“I can make the case that Tyler Herro is the most important player going forward, almost equal to PJ,” Dykes said. “But PJ is a sophomore. And because of the position he plays. His post-up presence is so important. As good as Tyler Herro is and has been, he can’t give you those low-block scoring and-ones, back-to-the-basket post-ups. That really makes Kentucky hard to guard.

“Any coach in the SEC will tell you when you start trying to defend Kentucky, you have to deal with PJ on the block and Tyler Herro coming off screens.”

Reid Travis called Washington “a pivotal part of our team.

“Obviously, we’re a better team with him on the floor.”

Better than Vandy

The NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) suggested how big a favorite Kentucky should be in Thursday’s game pitting a two-seed (UK) against a 15-seed (Abilene Christian).

The NET had Kentucky at No. 6. Abilene Christian was No. 154, or one spot better than Vanderbilt, which became the first Southeastern Conference team in more than 60 years to go winless in league play.

Pressure?

The Abilene Christian coach suggested UK will be the team under pressure. “I think there is no pressure on us, obviously,” Golding said. “We’re playing the University of Kentucky, you know. So there is no pressure. The problem is we’ve still got to find a way to score and rebound the basketball. . . . We can go out there as loose as we want. It doesn’t matter.”

Kentucky’s Reid Travis shrugged off the notion of pressure going against an inspired opponent with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“I feel we’ve gone through that all year . . . ,” he said. “We like when a team brings their best game. It’s tournament time, so you expect that. We know we’re going to get the best from everybody. And we’re going to bring our best, too.”

UK mystique

On the youth basketball level, Abilene Christian forward Jaren Lewis played with such well-known college players as ex-Cat Malik Monk, former North Carolina point guard Joel Berry and Florida scorer KeVaughn Allen.

When asked if that familiarity lessened the awe factor in playing Kentucky, Lewis said, “Yeah, I would say so. It’s nothing new really. It’s just basketball. . . . I don’t really have, like, a mystique or anything. No nerves. It’s just going out there. We’re hooping.”

Forward Jaylen Franklin said he had spoken with Allen. Both are from Little Rock.

“I called him right after the Selection Show,” Franklin said. “He was, like, ‘Hey, man, you’ve got Kentucky. Dream come true.’ I said, ‘I know. I know. I know. I’ve just got to get to work, man.’”

Etc.

▪ BetOnLine website made UK a 22 ½-point favorite over Abilene Christian. The site also made the Atlantic Coast Conference a 5-7 favorite to have one of its teams win the NCAA Tournament. The Mountain West is second choice at 4-1. Then the Big Ten (5-1) and SEC (6-1). The Pac-12 is a 100-1 long shot.

▪ Ian Eagle, Jim Spanarkel and sideline reporter Jamie Erdahl will call Thursday night’s game for CBS.

This story was originally published March 20, 2019 at 5:54 PM.