Kentucky basketball heads to Arkansas. Here’s what the Cats talked about Friday.
Takeaways from Friday’s media interviews previewing Kentucky’s game at Arkansas on Saturday:
▪ Although Arkansas plays five guards at times, UK Coach John Calipari said his team can expect a hard-playing opponent that can play rough.
▪ Calipari continued to lament the 20 offensive rebounds South Carolina grabbed against UK on Wednesday. UK players did not put a body on opponents, Calipari said. “I’m saying, why isn’t what we’re doing in practice carrying over?”
▪ Keion Brooks said a five-guard lineup for Arkansas was an invitation for UK’s “bigs” to be productive around the basket.
▪ When asked about Ashton Hagans’ play at South Carolina, Calipari spoke of a three-minute stretch that he said included three turnovers by UK’s point guard. Hagans’ man also hit more than one three-pointer, Calipari said.
▪ Calipari said his remarks in the locker room after the loss at South Carolina were brief. But then after he watched the tape on the plane ride home, he called an impromptu team meeting at, say, 30,000 feet.
▪ Although he’s made only two of 15 three-point shots (and none since Nov. 29), Johnny Juzang said he’s shooting with confidence. Calipari pointed out that Juzang grabbed five rebounds in eight minutes of play at South Carolina.
Saturday
No. 10 Kentucky at Arkansas
When: 4 p.m. EST
TV: ESPN
Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1
Records: Kentucky 12-4 (3-1 SEC), Arkansas 14-2 (3-1)
Series: Kentucky leads 32-11.
Last meeting: Kentucky won 70-66 on Feb. 26, 2019, in Rupp Arena.
