‘It happens to the best of us.’ Duke, Kentucky share an upset story.
In case Kentucky fans needed a reminder that mid-major teams can knock off the highest and mightiest of college basketball, it came Tuesday night when No. 1 Duke lost to Stephen F. Austin.
John Calipari’s reaction on Wednesday could have described then-No. 1 Kentucky’s loss to Evansville on Nov. 12.
“When you have young kids, a veteran team can do that to you,” the UK coach said. That’s especially true when an inexperienced team faces adversity early in a season, he added.
Kahlil Whitney and Ashton Hagans said the Duke loss did not lessen the sting of Kentucky’s loss to Evansville.
“We look at it as an opportunity to learn from it,” Whitney said of UK’s loss.
The lesson learned?
“Don’t lower your level of play down to the competition,” Whitney said.
Kentucky plays another mid-major team, UAB, on Friday night.
Hagans was magnanimous.
“It happens to the best of us,” he said of Duke’s loss. “And they’ve just got to get back to work, I’m guessing.”
Of Kentucky’s loss to Evansville, Hagans said, “We put it in the past. Hopefully, (the Duke Blue Devils) do the same.”
UAB Coach Robert Ehsan, whose team plays at Kentucky on Friday, said those upsets reflected a new reality.
“I think there’s more parity than ever in college basketball,” he said. “I think these kind of upsets are more possible.”
It happens
When speaking of Nate Sestina’s injury, Calipari echoed something then-Florida Coach Billy Donovan observed at the height of the Gators’ success: All teams must deal with adversity.
“Every team has issues,” Calipari said. “I just hope everybody else’s issues are worse than ours.”
UAB
UAB brings a 4-1 record to Rupp Arena. The Blazers beat Mount St. Mary’s 58-51, Alabama A&M 72-52, Troy 76-75 and Lamar 57-48. Utah Valley beat UAB 66-55.
Coach Robert Ehsan said those games showed the emphasis his team places on defense and rebounding. Opponents shot with 39.2-percent accuracy (28.8 percent on threes). UAB had an average rebounding advantage of 43.0-30.0.
“Now, again, we haven’t played anybody of Kentucky’s magnitude,” Ehsan said.
Zack Bryant, who was selected to the preseason All-Conference USA Team, was dismissed from the team earlier this month. Ehsan issued a statement saying Bryant was dismissed because of “conduct detrimental to the team.”
Kentucky connection
A Kentuckian leads UAB in scoring. Sophomore guard Tavin Lovan, a native of Franklin, averages 13.2 points. He also leads the Blazers with eight steals.
“He’s doing great,” Ehsan said of the Franklin-Simpson High School graduate. “We’re really happy with his progress.”
Rare company
UAB is one of five teams to lead a series against Kentucky in which the teams have played at least five times and the most recent game was played after 1912.
UAB leads the series with UK 3-2.
“Let’s tweet that out!” Ehsan said.
The other four teams leading the series with Kentucky under those conditions are Saint Louis (9-8), North Carolina (24-16), UConn (4-1) and Arizona (3-2).
Typical father
Calipari said he’s no different than other fathers when watching his son play. His son, Brad, plays for Detroit Mercy.
“If they don’t pass Brad the ball, I’m mad . . . ,” the UK coach said.
Thanksgiving
Calipari said Wednesday that UK players would spend that night at his home, then serve Thanksgiving meals at a Salvation Army facility.
“I want them to feel blessed . . . ,” he said. “(And know) that they have an impact on people.”
Calipari said “life becomes more joyful” when a person gets outside him or herself.
UAB planned to bus from Birmingham to Lexington on Thanksgiving. Travel plans called for an 8 a.m. CST departure and arrival at 4 p.m. EST.
After an hour practice in Rupp Arena, the UAB team then hoped to have a Thanksgiving dinner. “At the hotel or wherever we can find it,” Ehsan said.
Kahlil finger
Whitney dislocated the pinky finger on his left hand in the Utah Valley game. He put the finger back in place on the court and continued playing.
“Because I knew it was going to be more painful if the trainers did it,” he said.
Etc.
▪ After playing Kentucky, UAB will play at Texas and return home to face Memphis in the next eight days. “It’s a tremendous challenge for us, obviously,” Ehsan said.
▪ Paul Sunderland and Daymeon Fishback will call the game for the SEC Network.
