Kentucky players have ‘chip on our shoulder’ heading into season opener
Kentucky players have not forgotten that last season began with a humbling 118-84 loss to Duke. Hence Ashton Hagans’ declaration of the motto “No Smile November” going into this season.
“Tuesday night you’ll see it,” he said of UK’s game against Michigan State to begin the 2019-20 season. “That’s the main focus. We’re going out with a chip on our shoulder.”
Hagans acknowledged his surprise at how Duke routed Kentucky. “I was shocked a little bit,” he said.
As for playing Michigan State, Hagans said, “This year is just trying to flip that around.”
Both coaches, John Calipari of UK and Tom Izzo of Michigan State, said that early-season games can bring surprises. Both spoke of an anything-can-happen atmosphere in Madison Square Garden.
“You don’t know walking into these games because they’re so early,” Calipari said.
Added Izzo: “Early in the season, nothing is a surprise. You kind of wish you had a game under your belt. To at least know something.”
Izzo dismissed the notion of each team’s preseason exhibition games being revealing.
“We both play exhibition games against nobody,” he said. “And then you get there, and it’s wham-wham-wham. Sometimes kids handle it. Sometimes kids don’t.”
To explain the 34-point loss to begin last season, Calipari credited Duke. “They deserved to win by 50, the way they played,” he said. “Their guys played better than my guys.”
It happens, especially early. “I can’t predict what goes on,” Calipari said.
Whatever happens against Michigan State, UK associate coach Kenny Payne put the opener in the context of a learning experience. If Kentucky wins? “Great,” he said. Then the routine turns to learning from mistakes.
And if UK gets smashed again? “We’re not devastated by that,” Payne said. “Last time I checked, you don’t win a championship in November.”
Tough or ‘soft’?
From the beginning of the preseason, Calipari pondered whether this Kentucky team would be tough enough. He returned to this theme on Sunday while previewing the opening game against Michigan State, a basketball program associated with toughness.
“You’re not beating them by just saying ‘We’re going to take their lunch money,’” Calipari said of the Spartans. “You’re not.”
But when Izzo was asked how tough he perceived his team to be by Michigan State standards, he said he liked the question being framed that way.
“By Michigan State standards of old, when we were a football team on hardwood, we’re soft,” he said.
Michigan State No. 1
Preseason polling by The Associated Press, college coaches, NBC Sports, Blue Ribbon, Street & Smith’s and Lindy’s all ranked Michigan State No. 1. It’s the first time in program history Michigan State has been No. 1 in a preseason poll.
“I’m not going to Lou Holtz it and say we’re not,” Izzo said of the No. 1 ranking. But a foot injury that will sideline guard Joshua Langford until at least January and an ankle injury that cast doubt on forward Kyle Ahrens’ availability for Tuesday night concerns the Spartans.
“We have a lot of question marks,” Izzo said. “But a lot of people have question marks at this time of year.
“I think we’re one of five teams worthy of (the No. 1 ranking) with Langford. Without him, I don’t think we’re there yet.”
Blue blood?
On a teleconference last week, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said Michigan State deserved to be considered among the sport’s elite programs.
“Michigan State wears green,” he said, “but they are a blue blood.”
To support that contention is this: the Spartans have advanced to eight Final Fours since 1999. North Carolina has been to six in that span, Kansas five, UK four and the rest of the Big Ten totals 10.
Also the Spartans have won 27 or more games in 10 of the last 12 seasons. In that same span, UK has won 27 or more eight times, missing in 2017-18 (26), 2012-13 (21), 2008-09 (22) and 2007-08 (18).
Izzo demurred. He said he separated blue-blood programs from others with a question: “Do they select or do they recruit? We’re still recruiting our butts off. We’re not selecting.”
Crum-my scheduling?
Within the first month of the season, Michigan State will play No. 2 UK (Tuesday), No. 4 Duke (Dec. 3) and possibly No. 3 Kansas in the Maui Invitational. The Spartans also play at No. 12 Seton Hall on Nov. 14.
“Izzo decided not to schedule the (Golden State) Warriors because Klay Thompson was hurt, and he wasn’t sure he’d get as much out of it,” Bilas quipped.
More seriously, Bilas said of Izzo, “He’s not afraid to get beat because he knows what comes from that. Like he’ll find out who you are and he’ll find out what you need to do in order to compete with the best.
“Denny Crum used to do that with his Louisville teams. … Back when you had to win 20 games to keep your job, (other coaches) wanted to schedule wins, and Denny Crum didn’t do that.”
When asked about his philosophy of making demanding schedules, Izzo said, “It started out because I was trying to get on TV.”
Izzo suggested there might be a downside with a less experienced player taking Langford’s spot.
“We don’t get a chance for somebody to work his way in with some cupcakes,” Izzo said.
Etc.
Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale and sideline reporter Holly Rowe will call the game for ESPN.
